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Rating: Summary: One of the best "love stories" I've read in a long time! Review: This story chronicles the lives of two people, Elizabeth and Josef. Elizabeth is a recently widowed Canadian who decides to take a teaching position on a tiny Caribbean island to heal from her sorrow. Josef is a Haitian laborer who is hiding from immigration after a thwarted attempt to escape to America. Josef starts working for Elizabeth in her garden and they work together to help a family whose mother is dying of AIDS. Along the way, they develop a special relationship. I had a hard time putting this book down. I was fascinated by Author Ryan's ability to illustrate the plight of the native people, particularly Haitians. She succeeded in weaving it into the story without lecturing the reader. For example, a passage in the book chronicles the day of some construction workers on the island. Throughout the day though, she also writes of the dialogue overhead from tourists who remark disparagingly about what they think they are seeing. Those remarks illustrate the ignorance of the island visitors whose own typical workday is different. I'll be watching for more work from Nora Ryan. Her ability to weave a story around these two people and the societal issues facing this little Caribbean island was outstanding. This is one of the best "love stories" I've read in a long time!
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