Wednesday, June 16, 2010

It's a Rebound

Lily is living a dream life. A successful husband, beautiful big house, a young son and a new daughter on the way. Her only worry is a little stress that could be a problem for her unborn child. Then she arrives home and finds her home surrounded by cars. Before she can even exit her own car, a man from the FBI steps up to her window.

Lily took the paper, though reluctant to look at it. She was afraid that seeing it would make this become real and not just a mistake. She unfolded the sheet and noticed her address, John’s business address, and both cars listed as being covered by the warrant. A judge’s signature flourished across the bottom. Her hands began to tremble as she returned the sheet. “You’ve made a mistake.” “I’m sorry to say we have not. In addition, although we have no substantial evidence against you at this time, it’s hard to believe you could be completely unaware of your husband’s activities.” He looked around him at the solid mahogany tables and entertainment center, the Tiffany lamp in the corner, and the china hutch filled with pretty trinkets. “You’ve certainly been living well.” In that moment, her life comes crashing down. She loses her husband, her home, her income and puts even more stress on the baby. She is a suspect in a crime that could land her in prison. What will happen to her and her family? Will she lose them over a crime she did not commit? Will she ever trust anyone again?
Heather Justesen weaves a complicated tale of deceit mixed with a good dose of romance and does it very well. Lily is a minor character from Justesen's earlier book, "The Ball's In Her Court." While Rebound is not exactly a sequel because it is complete in itself, it does contain many of the characters from her earlier book, so we get to see how their lives are unfolding. A reader might be a little bit lost in the complicated family ties, but will still enjoy Rebound without having read the earlier book. Justesen keeps the action moving from custody issues with grandparents, to a "is he a boyfriend of is he not" situation, and on through adoption issues. Many layers, but handled well. I think Heather Justesen has a winner here.