cover image A Little Ray of Sunshine

A Little Ray of Sunshine

Lani Diane Rich. New American Library, $14 (290pp) ISBN 978-0-451-22296-1

Rich takes a turn toward the serious in a romance primarily focused on a mother-daughter relationship. For six years, Emmy James has lived out of her Airstream, working odd jobs until she gets the urge to move on. Then she meets Jess, a young woman who declares herself Emmy's angel, sent to help her with her problems. At the same time, Digs, who would be her brother-in-law if Emmy hadn't left his brother Luke, shows up, bearing disturbing news: his father, Danny, and Emmy's mother, Lilly, are getting married. Lilly is vain, cruel, narcissistic and destructive-all the things Danny is not. Emmy is determined to stay away, but her angel knows best, and soon the Airsteam is headed home. While the story of Emmy's lost love is engaging, the heart of the story has to do with the transformation Emmy sees-but doesn't trust-in her mother. The process is painful and sometimes funny, and though the characters skate right to the edge of believability, the romance is very real. A thoughtful, well told story with an unusual twist.