It began with an unexpected kiss. Cal was working at his father-in-law's hardware store when a beautiful red-haired young woman ran in and asked if he had a radio. He couldn't sell her one but he had one down in the store basement. As he maneuvered downstairs with his shorter leg stepping first, the woman followed him and mentioned that there was important news. Turning it on, they both heard that the war had ended in Europe-V-E Day! Surprisingly, she kissed him full on the lips.
Cal was married to Becky, a high school classmate of his from Bonhomie, Ohio. Both were small town people but Becky's family was fairly well off while Cal's mother had died when he was young, and his father was a hermit who lived in a cabin in the woods. Her father approved of Cal and gave them a nice prefab house in a good neighborhood and a job at the hardware store that paid well. They had a son, Skip, and were told that if Becky had a second child, she probably would die. Becky had a talent since childhood-she could communicate with the dead. As an adult she helped people who were in mourning or had missing relatives, and she had many clients who needed her services during the war. She never charged for her readings. Cal felt ashamed of his short leg as he could not participate in the armed services, and was falling into depression-that was before the kiss changed his life.
A few blocks away, Felix and Margaret lived with their son Tom, who was two years younger than Skip. Margaret came to Columbus from a tiny Ohio town, where she was raised in an orphanage-she was the only girl who was never adopted. With her green eyes and beautiful red hair, she immediately got a job and a lot of male attention, which she adored. A co-worker asked her to double date with her and her boyfriend's buddy, who was smitten by Margaret and chastely dated her before proposing. Felix was making a good salary in a management position and Margaret could have and do whatever she wanted. She grew to love the arts and culture of the big city and made friends easily. That life came to a halt when her husband was kicked upstairs, and Felix became the manager of a large plant in Bonhomie. While this was a good career move, Margaret found little to occupy her time-especially since Felix seemed unable and unwilling to satisfy her needs. When war broke out, Felix tried to enlist as a pilot, but was found to be color-blind. The Navy was happy to have him. He served on a transport boat, where he met a younger sailor who felt the same way about him, and they had a seven day R&R that tested their relationship. This soon came to an unfortunate end, and Felix came back to Bonhomie, a changed man. Tom was born nine months later.
Ryan weaves his four characters in and out of each other's lives in a way that almost seems like a complicated square dance. While the novel is beautifully written and has much to charm the reader, it is also a page-turner that I breathlessly whipped through, as I really wanted to know where it would go next. That is a rare combination. Known for his short stories, Ryan will now be known as a master of the novel-and you heard it here first!
Reviewed by Donna Ballard
September 2, 2025
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