In Love and Death in a Perfect World (2015), author Barbara Gerber toils in the arena of domestic realism with a story of a couple, Rosemary and Liam Ellis, raising their son, Dylan, in what they hope is a progressive and ethical manner. Rosemary is consumed by the choices and responsibilities she faces over every decision: The book opens in the grocery store, as she attempts to find the most organic, locally sourced, whole-grain ingredients for a pot of spaghetti while keeping her kid from screaming or climbing out of the cart. Liam struggles with unresolved childhood issues and a sense of being trapped, though he loves his wife. (He is slightly scared of his child.) Gerber’s clean, often witty prose captures some essential and authentic aspects of Santa Fe culture.
— Jennifer Levin, Pasatiempo, The New Mexican's Weekly Magazine of Arts, Entertainment & Culture
A very thoughtful and engaging book! I found it hard to put down this odyssey of a young woman grappling with our modern day’s complicated moral and personal issues as she grows into adulthood. The author’s entertaining and realistic portrayal of Rosemary’s thoughts and conversations entices the reader to follow the twists and turns of her life along with her honest questioning and self-discovery, which periodically bring her back to her symbolic touchstone of the spare beauty of a desert campsite. I certainly hope this author gives a sequel before long, because Rosemary is too interesting a character to stop here!
—Sophie Gardner
In her debut novel, Barbara Gerber poignantly shows how a young woman, Rosemary, navigates through the joy, sorrow, love, and confusion of life. The reader sees how Rosemary struggles to maintain her ideals in the all too real world. The plot, never contrived, is thoroughly realistic. All of the major characters are fully realized. The vivid setting in the American Southwest is fully integrated into the novel. I love this book, plan to reread it, and look forward to reading future books by Barbara Gerber.
—Norman Morris
Love and Death in a Perfect World is a kind of coming-of-age novel for adults: a story of a woman learning, growing, and loving more deeply, long after she has “grown up.” With searing insight, compassion, and breath-catching humor, Barbara Gerber has created Rosemary Sabin Ellis, “a loud piece of folk art, a coarse weaving in primary colors”—imperfect, original, unforgettable—who invites us to consider how we are, too.
—Claudette Sutton, author of Farewell, Aleppo: My Father, My People, and Their Long Journey Home
Barbara Gerber has succinctly captured the complexities of modern life in her novel and in the voice of her main protagonist, Rosemary Ellis. As Rosemary grows from childhood into young adulthood within the bugaboos and complexities of strained family dynamics, we travel with her on a coming-of-age journey. The setting of the contemporary American southwest adds schisms of cultural tension and place-based demands that challenge Rosemary’s basic values.
For Gerber’s protagonist, the peaks and valleys in life unfold within the inner workings of original and chosen family. Her concerns are our concerns as she reaches for a life of belonging and meaning, juxtaposed to patterns of obsession that trail her from childhood. As she navigates her conflicts, the thresholds between urban and wild, and the environmental degradation that rears alongside her many personal and political choices, she travels a road that is painfully familiar to us.
Rosemary stands as a captivating representative of those who attempt to live a conscious life, and of those who expect and demand more of life than a status quo existence. Bravo to Gerber, who has created a varied and often painterly backdrop for her characters’ evolution, from self-involved young adulthood to parenting and family-centric maturity. As Rosemary and those she loves face the angst, losses, obsessions and contradictions of modern life, we are glad to move with them into the heartbeat and the full heart that lies at the center of every conscious path.
—Cate Cabot, author of Uncharted: A Journey Along the Edge of Time and Survival
I kept wanting to turn the pages to see what happens to Rosemary and her family. This book is an honest account of what marriage, mothering, and finding one’s way entail in an imperfect world filled with expectations of perfect lives, environmental concerns, economic ups and downs, and personal love and loss. We never know what is happening in families from the outside, the love, fights, and day-to-day struggles and joys. Very much an inside look.
—Peg Johnson, librarian, Santa Fe Community College
Barbara Gerber’s first novel is a gem. In this poignant narrative, the reader accompanies Rosemary, the young central character, as she strives to fulfill her goals and dreams for a bright future. Throughout the novel, Gerber’s language soars as she vividly describes myriad characters, settings, and events. This is more than a stirring coming-of-age story; it is a refreshingly honest and exquisitely crafted book to savor.
—Syd Morris
I totally LOVED this book! You will find threads of your own life tapestry woven into the story of Rosemary Ellis. We can all relate to the complexity and honesty of her feelings about being a mother, a wife and a friend. I laughed out loud, cried and couldn't wait to get back to this story.
—Debra Satya
A good read! Gerber both entertained me and engaged me with a clearly drawn protagonist--who seemed oh so familiar despite our differences in age and situation. Rosemary struggles with many challenging dilemmas that should resonate with anyone trying to live consciously and in a principled way in today's complex world. Gerber also does a great job of capturing landscapes I know and love: Santa Fe; Joshua Tree National Park; and Twentynine Palms, CA. Bravo!
