Jillian Parris is pregnant, newly divorced and the mother of a 7-year-old daughter. It's time to take control of her life and, seeking the source of the little happiness she's had, Jillian heads home to Pawleys Island, South Carolina. There, old memories both haunt her and comfort her. When she left the island as a teenager, her friend Lauren had disappeared and one of her best friends, Linc Rising, was a suspect in the disappearance (and supposed murder). Lauren and Linc had been everything to Jillian and, although she never suspected Linc, their lives were destroyed.

Despite all the turmoil and the unexpected appearance of Linc, Jillian takes comfort in being home in the one place where she felt loved. But those old memories are there, waiting to change her life today. Even her daughter, Grace, is infected with their presence -- she begins talking to an imaginary friend named Lauren.

As Linc and Jillian swim through the heavy waters of their memories, they finally begin to deal with their feelings from years ago. And the feelings that are being stirred today. . .

THE COLOR OF LIGHT is a reminder that the sheer intenseness of youth can change the course of your life. The horror of losing Lauren, felt so strongly by both Linc and Jillian, shifted the foundations of their personalities. Ms. White guides us through the story, which is rife with dark overtones in the Southern tradition of writing. The ending was not a total surprise, but you'll enjoy the getting there. Well-laced with pain and suffering, this book highlights the darkness but ends in the light.