"strong insightful tale"

Helaina Denner mourns the death of her beloved mom when she decides to end the estrangement and reconcile with her wealthy dad because she needs family at this moment. Thus she travels to Colorado where she tries to hide her feeling of appall from her aloof father and her aunt, who are having an open affair while the relative who connected to both of them lies warm in her grave.

Unable to cope Helaina turns to alcohol, but that only leaves hangovers. Her friends feel for her but she detests the pity she senses behind their sympathy. She knows she must find closure with her mother's sudden mysterious death and move past her rage at her dad and aunt for desecrating her mom. Helaina finds some solace with poet Owen, who helps her inch closer to emotional harmony, but the weights on her back make progress seem snail-like.

GIRLS WHO GOSSIP is a deep character study of a despondent grieving young woman feeling all alone since her mother died trying to connect with her father, but makes no progress on that front, which in turn depresses her further. Helaina's relationship with Owen seems very realistic with its ups and downs as both have problems, but the emotionally battered female finds herself in the crosshairs of needing and wanting a loving relationship but fearing to embrace one as love hurts. Fans of contemporary fiction will want to read this strong insightful tale.

Harriet Klausner

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted July 16, 2006

Summary

Yes, the rumors are true...I'm actually coming home to Colorado for the summer. Maybe it won't be so bad. After all, I've got cocktails, shopping, and gab sessions with my girlfriends to look forward to. Plus time with my dysfunctional family. Yippee. I'm Helaina, by the way. Helaina Denner if you've known me since junior high, like Hannah and Marti. Helaina Merrill if you know me from film school at NYU. See, I lead a bit of a double life: starving student when in Manhattan, daughter of privilege when in Denver...