Joylynn Jossel, When Souls Mate

When Souls Mate

Joylynn Jossel

St, Martin's, March 2006, $13.95

ISBN: 0312328621

In Ohio, to protect her beloved child, Klarke Taylor confessed to a homicide she did not commit (see THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL) in order to protect her teenage daughter Vaughn. After four years behind bars and being labeled "baby killer", Klarke is freed when her daughter admits to a nun at school of having committed the murder; now the nun is dead.

However, during her incarceration time, her world outside of prison has radically changed. Her former spouse Reo Laroque married Meka, the mother of his youngest child, and now Vaughn confessed. Still, she has her son HJ. With Meka plotting to keep Reo at any cost, Klarke enlists her two best friends, Jeva, who remains fixated on finding her biological parents, and tough Breezy, who seems more vulnerable since her dad died to help her save her children. Still, the trio teams up with pal Harris to try to get Klarke what she wants, even as Breezy apparently falls in love and Jeva meets someone she cares about too.

This sequel is an interesting complex family drama filled with surprising twists, especially a final one and strong characters. The storyline is fast-paced, as a frantic Klarke panics over what to do for her beloved two children. In spite of Meka seeming too hedonistically nasty, readers will appreciate this stand alone character study, though this reviewer recommends reading THE ROOT OF ALL EVIL, as that adds depths of understanding as to why Klarke acted as she did; as a mother willing to sacrifice her life for her young ones.