Embracing the Dawn by Jeannie LevigMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
This is the first book I’ve read by this author. And third book I’ve rated five stars this year. And one of those three books was a short story I’d previously read. And second book in a row I’ve rated 5 stars (I’ve already read two short stories since I read this book which I did not rate 5 stars, the short stories I mean, so this isn’t a new trend where everything I read is 5 star quality).
This is one of those rare books that do not focus on characters from their teens or 20s wandering around being all . . . I’ve no idea where I’m going with this sentence. This is not one of those . . crap. This is one of those relatively rare books wherein the major characters are not teens or in their 20s, or even, for that matter, in their 30s. No, this is one of those books where the main characters are 40+. And they need to be – for all the life experience they’ve packed into their characters.
Right, so – the book opens with two women waking up after a one-night stand. One is E. J. Bastien, 50-something, and a regional director for a chain store (or, as the book description puts it ‘a business executive’). E.J. is not one of those types of women who only do relationships (neither woman fits that profile), in fact, for the most part she never does relationships (with women) – she’s a one night at a time type of woman.
The other woman in this book, Jinx Tanner, is a 40-something dog washer and ex-con. Three years ago she exited from prison (I was going to say ‘federal prison’ but I forget if ‘federal’ was part of the phrase or not). She had been inside the prison for 25 years (which reminds me that she’s 45, I think E.J. is closer to something like 52). And while Jinx has had ‘relationships’ in the past, they were the . . . non-normal kind, and, to complicate matters further, she hasn’t been with anyone in a sexual way for the past 10 years. She did have a relationship in prison but . . . well, you know prison relationships (yes? No? eh, I’m trying to be vague while giving details).
Neither woman expects to see the other again (back to ‘this book opened with two women waking up in bed’) but both really enjoyed their time with the other, and if they were different people, they might have tried for more. But they aren’t – for one: they don’t even live in the same city. For, you see, both are ‘there’ (wherever ‘there’ is), because E.J.’s son is marrying a nice young woman from a rich family (E.J. and her husband, or ex-husband I should say, are also rich). Unbeknownst to either woman prior to getting into bed together: that young woman? Jinx’s niece. Course the happy little afterglow immediately evaporated when this is learned by E.J., who proceeds to have a panic attack (though is calmed down from it). For, you see, E.J. is not out to her family, and . . . there are reasons she can’t be out. (one of the weird things about this book – every time I wanted to yell at it, at E.J. . . . someone yelled what I wanted to yell at E.J. and her stupid reasoning, mmphs, heh).
Jinx, by the way, is the black sheep of the family – she’s not been in regular contact with any of them for . . . oh . . . something like 28 years. Since she ran away from home. Though her best friend, her sister, ‘separated’ from her, emotionally, about 5 or six years before that – though Jinx hasn’t a clue what happened to change Andi’s personality ((view spoiler)).
Got distracted by spoilers.
Right, so – both E.J. and Jinx know they can’t be together . . . differing reasons, but have a good time together. Then ignore the other’s existence at the wedding. Weeks go by. Both have these feelings. E.J. finally breaks down and goes to the same club she picked Jinx at the first time – to try to find her (there are reasons more than ‘wants some sexual action’ but that’s important to). It’s kind of a dump, a dive bar – but that’s the kind of place E.J. looks going anyway so . . . . but the clientele, at least one of them, puts on the super mean face. But let’s not reveal every plot point – long and short – E.J. and Jinx hook up again . . . and then E.J. leaves again. Because.
This is one of those angsty, drama-filled, super complicated (relationship/family-wise) type of stories I do not look for to read. Not that I specifically hate them when I stumble across them, obviously, but I’m not really an angsty reading type of person. But . . . works here.
There’s several interesting dynamics at play here. More than I’ll mention. But, for one example of what I mean, there’s several shelves I like using. Yet ‘rich/poor’ isn’t clicked. Nor is ‘cultural clash (or however I worded that shelf)’. Why? Because both women have had stages in their lives when they had money – lots and lots of money; and stages where they were poor . . . ish. One a lot more than the other. And my brain just stopped working so I can’t recall the other examples I was going to give.
Jinx has two lesbian friends who play big roles in this book – Sparkle and Reggie. And several neighbors who she interacts with – like the next-door gangster teenager, and his sister, and their mother. Though the young man is the only one who has much in the way of lines in the book. On the family side we get Tiffany, Jinx’s niece, and Andrea, Jinx’s sister. On E.J.’s side we get her assistant and her non-assistant friend Taylor. Man these people’s names fled from my mind. Well, Sparkle and . . . the assistant’s name did. Had to look hard to find Sparkle. I think I’ll skip trying to locate the assistant’s name, though both she and Taylor play important roles in the book. On the family side we get Jacob and Mandy – E.J.’s children. Somewhere along the way (I know where, I’m being vague) we get Pete the puppy dog.
I liked both main characters, oh and both had points of view. One, E.J., is the kind I’d probably hate otherwise, though. Especially her constant running away and ‘I don’t do relationships’, and her ‘It’s all for Jacob!!!!!’ (as for why she can’t come out as a lesbian, there’re reasons ((view spoiler))).
Lots of feelings, humor, stuff going on in this book which I enjoyed. Re: humor: for reasons, Jinx was constantly telling joke’s – partially because that helped calm E.J. at times, partially because . . . um . . she’s a joke teller? There was another thing I was going to mention, lost it. The jokes are on a certain level, on purpose, like so – (using, as an example, one of the less elaborate jokes for room sake)
Why can’t you hear a psychiatrist using the bathroom? Because the P is silent.- eh, stupid, but works in context.
Let’s see . . . there was sex, it was graphic . . . what else to note . . what else . . . eh, I liked the book. Yay me.
Rating: 4.69
January 10 2018
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