Karen Rose Smith The Bracelet

The Bracelet

Karen Rose Smith

Harlequin Everlasting, Aug 2007, $5.25

ISBN: 9780373654161

Brady Malone is rushed to York General Hospital having suffered a heart attack following an argument with his wife Laura over a newspaper article that accused him of killing women and babies in Viet Nam; she felt he needed to explain his side to their children, eighteen year old Sean and fourteen year old Kat, but he does not want to talk about his horrific military nightmare.

Laura blames herself for Brady's heart attack as they agreed years ago never to speak of his Nam tour. They met at an anti-war protest in 1969, fell in love and when he came back from overseas she was there helping him heal. As he recuperates from his heart attack, she and their kids are there for him, but the guilt he suffers from Nam and from the SIDS of their child Jason is tearing apart his marriage.

THE BRACELET is a deep family drama that focuses on keeping dark secrets inside turn them into a cancer that harms relationships. Lauren and Brady are realistic characters who hide their guiltiest feelings and fears from one another. The two teenage children react in a plausible manner to the accusations about their father and his heart attack. Readers who appreciate a strong character study that centers on internally holding guilty feelings will appreciate Karen Rose Smith's intense tale.

Harriet Klausner