Bookworm Press

THE BREVITY OF ROSES by Linda Cassidy Lewis

During these difficult and turbulent times we all look for things to relax and soothe us and bring some joy into our day-to-day life. It may be getting back in touch with friends or family we may have neglected in the past or devote more time again to a hobby, to something which gives us joy and our life meaning. Or perhaps we simply look for a little entertainment, diversion, an escape.

In my case, it is activities such as reading, writing, singing, playing my guitar, exercising, cooking, a little baking, going for walks (wearing a mask now and waving at others from afar) and staying in touch with friends and family that fill my days.

I’ve also been thinking a lot about the many authors I’ve met, some in person, some only through social media, during my writing career and I thought this would be a perfect opportunity to share my thoughts on some of my favorite books that I reviewed over the years.

The first contact I made when I began to independently publish my first novel Love of a Stonemason is the author Linda Cassidy Lewis and her debut novel The Brevity of Roses. Since that book, Linda has gone on to publish several books, which I enjoyed very much, but The Brevity of Roses remains one of my favorite novels. Here is my review:

Every once in a while, I come across a work of literature, which is not only fascinating, entertaining, and moving, but which touches me on a deeper level. The Brevity of Roses by Linda Cassidy Lewis is one of those books.

The Brevity of Roses is a story about love, the power and beauty of love as well as the fear it can trigger and the pain it can cause. Love is what the three main characters—Jalal, Meredith, and Renee—struggle with.

Jalal, a handsome American-Iranian poet from a well-to-do family escapes a life of drugs, alcohol, a career he hates, and a lot of superficial relationships by moving across the country from New York to California. He finds love and embraces it but when tragedy strikes, he withdraws from life. Underneath the shiny veneer he presents to the world, he is slowly dying. Meredith, an anthropologist, struggles with feelings of guilt toward her former husband which hold her back from giving her heart fully, and Renee, a waitress and survivor of childhood abuse and neglect, falls in love but when it gets serious, her first reaction is to run. But it is the tenacious Renee who ultimately manages to break down the walls Jalal has built around himself and forces him to face his demons, a grief so deep it threatens to undo him.

While reading this book, I was often reminded of a quotation by May Sarton in her book Mrs. Stephens Hears the Mermaids Singing: “Love opens the door into everything, as far as I can see, including, and perhaps most of all, the door into one’s secret, and often terrible and frightening, real self.”

The Brevity of Roses is a carefully crafted, beautifully told story. The characters are complex and believable, flawed but loveable. With vivid descriptions, the author manages to engage our senses, our thoughts, and our emotions. And, without any explicit love-making scenes, she creates a highly charged and sensuous atmosphere.

Masterful debut novel by a talented author. I look forward to more of her work.

If my review made you curious, click on the book cover or title link, buy the book, and you’ll have something wonderful to entertain you. I can guarantee it!

Tags: Linda Cassidy Lewis, love story, novels, The Brevity of Roses, women's fiction