Saturday April 28th at 5:00 PM Marie Bostwick will give a presentation on her latest novel, Just in Time. Bostwick recently returned to the West Coast and resides now in Central Oregon.
Just in Time is a feel good novel about friendship and second chances. Three very different women meet in an unusual setting and form an instant bond. Their friendship will see them through hard times while also celebrating accomplishments and joy.
Grace’s good fortune in marrying her high school sweetheart took a tragic turn when they pursued their dreams to Portland Oregon. He wanted to be an EMT and they were looking forward to starting a family. Portland’s real estate market can be brutal, but the young couple succeeded in buying a sweet little condo, fulfilling part of their dream with a home of their own. But life can change in a heartbeat; theirs did on their 15th anniversary. Now Grace works long hours at a job she dislikes, barely making ends meet. Crafting a quilt inspired by the memories of good times with her husband is her solace.
Monica has had to learn to be tough. She has a history of phenomenally poor choices in men. Can’t say I blame her for the selections. She goes for Italian men, with thick dark hair, bedroom eyes and those lush long eyelashes, serious eye candy. Unfortunately for Monica, fidelity was not one of their qualities. Vince met his end in a spectacularly disloyal way leaving Monica a step mother to two children who show every indication of hating her. Running a restaurant is hard work, she is a gifted chef and loves her job, but she is also overwhelmed and deeply troubled by the state of her relationship with her two step children, kids she cares about but worries she may be failing.
Widowed for twenty years, Nan has grown children and grandkids she adores. After her husband’s death, she put her passion into rescuing dogs. She volunteered with a rescue group to foster and find homes for animals in need of second chances. Her home is set on a large lot with plenty room for dogs to play. Nan is always busy with her dogs. Blixen, her Golden Retriever, is trained as a therapy dog; they visit hospitals and grief counseling sessions. And this brings us to how these three very different women meet.
Trying to cope with their grief Grace and Monica attend a grief counseling session where Nan and Blixen were present in the role of therapy dog and handler. Quickly it was apparent this was not going to work for them. A parking lot encounter sparked something special between the three women, friendship. This is the grace and the theme of the story, how friendship enriches their lives and the commitment that true friendship requires. Grace, Monica, and Nan are there for each other, they make time for one another even though their days are full, and when the chips are down they will drop everything to be at hand. Friendship opens them to the possibility of joy.
As the women’s lives enlarge by taking new chances, they meet men, not out of seeking such relationships but because they are open to friendship and engaged with their community. But here again the author takes care to show the importance of friendship. Sparks flying is great for the short term, but the true measure of a relationship is having a rock solid friendship, being with someone who knows and accepts you.
The story goes all over Portland; the women have adventures, fun, and the occasional crisis. Bostwick’s writing is lively, she skillfully sews the seed of understanding between her three main characters, then shows how that seed blossoms into relationships that will be fulfilling and relevant throughout a lifetime.
Author events are free and include refreshments and drawings for door prizes. Sign up to attend by calling 541-593-2525, emailing sunriverbooks@sunriverbooks.com or stopping by Sunriver Books & Music.
Photo credit for the above picture of Marie Bostwick and Folly goes to Deanna Leach.
