While I was folding clothes in the laundry room, I noticed this book. The cover looked interesting. I piled it on top of my folded clothes and returned to my suite. I started reading it later that day, but for reasons unknown to me now, did not pick it up again for a few weeks. The next time I picked it up, I must have been in ‘a mood’ because it didn’t grab my attention. Finally, stubborn as I am, I picked it up again another a week later and determined to read past the few pages that had stopped me before.
What stopped me? The opening was brutal with adultery, explicit sex, drug use and near death in a small nuclear family. Screeching halt. Then a deep breath to see if there was more to this story than a continuation of what I had found too difficult. I was pleasantly surprised. The unfolding story delved into the tumultuous consequences of the tragic events that opened this first novel for Stacy Robinson.
Claire and Michael Montgomery are at a pinnacle in their lives. Their son, Nicholas, is seventeen years old and attending private school. Michael has traveled with his business dealings from home in New York. When Stacy Robinson’s novel opens Michael is in London and Nicholas is just home from boarding school. Claire organizes successful museum and art fundraisers while maintaining a high society lifestyle. Claire allows herself to be seduced by a business colleague of her husband. Nicholas, her son, succumbs to a cocaine overdose and is suddenly the focus for Claire. The Montgomery’s marriage crumbles and for that Claire blames herself, but what she learns is that the marriage has been falling apart for much longer. Claire is left to care for Nicholas, leave her family home, spend her days with Nicholas while he is in hospital and then a physical rehabilitation hospital in Los Angeles. Returning to New York several months later and an small apartment she took up the challenge to renew badly needed friendships. Most of them, in the high society circles, have turned their backs on her, but she has a small circle remaining. Her sister Jackie was her first support. Lillian, owner of a thrift shop Claire previously had donated to, supported her in gently used clothing along with an invitation to a society dinner at her home. Gail and Carolyn, both at the dinner and both past friends, continued to support and encourage her as Claire tried to regain and reshape her life.
A passionate story of love, loss and awakening to reality.
“Ah, yes,” Gail said meaningfully. The little white lies
we tell ourselves. It’s much nicer that way.”
~ Stacy Robinson, Surface
Title: Surface
Author: Stacy Robinson
First Trade Paperback Printing: March, 2015
First Electronic Edition: March, 2015
Copyright: 2015
Format: Soft Cover
ISBN-13: 978-1-61773-375-8
ISBN-10: 1-61773-375-X
eBook ISBN-13: 978-1-61773-376-5
eBook ISBN-10: 1-61773-376-8
Type: Fiction
Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corp
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