Books, Yarn, Ink and Other Pursuits

Jun 10, 2011

Review: Turn For Home by Lara Zielinsky

Note: This review was first posted May 26 at The Lesbrary.


The Book:

Cassidy and Brenna have declared their love for each other, now if only the rest of the world would get on board. While Brenna struggles with her two teen sons and their disgruntlement, Cassidy deals with the aftermath of her family's holiday. Trying to figure out how they will fit their lives together is hard enough, but when tragedy strikes, can their bond be enough to withstand the spotlight on these two stars?

The Yarn:

Turn For Home follows up after the holiday break for Time Trails, the sci-fi series that both Cassidy and Brenna star on. Trying to find time to continue building their relationship is full of pitfalls: not only do Brenna's sons give her the cold shoulder, but as well-known actresses, trying to hide from reporters and photographers is all but impossible.  When Cassidy's abusive ex-husband Mitch arrives on the scene, the doors are thrown wide-open, leaving the women to face the challenge of surviving under the microscope of Hollywood.

Compared to its prequel, Turning Point, Turn for Home moves at a much faster clip. This is an action-and-reaction based storyline, as opposed to the relationship discovery of the first book. When their relationship becomes public, Brenna and Cassidy must both face shocked and angry people in their lives. When Brenna is forced to give a statement to the press by the show's producers, she experiences first-hand the animosity that some have toward gays and lesbians. For Cassidy, it hits even closer to home as she once again must deal with her conservative, self-righteous father and passive mother. Zielinsky demonstrates that with the bad comes the good, as support comes at the hands of not only cast and crew on the show, but in smaller figures such as a patient rights advocate. Brenna's relationship with her sons and their activities is another focus of this book. While it becomes a nice plot device to bring Cassidy back into the boys' good graces by having her act as the go-between for Brenna and her younger son, James, I found the sequence of events served more to tie the characters together neatly towards the end than any other reason. The active storylines overshadow most of the romance and emotion that was evident in Turning Point, but I believe the book still presents a relationship that is being built in the face of adversity and self-recognition for both Cassidy and Brenna.

Turn for Home is an fast but engaging read. While not as romantic as its predecessor, it is one that will pack a punch for those who pick it up. It is a book about a new relationship that has to survive many obstacles, and many will recognize the love - or the pain - to connect to from their own experiences.

The Ink:

Title: Turn For Home
Author: Lara Zielinsky
Publisher: P.D. Publishing
Date: May 2010
Read: Ebook (Supplied for review by The Lesbrary)

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