
Back in the swing of letting you know about new and exciting books...today I'm featuring Amelia's Call.
In the first instance, I have to say that Amelia's Call is atypical of Margaret's work. First, it's a novella rather than a short story, and its greater length allows for a more engaging narrative and greater depth of characterization. Second, it's dominated by flawed rather than 'nice' characters. Third, it's a work that will trigger quite different responses in readers, depending upon their own ideas about the responsibilities of marriage. The story commences with bride-to-be Amelia thinking about her wedding to Steven. The day has finally arrived, and she goes through pre-nuptial jitters, on edge lest the day be spoiled.
Among the guests is the previous love interest of each partner, and Amelia confesses to feeling a touch of triumph as she spots Beth, Steven's past girlfriend, sitting in an inconspicuous spot in the church. But Beth causes no friction, unlike Steven's mother, whose disapproving looks in Amelia's direction are clearly intended to express her hostility. Nor is that hostility confined to one member of Steven's family. Amelia is likewise the recipient of nasty recriminations from Steven's aunt.
Amelia, already brimming over with abundant good reasons to get out of town, is delighted to receive a career-boosting job offer on the other side of the continent, and Steven consents to accompany her. This requires Steven to leave his current position, but despite his difficulty in coping with unemployment, the couple stick together and in time all is well. Steven lands a good job, and their life is on track.
A family crisis intervenes, however, and the couple is forced to deal with the battle of their married lives, and their overwhelming ambivalence in the face of it.
This is a story that will keep readers' attention. Whatever they make of Amelia and Steven, the situation in which these two find themselves provides the framework for a real page-turner.
Happy reading everyone and thanks for dropping by!
Faithx
'Available both in paperback and in a Kindle edition through Amazon. com and Amazon.co.uk
You can find the author on: Website