1956, Malibu, Paradise Circle
Secrets, connections, longing, love, loss, labels, friendships, and survival are all themes that come into play during this character driven gripping book. It is a little on the slow side and while I struggle with slow moving books, I did not mind the pacing in this book. I enjoyed this book which delt with connections, alliances, and bonds.
Melanie Cole is an up-and-coming actress who finds herself blacklisted and labeled as a communist. Eva is her maid and an immigrant from war-torn Europe who fears that she will be deported. Their next-door neighbor is Elwood, a famous screenwriter who became an agoraphobic after a horrible accident. June is Elwood’s sister-in-law who was once married to his twin brother. They all orbit each other in the small area of Malibu in which they live.
I enjoy Susan Meissner’s writing and how she builds her plots. The characters in this book are all unique and interesting. As more is divulged about their pasts, each character grew on me even more. Each has something in their past that evokes feelings and explains some of their motivations and thoughts. I enjoyed how each character was fleshed out and how the characters eventually became interconnected and how their bonds were formed.
I enjoyed the characters, their resilience, their strength, their humanness, and their plight. Malibu is the perfect setting and with the fire raving the area toward the end of the book, becomes a character as well. I also enjoyed the mystery in this book and the twists and revelations which occur as a result.
Wonderfully written, well thought out, and hard to put down!