As Far As Far Enough by Claire Rooney

Publisher:              Bella Books

Collier Ann Torrington is a fugitive from her own family.  She ran away on her wedding day when her father, a powerful US senator, tried to force her to marry a man who would further her father's career.  She doesn't have a plan except to keep running so that Senator Torrington can't use his extensive resources to find her.  An accident that damages her motorcycle strands her in the Blue Ridge Mountains however and she finds herself hiding on a farm owned by Meri Margaret Donovan.  Meri has suffered her own trauma and prefers the life of a semi-recluse, shying away from interacting with the world.  These two would seem made for each other, but there's still the problem of Collier's father and the ruthless way he may deal with both of them.  With the help of Meri's old boyfriend, they come up with a unique plan that leads to a confrontation with Collier's parents, the shattering of her family and a dramatic change in the senator's fortunes.  Maybe a quiet life on the farm will be possible after all.

As Far As Far Enough is pedantic reading that can provide a couple of hours of diversion.  The basis of a good story is there, but the characters are sometimes superficial and underdeveloped.  At times the reader doesn't care what happens to them because there is little to no engagement.  The solution the women come up with to free them from the senator's control is ridiculous at best and disturbing for its callousness.  Without giving away a plot point, suffice it to say that what they do is done for all of the wrong reasons.  The different elements of the story don't blend, but come in fits and starts and sometimes don't ring true.  When Senator Torrington finally makes his appearance, he comes off more as a Mafia don than a skilled politician.  The collapse of the Torrington family is awkward and Meri's behavior often borders on neurotic.   

The story does have redeeming points however.  The plot line, though not fully developed, has some directions that aren't predictable and therefore keep it interesting.  The supporting characters are indeed "characters."  Aunt Beatrice strikes a nice balance between being shocked and then supportive when she discovers the women's relationship and there is a horse that provides some humorous incidents.  The people in the town are perhaps a little too "rustic," but that doesn't mean they aren't accurate to some places.

As Far As Far Enough shows that Claire Rooney has the basics of storytelling and it will be interesting to see how she develops her skill in later books.  The book is a short, quick read and fine for a few hours of entertainment.  That's probably what most readers are looking for in the first place.

      

The Color of Dust by Claire Rooney

Publisher:          Bella Books


The Color of Dust is a story within a story. Carrie Bowden arrives from Chicago to see the property in Virginia that was willed to her by a grandmother she didn’t know she had. Carrie’s life in Chicago wasn’t very fulfilling so, when she finds she’s been left an old mansion and a considerable amount of land, staying in Virginia seems to be a way to start over. She’s concerned about moving to a more conservative area, especially in a small town, but meeting the beautiful antique dealer Gillian Dumfries might make it a risk worth taking. 

Strange things begin to happen immediately and it becomes clear that there is a mystery involving the old house. Carrie is drawn into the story of her grandmother, a woman who had a reputation for being cold and heartless, but who was at the center of a story of passion between women in the early 20th century and the tragedy that could be evoked by that type of love. As spirits manifest themselves, Carrie finds herself living in two worlds. As she grows more accustomed to the past, the strength of Gillian’s love may be the only thing that can keep Carrie in the world where she belongs.

Rooney uses a modern story to set the reader up for a history lesson and there is a lot to learn in this book. Old plantation houses and the gentrified families that inhabit them often form the core of small town existence in the South and such is true of Columbia, Virginia. The reader will get a sense of that dynamic as Carrie brings the house back to life and the town acquires a spark with it. Underlying this is a harshness about the past that lurks near the surface of life and colors everything that happens. Rooney taps into this as she unravels the stories of Celia and Lilly and shows the brutal attitudes that could exist towards homosexuals.

By comparing the two stories, the reader will learn that attitudes have improved, but not necessarily by much. The purpose of the book is obviously to tell the story from the past, which results in less development for the characters in the present. There are several hints provided about both Carrie and Gillian that are never resolved and would have added to understanding them better, but there is enough told to carry them through the second story. There are several places where words are left out of sentences, which is irritating, but it doesn’t obstruct the story.

In all, The Color of Dust is a strong story about two pairs of women who pass through the same place, but at different times and with different results. There is romance and mystery with a touch of history and very entertaining.