Sydney, at the age of 29, has already been divorced once
and widowed once. Needing some balance in her life, she
answers an ad to tutor Julie, the teenage daughter of Mr.
and Mrs. Edwards. This requires spending the summer in
their oceanfront New Hampshire cottage. It starts out as a
great opportunity. She loves the ocean, working with Julie
and conversing with Mr. Edwards. But things go awry when
the Edwards' sons, Ben and Jeff, show up for a visit.
Immediately, Jeff consumes Sydney's thoughts and heart and
a romance develops. They move in together and within a year
a wedding is planned. But the time is not what you would
call blissful. Sydney is caught in the midst of a very
confusing and destructive sibling ordeal that she doesn't
understand. Because of the turmoil, Ben refuses to attend
the wedding. And of course, Sydney feels responsible and
wants to bring the brothers together.
As the big day approaches, Sydney calls on Ben to plead
with him to attend the wedding. She fails to mention this
visit to Jeff. When Ben does show, it upsets Jeff so much
that he can hardly stay in the same room with him. Then, on
the morning of the wedding, Jeff informs Sydney that he's
going kayaking and assures her he'll be back in time for
the ceremony. But as the time nears for the ceremony to
begin and no sign of the groom, a search party is sent to
find him. When Jeff is found safe and sound, it's time for
Sydney and Jeff to have a heart-to-heart talk. Wait until
you find out his reason for being late. But the real
shocker comes when he tells her why he actually proposed.
Will they go through with the wedding vows?
BODY SURFING by Anita Shreve is an intriguing and
disturbing family drama filled with bitterness, secrets and
deceit. The characters are insightful and complex, even
though some are not likable. This was a story that once I
started, I could not put down until the end.
At the age of 29, Sydney has already been once divorced and
once widowed. Trying to regain her footing once again, she
has answered an ad to tutor the teenage daughter of a
wellto- do couple as they spend a sultry summer in their
oceanfront New Hampshire cottage. But when the Edwards' two
grown sons, Ben and Jeff, arrive at the beach house, Sydney
finds herself caught up in a destructive web of old
tensions and bitter divisions. As the brothers vie for her
affections, the fragile existence Sydney has rebuilt for
herself is threatened. With the subtle wit, lyrical
language, and brilliant insight into the human heart that
has led her to be called "an author at one with her métier"
(Miami Herald), Shreve weaves a novel about marriage,
family, and the supreme courage that it takes to love.
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