 Mainstream Fiction |
PRECIOUS HEART Doris Johnson Arabesque September 1999 (4+) Melanie Schuster |
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PLOT SYNOPSIS: |
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REVIEW: |
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PRECIOUS HEART by Doris Johnson shows a new, bold facet to this seasoned writer’s skills. This is by far the most compelling, complex novel from Ms Johnson and it is a real page-turner! This is one that draws you in, makes you sit down and not get up until you have reached the very last page. The basic premise is straightforward enough; Diamond Drew is grieving the death of her mother, who was fatally injured in a car accident. Her organs, according to her mother’s wishes, were donated. The fact that her mother’s heart was able to give another woman life is small comfort to Diamond since she is not fully behind the organ donor idea. Somehow, she is not going to be able to rest until she finds out just who got her mother’s heart and sees for herself that her mother’s passing was not just a cruel twist of fate. After
receiving a gracious letter of thanks from the woman’s family, Diamond does
something that will lend her closure, but could also end in catastrophe.
She goes to Charleston, South Carolina and applies for a position as the
woman’s personal assistant. She
has to see for herself who this socialite is that has her mother’s heart.
Only then will she be able to fully accept her mother’s death. To
say that the recipient is a piece of work would be like calling a massive
myocardial infarction heartburn. Cecelia
Rumford is a grande diva to the nth degree—willful, haughty, imperious, I could
go on, but you get the idea. Her
household consists of her daughter and son-in-law who barely speak and their
young daughter whom Cecelia despises for some unspoken reason.
And in the center of all this drama is Steven Rumford, her son who is
still mourning the death of his fiancée. Diamond
is hired immediately, much to Steven’s surprise, and her presence in the
household is a catalyst for emotional upheavals in all quarters, but most
especially with Steven. He is drawn
to Diamond’s beauty, quiet strength and passion, and the two find themselves
in love and in turmoil within a very short time. Besides
the normal conflict and drama that are found in a good romance novel, PRECIOUS
HEART brings
up some tough, pertinent issues regarding the whole theory of organ transplant.
I was particularly impressed with the way Ms. Johnson addressed the
issues without becoming pedantic and boring.
She presents both sides of the question of organ donorship in an
intelligent and compassionate fashion. But
this is not just an ‘issue book’—oh, my no! There
is so much happening in the Rumford household that you almost need a scorecard
to keep up! This is high family
drama at its best; secrets, lies, betrayals and chickens comin’ home to roost
with a vengeance! And in the middle
of it all, in the very heart of the book (Aw, you know I couldn’t resist the
pun!) is a lovely romance with two intelligent, deserving people who are willing
to struggle through anything to be together.
Sometimes books with a lot of characters and intrigue seem to topple
under the weight of all that is going on. Ms.
Johnson avoids this quite handily. Having
been to Charleston many times, I can tell you that the charming city Ms. Johnson
depicts is the real thing. I could
practically smell the magnolias from her vivid descriptions and that kind of
detail is what helps bring a story to life.
Her meticulous characterizations also moved the story along.
These characters are people you will not soon forget, each with their own
passion, their own part in the drama. This is a book you will not want to miss. Kudos to Ms. Johnson for her stirring Valentine’s Day novella and this wonderful read. PRECIOUS HEART is definitely a keeper! |
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1st September 1999 |
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