Deborah Smith The Crossroads Café

The Crossroads Caf

Deborah Smith

Belle Books, Sep 2006, $16.95

ISBN 0976876051

Just over ten months ago, beautiful actress Cathy Deen was Hollywood's "Face of Flawless", the Grace Kelly of the 21st century. The paparazzi followed her onto the LA freeway distracting her and causing her to lose attention and crash. Instead of helping her, incredibly the paparazzi continues to tape her instead of helping her even when the fireball assaulted her face leaving it permanently scarred, but not as damaged as her mind as she overhears the ambulance team talk about her before and now.

In the North Carolina Mountains, Cathy's cousin, Delta Whittlespoon learns of her plight on CNN. She feels a deep need to assist Cathy who is in hiding so the Crossroads Caf owner asks drunk Thomas Mitternich, who moved here from Manhattan just after 9/11 claimed the lives of his wife and daughter, to help her make contact. Reluctantly Thomas succeeds in bringing the two cousins together where he and the actress fall in love, but both have issues to contend with if they are to forge a permanent relationship.

Though there is too much angst oozing from the lead couple, fans will empathize with both and root for them to make it. Cathy struggles from being the subject of wet dreams to being the subject of nausea while Thomas feels the survivor guilt that he still lives while his beloved wife and child died in the terrorist attack. The fascinating story line grips the audience who will wonder whether this couple can overcome their doubts to forge a second chance at living.

Harriet Klausner