Claire's Song by Sunny Alexander

Claire Hollander and Kathleen Moore had had a very painful and traumatic break up. Fortunately they are now back together again and making up for lost time as they find new and exciting ways to show their love for each other.

Claire and Kathleen are living their lives quite happily in their Queen Anne Victorian home in the idyllic town of Canfield. They are surrounded by their loving friends Gayle and Robert Sutherland, Helen and Sam Hughes and local Sheriff Linc Hathaway. Their lives are almost perfect. But, life is apt to throw some curve balls along the way and a pressing, all consuming problem divides them once again.

Claire is a bit on the whacky side and well known for her childish tantrums when things don’t go her way. Claire wants a baby, badly. She will stop at nothing to achieve her desire to procreate as her biological clock ticks down.  Kathleen however, is not on board with Claire’s latest wishes. She’s carrying a lot of guilt and is haunted by being separated from her siblings years previously. Although Kathleen has tracked down most of her siblings, the twins, Rose and Charlie are still missing. Kathleen digs her heels in and point blank refuses to consider them having a child until they are found.

Claire and Kathleen’s relationship once again is on the rocks. As a last resort, they enter a competition to win six sessions with a couple’s therapist, Doctor Imajean Friend. Her methods are unlike those of other therapists, she seeks to reveal a couple’s hidden secrets. Will she be successful in getting Claire and Kathleen’s relationship back on track? Or will this be the end for them altogether?

This is without a doubt another blockbuster book in this series. I re-read Flowers From Iraq again before starting on this book, but for those who haven’t read it, there is no need to read it first. There is more than enough background to read this as a standalone. But, I urge you to read it, why miss out on another wonderfully well written and poignant story? Sunny Alexander is an excellent storyteller, she shows the reader instead of telling them.

Although this book is titled Claire’s Song, it doesn’t only focus on Claire and Kathleen. In fact, I would say that they and their friends are all main characters. All are essential in more or less equal parts to the dramatic and page turning storylines. The secrets these friends are hiding are dark and consuming. Learning about them and what makes them tick is an eye opener and so real and true to life.

I’m not sure if there will be another book in this series, but there ought to be. It simply begs for more. Kathleen, Claire and their friends have lots more to tell the reader. The story can’t possibly end here. That’s the only complaint I have with this book, I wanted more, much more.