Long Way Home
Grade : C-

The blurb of The Long Way Home, the newest in Jove's Friends line, proclaims "When it comes to matters of the heart, you can always trust your friends." Wouldn't you say that sets up certain reader expectations? It's unfortunate this book was included in this new marketing strategy because none of these expectations were met. There was no well developed friendship that grew into a romance, as the setup initially promised, nor was there a closely knit friendship between the heroine and her best friend Lucia. Their relationship was stormy at best. Marketing this as a friendship story was seriously misleading.

The book starts out with a short and unnecessary prologue - it is virtually repeated in the first chapter. Cira Valentino, a beautiful Sicilian peasant, and her buddy Renzo grow up together. As they mature, their friendship blooms into love and both are heartbroken when Cira must board a ship with her family headed for America. Renzo, with youthful fervor, vows to save up enough money to find her.

Sounds like a nice little idea for a story, if not a new one. But wait - there's a twist. Cira, with eyes puffy from crying and nose running from allergies, is turned away from the health inspector at Ellis Island. She is forced to find her way back to Sicily when the rest of her family is accepted to America. Destitute, afraid and alone, she returns to Sicily, and leaves the ship praying she'll find a kind soul to give her a ride to her grandparents' home. Instead she is picked up by a man who attempts to rape her.

This is where the actual hero comes in. Twenty-six year old Thatcher Montgomery is a spoiled, rich American enjoying his last taste of freedom in Europe before he must return home to grow up, find a suitably stuffy blue-blooded wife, and begin a boring job in the family business. He hears Cira's scream, helps rescue her, and offers her safe passage to her grandparents' home. During the trip he falls in instant lust with her but she lets him know, in no uncertain terms, that she is engaged. He does the right thing and lets her go but he can't shake her image from his mind.

Cira sets off to begin her happy ever after with childhood love Renzo, only to find him in a clinch with a hot blonde. What a guy! Heartbroken, with nowhere to turn (her grandparents have moved and have no room for her), Cira again meets up with her American savior and thus begins their on-again off-again relationship that is tested time and again by their class differences.

The descriptive setting varies from Sicily to America and the book explores the wildly different lifestyle between dirt poor Sicilian immigrants and blue-blooded Americans. It's all very interesting but unfortunately the love story doesn't work as well. Thatcher enjoys his life of privilege, even if he is a little stifled by the demands put upon him, and Cira has no place in his world. Despite enjoying several rapturous moments together, and knowing in their hearts that they are meant for each other, they don't allow themselves to be honest about what they are feeling. Cira gets defensive and snippy with little provocation, and Thatcher harbors fears that she may be a money grubber. The relationship comes across as one based more upon lust, Cira's neediness, and Thatcher's protectiveness rather than a true love match - until near the end when they finally open up. By that time I had lost all patience and just wanted to clank their stubborn heads together.

The supposed friendship between Cira and her childhood friend Lucia, who is also traveling to America, was unnecessary and irritating. Lucia's secret is obvious from the very beginning and she is nothing but a bitter, backstabbing woman. If Cira had "trusted" her advise, like the blurb says, she would have likely joined a nunnery or become a militant man hater!

Despite the criticisms there are some good and original plot elements in The Long Way Home. The author breathes life into her varying settings and doesn't just plunk her characters down in a place that could be anywhere. Also, for a change, the unbelievable orgasmic deflowering scene required by most romance publishers is missing. Cira is disappointed with the laughably quick and painful performance. However, I can't rate this one higher because there were too many plot contrivances, the characters weren't always admirable or sympathetic leads, and Thatcher's quick adjustment from a pampered, lazabout to a hardworking fellow didn't ring true. Ultimately, I was left with a feeling of great unease about their future together.

Reviewed by Laurie Shallah
Grade : C-

Sensuality: Warm

Review Date : July 2, 1999

Publication Date: 1999

Review Tags: Italy immigrant

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Laurie Shallah

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