Pause

October 1, 2021
A cancer survivor experiences her second act in this novel. Lindsey Friedland has had a tumultuous life. A bout with breast cancer has left the 52-year-old woman self-conscious about her body. She's two years out of an abusive marriage to eco-activist Nick. That relationship mirrored the marriage of her beloved but complicated parents, for whom she provides care. She still experiences traumatic flashbacks featuring Nick. And then there's the menopause that leads to frequent hot flashes. Lindsey takes comfort in her diary, her vibrant friends--earth mother Crystal and spitfire Megan--and her surroundings in the gorgeous Pacific Northwest. On an average day at her stable but dull job transcribing medical reports for a local hospital, Lindsey runs into Newman Zender, an old crush from her hippie days, handsome and charming as ever, who's now recently divorced with a teenage daughter. The two reconnect on an emotional and spiritual level, leading to the best sex of Lindsey's life, but Newman's not quite ready to commit. Lindsey dates other men, though no one comes close to romantic Newman, and she soon finds herself in a quandary when a family friend lands in the hospital with a traumatic brain injury. Lindsey's knowledge of his surgeon's history could save the young man's life--but cost the protagonist her job. Soon, Lindsey connects with Damon Perrera, the Native American/Mexican editor of the local paper, who sees potential in her writing and shares her passion for environmental issues. But the mutual attraction is stalled when Newman invites Lindsey to join him on a trip to Guatemala. Author and traveler Stamey's writing is strongest in her vivid descriptions of locations, from Lindsey's hometown with its quirky settings and stunning forest to the Central American landscape she tours with Newman ("They pass a tilled field of orange dirt, morning sun starting to bake it, then the dense tropical forest closes over them again in sliding tones of green, sparked by an occasional flash of red or yellow parrot feathers"). Lindsey's banter with her best friends as well as her complex family dynamics feel extremely realistic; the fact that every man she meets is wildly attracted to her, less so. Finally, Lindsey herself is an appealing and capable hero, both intelligent and relatable. A solid, engaging tale about the importance of self-knowledge.

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