Finding our way home by Charlene Baumbich

Finding our Way Home

by Charlene Baumbich

Reviewed by Martha Artyomenko

Excerpt from back cover:

When principal ballerina Sasha Davis suffers a career-ending injury at age thirty-eight, she leaves her Boston-based dance company and retreats to the home of her youth in Minnesota. But Sasha’s injuries restrict her movement and her recently deceased mother’s absence haunts her. Since she can’t recover alone, she is forced to hire a temporary live-in aide.

Enter the übercapable Evelyn Burt. As large-boned as Sasha is tiny, Evelyn is her employer’s opposite in every way. Small town to Sasha’s urban chic, outgoing warmth to Sasha’s aloof iciness, and idealistic where Sasha is hopeless, nineteen-year-old Evelyn is newly engaged and sees the world as one big, shiny opportunity.

My Review:

Sasha has had her whole life shattered when her body was shattered by a black out episode, which caused her husband to drop her.  In a reaction to the loss of fame, shame and self-pity, Sasha isolates herself in her home in her home town. Evelyn, her bodyguard, housekeeper, cook, errand runner is an optimistic, cheerful girl, who at times lacks social skills, but you cannot help but love her.

The essence of this story, once again, like Ms. Baumbich’s other books is formed around a snow globe with seemingly  a mind of it’s own. It is more difficult to tie in the snow globe in this book than the others, but it seems that the snow globe mirrors her feelings and what will happen to Sasha.

Can Sasha find healing and see what her isolation has cost her and her husband? Can Evelyn, with all her blundering ways,  learn as well, without costing her relationships with her parents, when they disagree about her education and hasty engagement?

I enjoyed this story of small town charm, the butcher shop and the grandfather, were probably some of my favorite parts. I felt so sorry for Sasha’s poor husband, and  loved the character of Evelyn!  This story is one of those books you will come  away from learning something and have a feeling you just witnessed a small miracle. This book is scheduled to be published in March, 2012 -Martha

Book provided at no cost to me by Blogging for books. My review is my own and I was not paid for it in anyway.