La Vie en Rose (Life in Pink)

A neatly organized plan for one's life is ideal but rarely achieved. Emma Sanders wanted the single-family home complete with husband, kids, and picket fence - all of which were within her grasp until her fiancé dumped her. Her plans now lay in a broken pile of rubble at her feet, and she is lost and miserable. Tired of Emma monopolizing their couch, her roommate, Riley Lockhart, sets out to help her out of her funk. With a new plan in mind, Emma and Riley work to mend her battered heart. Slowly but surely, their awkward initial interactions become natural and necessary. Their feelings morph from congenial to visceral. Tested again, Emma and Riley find that life with one another is far more colorful than life alone.  

Ms. Michaels has written a book with many twists and turns. Emma goes through the emotional gamut - from heartbreak and illness to love, laughter, and hope. Ms. Michaels sympathetically handles her character's fragility from the onset with her broken dreams then gently and honorably depicts the struggles of a cancer patient and survivor. Her earnest respect enables the reader to experience Emma's struggles and vulnerabilities as she came to terms with her treatment and recovery. The author strays a bit midstream, however, and sections of the novel become reminiscent of a political campaign with an excess of propaganda, which detract from the flow and magic of their romance. However, this novel gave voice to a character worthy of meeting. 

Amy Willis