More Angst

I've had these two books by Theresa Weir in my TBR for years - saving them for a rainy day.

Forever by Theresa Weir
(1991, Contemporary) 6/7/06
Grade: 4

After a car accident, Sammy wakes up in the hospital, angry and confused, unable to remember the last twenty years. In his mind, he’s still 19, before Vietnam and the many disappointments since. His case seems hopeless, but through the dedication of a troubled doctor, Rachel Collins, he finds a way to rebuild his life - but can he help to heal the healer?

The first half of this book was terrific - Sammy’s confusion and anger, his struggle to rebuild his life without his memory. His professional relationship with Rachel was interesting, but I didn’t find his romance with her as convincing. Her troubles were just as serious as his, but they always seemed less interesting compared to Sammy’s. I enjoyed the book as Sammy’s story, but it didn’t quite work as a romance.

One Fine Day by Theresa Weir
1994, Contemporary) 6/8/06
Grade: 3.5

Molly has finally decided to leave her unhappy marriage, and is making a new life in Florida - when her husband has a stroke. She has to come home and take care of him, for her daughter’s sake. And she finds unexpected depths in the husband she thought she knew, as he struggles to live with the effects of the stroke, and save his marriage.

A frustrating mix of good and bad. The characters were hard to accept after reading Forever - Austin isn’t bad, he’s just misunderstood - but I started to like him, and like Molly. But the misunderstandings continue too long, and are often interrupted by meanderings that take up too much space. (The romance between Mark and Gabrielle is sweet, but is just too distracting.) And yet, there were real moments of heartfelt emotion as well.

Both of these were hard to grade - mixtures of good and bad.