Review by diana lowery -- One Way or Another

[Diana Lowery]

[Following is a volunteer review of "One Way or Another" by Mary J. Williams.]

---

4 out of 4 stars

---

Share This Review

---

When asked to describe a book, I often respond, "It's a good beach read." One Way or Another fits into that category: light enough that you can still focus on people watching, yet interesting enough that you want to continue reading. It should keep most beach enthusiasts entertained for two or three days of lounging in the sun.

This book is the first in a series of four by Mary J. Williams. Each book cleverly includes a number in the title and focuses on one of four sisters. Calder Benedict is the protagonist here, but her sisters play predominate roles, which makes the reader anxious to read the rest of the series. A romantic novel must have an irresistible male, and Adam Stone checks off every item on a girl's wish list. Adam is a self-made man, handsome and devoted to his widowed mother. Adam must win over Calder's objection to marriage, as well as the approval of her sisters. The story follows the couple's serendipitous meeting and the challenges to their relationship as they learn more about each other and their families. The four independently strong sisters lead unique lives while they navigate around their infamous mother, her husbands, ex-husbands, and suitors. Mrs. Finch, the loving housekeeper and character foil to the mother, is also the keeper of sanity in the mansion where they all live in an affluent neighborhood. The setting is modern day Manhattan, but the references to social class differences could be from the pages of Pride and Prejudice.

Unlike Austin's novel, though, love-making is described in detail. I appreciated the tasteful sex scenes and the fact that they were between a loving, committed couple. The passion and tenderness displayed added to the enjoyment without being offensive. Williams' message against casual sex is obvious when the mother's affairs are compared to those of her daughters. The author shows another comparison with the introduction of a traditional married couple who are expecting their first child. These two become close friends with Calder and Adam and serve as a guideline for Calder who has not had good role models in the husband-wife category.

One negative aspect to this story is the depiction of Billie, Calder's mother. I think she needs to have at least one redeeming quality. Surely there some good memories of their formative years that the girls could reminisce about instead of all the negative comments they make about the sleazy men their mother chose for their fathers. Adding the situation of Calder and Bryce being twins with two different fathers seems like an unnecessary contrivance. The author gives no sense of a loving relationship between any of the girls and their mother. In fact, Calder mentions having to look inside to find her "anti-Billie zone," a technique she has developed to not let her mother's antics bother her.

I like the writing style of Ms. Williams and am willing to overlook the lack of compassion towards Bille in this first book. Because I am invested enough to read the next novel to see which sister it follows, I am rating this as a four out of four stars.

******
One Way or Another
View: on Bookshelves | on Amazon

Like diana lowery's review? Post a comment saying so!

[P Reefer]

Quite an engaging and an original review.

[unamilagra]

This does sound like a nice beach read with a simple, easy romance. I agree that the characterization of the mother does sound very one-dimensional, which is disappointing. Children always seem to find a way to love their parents, and the same should be true for these characters. Thank you for a very thorough review!

[Diana Lowery]

This does sound like a nice beach read with a simple, easy romance. I agree that the characterization of the mother does sound very one-dimensional, which is disappointing. Children always seem to find a way to love their parents, and the same should be true for these characters. Thank you for a very thorough review!

Thank you for your comments.