SEARCHING FOR THE SONG by Phyllis Clark Nichols
Phyllis Clark Nichols has a flowing style of writing. Her books in the “Rockwater” series are each an island where you stop and visit and then move on to the next. Her latest story SEARCHING FOR THE SONG is #5 in this series and the stay on this island is quite pleasant.
In SEARCHING FOR THE SONG Nichols explores the emotional warmth family and friendship can provide. She also asks her characters to pursue the question of whether or not you can go home again. Gretchen Dorn is a woman with a troubled past. She left her home in Austria under tragic circumstances and found her way to America. Life there was also troubled but she survived and has emerged all the stronger from it.
Now she is finally ready to return to her native country and her own small hometown. She hopes to find remnants of the family she left behind. To bolster her strength she is traveling with her good friends Roderick and Caroline, a couple who have seen her though some of her darkest days.
Nichols lets this story play out in its time and each page streams along with its own rhythm and beat. I have to admit this is the first book in this series where I felt the narrative did not move quickly enough to satisfy me. The early part of the story deals with necessary events that pave the way for the Austrian visit, but I grew impatient because I was so excited about Gretchen’s trip. I had read all of the previous four stories and knew this was the culmination of Gretchen’s story, or at least one of the highest points.
Once the book got to the actual Austrian adventure I was a happy camper and remained so till the end. It is a wonderful story full of moments that will make you laugh and make you cry. It is all there on this new island and Nichols keeps us there for just the right amount of time.
On a personal note, I had been trying to get my wife to read Nichols books for some time. She resisted, I think because she was afraid they were going to be too sweet and too religious. Finally I talked her into reading RETURN OF THE SING, the first book in this series. As soon as she got into that book she disappeared. And she read, happily, all five books in a period of just over a week. So take this as a warning, once you start this series make sure you have enough time to read them all. And there are more books in this series coming soon.
So if you have time start with book one and read your way down the river of talent Phyllis Clark Nichols offers. Each “island” is a vacation of enjoyment to me. Don’t miss a single stop on this journey.
SEARCHING FOR THE SONG is published by Southern Stories Publishing. It contains 396 pages and sells for $17.99.
Jackie K Cooper
www.jackiekcooper.com
