THE MERRY GO ROUND by Donna Fasano

THE MERRY-GO-ROUND by Donna Fasano
(U.S. link:The Merry-Go-Round )
Published: December, 2009, Hard Knocks Books

Lauren has waited a year to try and get her husband to sign the divorce papers. She was so angry a year ago when she kicked him out of the house and she still carried around the anger. As an attorney, she had things planned and organized or so she thought, but Greg had always been irresponsible about finances and sank their ship. She needed to make a clean break and start over so she could take care of her father and herself. She has had to move her father into her house, because she no longer can afford his apartment alongside her place. 

When the judge awards her a piece of property with a ramshackle barn on it in the divorce, it only fuels Lauren's anger with her ex, Greg. Yet another thing she hadn't known about! The barn houses an old merry-go-round that is going to require some serious TLC, or a wrecking ball. In doing a bit of research, however, she discovers that the merry-go-round might actually prove to be quite valuable, that is, if she can find a way to restore it.

Help comes from unexpected places when it comes to the work on the merry-go-round, but the help doesn't make life any easier. In fact, during the process of the restoration, Lauren starts questioning herself and her decisions. Her ex-husband has turned out to be more than she had given him credit for and her father, whom she had mostly seen as a nuisance, appeared in a whole new light as well. It makes Lauren wonder whether the world around her was really as black and white as she always preferred it to be, or whether perhaps she had been the one who was blind and unable to see the other colours. All it needed was a little attention, a little spit and polish, just like the merry-go-round, to bring out the colour and shine!

*****

Oh how I loved this story of rediscovery and second chances.

Donna Fasano has done a fabulous job illustrating how a marriage over the years can become rooted in a pattern, in expectations and eventually entrenched. Until there comes a point where the love is so insignificant when matched with the overwhelmingly powerful battle stations we seem to be able to build from what starts out as small omissions or disagreements. We end up in communicating patterns that are no longer supportive but instead destructive and there is no turning back until every last vestige of goodwill has disappeared. Even if love still remains, it has no chance.......unless......

By breaking down the relationship completely and creating a space in which each could see the other in a less subjective manner, Ms. Fasano was able to create a scenario for a very credible second opportunity to make a first love work.

Her characters were life like and sympathetic (although not always likeable), often very humorous, making for an extremely enjoyable read.

This is a witty, sexy, wonderful tale of reconnection!