"Wonderful, moving story of four women meeting challenges in varying life-stages."

This story of four women will touch the life of anyone who reads it. Each woman is meeting the challenges of a particular life-stage, and you'll be entranced and moved to tears by their struggles and joys.

Trudy finds herself alone after years of marriage to her husband, who leaves her for a another woman. She's devastated because she was unaware of what was happening in her marriage and because she has never loved anyone but Rick. A life spent making a home for her family suddenly seems empty.

Trudy's neighbor, Roberta, is mired in depression after the devastating death of her husband of 60 years. She's lost and not even sure she wants to make the effort to keep living.

Roberta's granddaughter, Jade, comes from California to help her grandmother and mourn her grandfather. She leaves her man sitting in a jail cell. Jade doesn't understand why she still thinks about the loser, but she's taking up boxing in an effort to feel some control in her life.

Another of Trudy's neighbors, Shandelle, has a full life with little children and her husband. But she's aching to write - a dream her husband doesn't believe in. Shandelle can't let it go, though.

I loved this book. I admit that I initially approached it as "chick lit" and wasn't too excited. I was so wrong. These people are marvelous and you will find yourself in one of them.

Reviewed by Morgan Chilson
Courtesy Old Book Barn Gazette
Posted February 1, 2004

Read an Excerpt

Summary

Struggling to pick up the pieces after her marriage falls apart, Trudy Marino finds support from a quirky, eclectic group of friends—her goddesses of Kitchen Avenue. There's Jade, a fiery social worker who's finding unexpected strength to deal with her "player" ex-husband; Jade's grandmother, Roberta, who has just lost her husband of sixty-two years—and through memory and grief wonders what to do with the rest of her life; Shannelle, an aspiring writer, determined to realize her talent despite formidable obstacles; and Angel, a young, quietly knowing photographer who makes Trudy uncover a sensuality she never knew—even as he tries to get over the one love he can never really forget.

When Trudy weighs what she and her husband still share against new possibilities, she'll surprise everyone—including herself—as she tries to reconcile the best of both.