Ad Hudler, All This Belongs to Me

All This Belongs to Me

Ad Hudler

Ballantine, Feb 2006, $13.95

ISBN: 0345481070

Leaving Colorado for Kansas, Geena Pangborn is already in shock from the accidental death of her son Nathan, but is not allowed to mourn her loss or obtain solace. The wealthy upper class family of her husband Barry blames her for the tragedy; Barry sides with his parents holding his wife culpable.

Unable to cope with the combination of grief and accusatory scorn punctuated by her need to wear Nathan's sweater, Geena flees Kansas, but not to return home. She heads further east until near broke, she accidentally obtains a credit card belonging to Ellis Norton of Fort Myers, Florida. Though feeling guilty for not turning it in, Geena uses the card to continue her journey with her new destination to meet Ellis and recuperate in SOUTHERN LIVING. Geena is shocked to find Ellis is an octogenarian bachelor who works as a docent at the Edison House Museum, where he learns management changes may force him out of the only thing that keeps him alive. Geena persuades Ellis that she is a reporter doing a feature on Fort Myers, and soon the two become close friends, but she knows she owes the elderly man the truth, but fears another rejection from a man who has become a warm caring, but trusty grandfather to her.

This deep character study enables readers to see how a grieving woman cut off by her loved one needs time to heal, but in this case has to do it on the road. The relationship between Geena and Ellis is delightfully developed, and portrayed as believable as each finds solace in the other. Though the ending seems schmaltzy, fans of a strong drama will appreciate Ad Hudler's fine look at grief.