When you make a mid-life U-turn, whiplash is one of the risks. Boston lobbyist Claire Petersen has lost her biggest client. In desperation, she agrees to help a seedy developer who covets farmland also sought by environmentalists. That decision pits her against Richard, a grieving widower whose clients want the land for a wildlife sanctuary. But that's not all Richard wants.
Claire is wary. She has been disappointed by too many men, starting with her father. Nevertheless, Claire risks a romance with Richard. At his urging, she visits old Uncle Erich, whose sole purpose in life has been to help others. The visit shifts her perspective about family, relationships, and self. What does Claire want? What does she really want? And how far is she willing to go to get it?
About the Author :
Diane Kessler is a graduate of Oberlin College and Andover Newton Theological School. Her professional life has been dedicated to facilitating both ecumenical and inter-religious dialogue, and she has authored or edited six books and many articles on the subject. Her short story "Blindside" was an Editors' Pick for Solstice Literary Magazine's 2020 Summer Contest Issue. This is her first novel.
Review :
A captivating tale of Boston politics, romance and the power of relationships to change one's life.
Elizabeth Cook, Former Director of Cultural Affairs, City of Boston
A fun read with a fast-paced narrative...a serious but entertaining look at the competition for public funding and regulatory advantage between those who see no problem with using any means to achieve their self-serving ends and those with community-minded goals-and the lobbyists who serve them.
Ellen Feingold, organizer and lobbyist for a major Massachusetts civil rights coalition of over fifty religious, labor, and community organizations
While it is fiction, Diane Kessler writes with the flair of someone well aware of the political machinations of Beacon Hill. A good story the reader will not want to put down.
Rabbi Sanford Seltzer, Interreligious Center on Public Life
