One Degree of Separation
By Editor Alexandra Wolfe
Title: ONE DEGREE OF SEPARATION
Author: Karin Kallmaker
Publisher: Bella Books
ISBN: 1-931513-30-9
Rated: 2.5 Stars
Genre: Romance
Marian Pardoo, Reference Librarian for the Iowa City Public Library, would be happy if the woman she’s loved for years wasn’t already married. Completely annoyed by the thoughtless out-of-towner Liddy, Marian isn’t prepared for the seething passion that erupts when Liddy careens into her meticulously controlled life.
Liddy has run two thousand miles from a devastating love affair. Now the idea of spending the sweltering summer watching the corn grow is driving her mad. Finding herself lusting after Marian the Librarian seems like yet another cosmic jest at her hopeless love life. The only thing that keeps her sane is the coffee.
In a town where everybody knows your name…along with the names of your exes, your pets, and your third grade teacher…Marian is thankful that at least she and Liddy don’t have an ex-girlfriend in common.
It’s sad to say but this book only makes it just above two stars, and while this is a fairly reasonably written story that flows, it just never rises above being an average read. One populated with average characters we are never really drawn to, or identify with, who, quite frankly, are a little on the boring side even for average. Throw in an average setting and an average plot that, at times, for me at least, was paper thin and you have the holy trinity of average writing.
The problem is the story and characters lack one essential ingredient to make this anywhere an enjoyable read: heart.
There is none.
This is light-weight fluff that might have been better suited to a short story, rather than stretched thin and turned into a novel. By the time we get to the end of the book both the characters and plot have moved no further than round the bend, and, when you got there too, you’ll find there’s nothing to see.
A shame really, given Ms. Kallmaker’s usual high quality of storytelling ability and writing skills.
REVIEWED BY ALEXANDRA WOLFE
Kissed By Venus is a web site for the discussion and promotion of lesbian literature. We publish lesbian fiction, articles, book reviews, and interviews.
