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I enjoyed the first couple books in this series. Then they sort of faded for me although I can't remember why. Having skipped the last two, I picked up this, the sixth book in the series, to learn that Desiree broke her engagement to Mitch Berger to try to work things out with her ex-husband, Brandon. He's apologetic, ambitious, and hot . Harry Belafonte hot. Denzel Washington hot. He's many things that dumpy white boy, film critic Mitch is not. While Mitch is being charmed by New York media, working out and losing weight, being offered tv deals, blogging and chatting and being on line, he's convincing himself he's damn happy. Desiree Mitry, the tough, intense, sweet woman he loved, a black state trooper assigned to this wealthy Connecticut area, is trying to keep the peace in Dorset. She's encountered a young girl, Molly, who's living in a bad situation. Her father, a university professor disappeared, her mother, formerly a very successful children's author, never comes out of her room, and mom's new boyfriend is a super-sleaze. When Des finally gets to meet Carolyn, she realizes the woman is completely addicted to crystal meth. Then the sky falls in because the house in under surveillance six ways from Sunday. The boyfriend is a target of a huge joint FBI and state task force aimed at taking down a meth operation. The story is a hugely sad one of neglect, abuse and messed-up people. Molly dreams of a career playing basketball (the opening sequence made me cheer; Molly and I are both huge fans of the powerhouse that is the University of Connecticut women's basketball) as, evidently, David Handler is not - no one but no one refers to this team as the "Lady Huskies. But her parents aren't there for her. She's lucky to be able to stay with another family on the street but that's no answer. The story woven in is intriguing, at least to me. It involves both a man and a woman who against all odds fell in love but just when they were planning their future, things changed. Both Mitch - now a major hottie himself, is turning into a slick 21st century "entertainment reporter" no matter how hard he protests. He's back in New York City, and, while he misses the quiet and beauty of Dorset, convinces himself he's home. Des, who is confident that Brandon is back for good, is trying to convince herself that this is right. It feels right. They fit, even if Brandon maintained a second relationship, an affair, throughout the entire length of their marriage. I appreciate this sub-plot because I could remember that time in my life when I tried so hard to make something work that simply was never right for me. Though on the surface this couple has made the right decision, there's an undercurrent of suggestion as Handler examines the various ways adults try to convince themselves to settle for second best and to pretend it's all fine. THE SOUR CHERRY SURPRISE worked for me for the first two-thirds of the book. The last several chapters, however, fell apart. It felt as if the author was hurrying to finish the book so the pacing had to be sacrificed and things happened far too quickly. Young Molly went through a total transformation and took charge, plausible but not in so short a space of time. A major plot point took on the semblance of utter wish fulfillment, the sort of "movie plot" resolution that Mitch Berger, as a film critic, knows can substitute for real life. And it sure did here, rather implausibly. Yeah, Mitch has changed physically but come on! The super-hero rescue scenario belongs in a film. The perhaps inevitable last chapter (no spoilers here) felt rushed as well. The book will probably appeal more to fans who've read every book in the series. It did pull me back in but ultimately disappointed with its unrealistic resolution.
Reviewed by Andi Shechter, April 2008
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Contact: Yvonne Klein (ymk@reviewingtheevidence.com)
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