Jean Brashear has written a story that will take her readers on emotional roller coaster. They will both love, and love to hate Ria Channing. In the end readers will be cheering Ria for her ability to reach inside herself and come to terms with the tragedy that years earlier set not only her, but her entire family on the path of self- destruction.

Ria was the oldest child of Cleo and Malcolm. She only had two short years to be the adored only child. Life changed with the birth of her sister Betsy, and yet again when the youngest and only son David was born. She always felt that she wasn't as good as the perfect daughter, Betsy, and the cherished son David. These feelings of inadequacy set the pace for Ria's formidable years.

Finally when Ria, faced with having to struggle with her role in David's death, and the feeling of lack of parental and family support she runs. She's extremely lucky in that she runs into another drifter who takes a caring role in her life. Dog Boy as she calls him is her rock, and when again tragedy strikes Ria's life...she follows the only path she knows and runs.

This time she runs with her young son Benjy home to Austin. Will she be accepted? Can the deep rifts in the family be solved? In the end can Ria herself overcome what she perceives to be her inadequacies and be a part of a loving extended family?

The journey to family forgiveness is not an easy smooth one, but one well worth traveling for not only Ria but her entire family. FORGIVENESS could be a hanky read, and will give readers a lot of food for thought regarding their own personal lives, and the effects of those lives on others. Take the path to forgiveness and be prepared to also spend some of your free time reflecting back on your life, and see if like Ria you can gain untold love and other good fortunes by confronting those issues we all prefer to deny.