C.J. Carmichael, Her Better Half

Her Better Half

C.J. Carmichael

Harlequin Next, September 2006, $5.50

ISBN: 0373881096

In Toronto, after being fired from an investment bank, Gary Holloway takes up yoga as a means to release his rage and frustration. Six months later he has found his enlightened side, which mean divorcing his wife Lauren and deserting their fourteen year old twin daughters Jamie and Devin to continue his spiritual journey with his instructor Melanie.

One year later, Lauren still remains in shock and struggles to adapt to the abandonment and being a single mom to teenage twins. The three female Holloways have given up their affluent lifestyle, much of their relationships with family and friends and their home, as they relocate to a working class neighborhood. Their next door neighbor, single mom of six year old Shelley, private investigator Erin Karmeli offers the fallen upper class elitist a trainee job, while diner owner Murphy Jones offers friendship. Lauren adjusts to her new surroundings and makes friends. However, Erin, who does not fear death, has one apprehension, Shelley's wellbeing, which forces the three Holloways to lovingly change even further.

HER BETTER HALF is a strong family drama starring fully developed likable characters who seem real because of relationships such as the friendship between Lauren and Erin, as the newcomer believes the very tall ultra thin neighbor initially was a hooker then a drug addict before learning the truth, as her pal becomes a loving sister to her. The other relationships also appear genuine so that this tear jerker makes for a strong contemporary fiction tale that fans will fully appreciate.