Thursday, April 30, 2015

The Art Of Losing Yourself - Katie Ganshert

The Art Of Losing Yourself
Katie Ganshert
WaterBrook Press, Apr 21 2015, $14.99
ISBN: 9781601425928

Family, friends and neighbors believe that Florida panhandle TV meteorologist Carmen and coach Ben have the perfect marriage.  However, both Harts know that their idyllic life is a façade.  Carman questions whether they should have married and now has doubts in spite of her mother Evelyn’s constant baptizing in Texas and the Sunshine State that God exists after several miscarriages.

With Evelyn on another bender and refusing to stay with her dad, Carman’s teenage half-sister Gracie moves into her Aunt Ingrid’s closed motel near Navarre Beach.  Learning of Gracie’s residence and knowing first-hand what life is like when their mom binges on alcohol, Carman takes her younger sibling into her Apalachicola home.  As Carman struggles with regaining what she and Ben lost, helping Gracie, coping with Ingrid’s dementia and recapturing her belief in God; Gracie battles her own demons.

Rotating perspective between the emotionally hurting half-sisters, The Art Of Losing Yourself is an astute engaging family drama; the siblings learn that mental healing starts with acceptance of one’s roots.  The support cast enhances the readers understanding of the lead sisters; who begin to comprehend that DNA does not make a family, but caring loving hearts and souls do.


Harriet Klausner

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