Sand In My Eyes by Christine Lemmon - A Review

Darling Readers,
I have just finished a novel of great insight, incredible emotional depth and true friendship between women, mothers and daughters.  There is much I enjoyed about Sand In My Eyes....

Anna Hott is a mother with three small children, two boys, twins ~ age 3, and a wee girl, age 2.  She has just walked out of her job as "the best damn publicist in New York City" leaving the copier jammed and the staff wondering what happened.

Anna sells the home that she and her husband, Timothy have lived in and moves them all to a treehouse home among the mangroves on Sanibel Island.  Anna is literally falling apart around the seams as the book opens. She has recently 

discovered that her husband has been cheating on her
while on his business trips.  When the overwhelming sense of sadness, betrayal, anger and motherhood become too much, Anna breaks down in the middle of the spilled milk in the kitchen floor as Timothy is leaving for another business trip.  He senses his wife's complete breakdown and calls his parents to come take the children for a week.

It's in the  midst of Anna's complete and utter misery that she finally meets her next-door-neighbor and my favorite character in the book ~ Fedelina Aurelia.  Fedelina is an 80+ year old woman, master gardener and mother of seven. She has seen it all, done it all, and is the wisest neighbor anyone could ever ask for!

As Anna is in the process of having her nervous breakdown, Fedelina gives her a single orchid. But not just any orchid, a Cattleya orchid.

Along with the orchid, Fedelina gives her a yellowed envelope with tips on how to care for the orchid.

Cattleya orchids need fresh air but don't like drafts. You might keep a fan on for yours. I suggest low speed. You'll know it's thirsty by looking at its leaves. And keep it on a sturdy table. Orchids don't like to wobble.

 I stopped reading, having no intention of catering to a finicky flower. My children were finicky enough.
"Oh, did I forget," she dared to add, "that yours--a Cattleya--prefers a view of the sunrise."

It is with this sage advice and then the letters to Fedelina from her mother, Cora, that she shares with Anna that finally help Anna through the depressive funk she found herself in....all of those things plus writing. The writing kept Anna going.

The letters Cora wrote to Fedelina inspired me to write this review as a letter to you, my dear readers. To share my thoughts in a more familiar and less formal manner. There is one aspect about the book I adored so very much. It was the way Fedelina managed to get tips on life, parenting, marriage, God, being a woman, the seasons of life, etc. across to everyone through analogies about flowers.  My favorite being the daisy ~

My mother always told me, 'Fedelina, when life gets ugly, look for daisies.' They're all over--in fields littered with trash, behind dumpsters, along highways. They might be mingling with the weeds, but you'll spot them if you look.

I knew I always loved daisies for some reason! The one aspect that was not so great for me was Anna's constant bemoaning. If I had to give her a description I'd say Anna is one of those characters who sees the glass as half-empty.  Pessimism seemed to be her middle name. Fedelina and Cora's interjections were quite refreshing and profound.  Overall I really liked Sand In My Eyes. Every page brought another profound statement about life, and I found myself examining my inner being.  It is definitely worthy of a hot cup of tea (or coffee ~ your preference), relaxing in a comfy 'mama bear chair' with a lovely soft afghan and this book....Take your time, savor the advice from Cora and Fedelina.....

Sand In My Eyes
by Christine Lemmon
Paperback: 328 pages
Publisher: Penmark Publishing, LLC
ISBN-10: 0971287473
ISBN-13: 978-0971287471
Appropriate for Young Adults - Adults

Final Thoughts ~

Plot ~ 4

Characters ~ 4

Dialogue ~ 5

Writing ~ 4.5

4 Quills!

Do you have a special neighbor, relative, friend - anyone who has given you amazing tidbits of advice that you can share with us?

It is with tremendous thanks that I received Sand In My Eyes from Penmark Publishing, Inc. 

for my honest review. In no way did it affect my opinion or review.