— Mannie
This enjoyable book takes you on a journey into the inner and outer worlds of the main character Rosemary, from her teens and through her years as a young wife and mother. The author concentrates on Rosemary’s inner growth and the complicated relationships within her family but also touches on her quest to make sense of her life in a world full of contradictions. The story moves along nicely and takes a couple of unexpected twists and turns, but the story is mostly about how the characters deal with and grow from these events. Joshua Tree National Park plays a big role in the story. Although I’ve never been there myself, her connection to it as a special, almost magical place that feeds her soul and her growth was a strong element throughout the book. I really liked this book and recommend it. … The story and the characters all rang true for me and I could easily relate to Rosemary.
—Joan Babcock
Real. Although a fiction novel, Barbara Gerber’s book touches on so many life events that I have experienced, making it fun to read another perspective on a familiar subject. Her character’s conversations in the book allow exceptional character development. Spanning many years, the novel allows the reader to grow with the story and see how people change over time. A great read and I look forward to her next book.
—Elizabeth Miller
Barbara Gerber’s first novel intrigued and comforted me, at a time I needed comforting, at a time when my life was devolving in the way her main character Rosemary’s does early in the book. The story warms up as it progresses, without a strongly discernable plot, the way real life proceeds: patterns emerge as we go along. Her story is in the way we make sense of our lived lives, the patterns we tease out, the stories we tell ourselves to make coherence and meaning, the way we decide what we’ve learned and where to go next. I felt an affinity for Rosemary, partly in sharing similar experiences (though with different “connective tissue”), but partly because Rosemary finds the shape of her life to be very different from the shape she might have predicted for herself. In the couple of months since reading the book, the vignettes of Rosemary’s life—around birth, death, trance, suicide, friendship, sickness, family, men, etc.—keep coming back to me, with new things happening to me providing even more uncanny overlap with Rosemary’s experiences. Pondering Barbara Gerber’s rendering of Rosemary’s reactions to and processing of these experiences has enriched the range and depth of my own responses to them, and I’m grateful for this energetic and thoughtful novel.
—Katherine Bueler
Great book! I appreciated how the heroine’s journey transcended gender-based analysis, in order to address some of the fundamental issues of what it means to be human. From Chapter 5 on, I was hooked and could hardly put it down until the end. I enjoyed how the formatting reckoned with the passage of time, providing for a flowing read AND some bracing changes in dynamics from one chapter to the next. Mostly, I appreciated the book’s honesty, in asking challenging and open-ended questions, while providing an entertaining read all along the way.
—Michael Polera
I love this book. It is substantial and thought-provoking. It is also hilarious. I had a sensation while reading this book of standing in front of a fire-hose, pushing me along a slip-and-slide until I caught my breath, and then wanting to run back and go again.
I was immediately drawn-in by Rosemary, the main character. She has a gift, not directly mentioned in the book, of a bigger picture of life. I had the sensation of navigating the stream of her life like a kayaker...sometimes floating, sometimes paddling rapidly, sometimes facing upstream, but somehow sure of her ability to right herself.
I also love the form of the book...It uses pertinent details like poetry to tell the story. It was hard to put down, and then, I noticed that I wanted to slow down and savor it. At one point, I found myself laughing and crying at the same time.
Many times I felt that the author was eavesdropping on my private thoughts. Although it can be read more simply as the story of a portion of someone's life, Love and Death in a Perfect world is about the big questions. I love those questions, and I love how Barbara Gerber's book explores those questions. I will definitely re-read it.
— Sheri Sinclair
Love and Death in a Perfect World is the unflinchingly honest, wry and often beautifully wrought story of Rosemary, a woman who yearns for an authentic life, but life keeps getting in the way. This is an earnest book, and for many readers, a familiar story: as Rosemary juggles the demands of partners and parents, children and career, she struggles with issues of identity, respect, and responsibility. I particularly appreciated the juxtaposition of First World concerns (is this organic? is it ethically sourced?) with the call of the wilderness -- a lovely device to parallel Rosemary's quest for balance in her life.
Love and Death in a Perfect World is an accomplished first novel, and I look forward to the author's future work with great anticipation.
— Sandra Vail
Loved this book! Poignant and authentic, it captures the conflicting emotions inherent in parenting, marriage, and staying true to one's values. The struggles Rosemary faces struck me as very real, and I alternately laughed and swallowed the lump in my throat as I traveled with her throughout her life. Gerber handles the time lapses seamlessly, and the recurring Joshua Tree locale helps center the reader's experience. A great first novel; I look forward to more!
—Amy Schroth
This is a very thoughtful story grounded in reality. I loved the real-life situations, emotions and encounters and felt completely engaged throughout. The references to Santa Fe ring true for anyone who has lived here and for me, they served to more fully draw me in to the story. These are real people, in real life, and I especially enjoyed that aspect. Clean, clear and simple in the best possible way.
—Donna Scheer
Love and Death in a Perfect World perfectly encapsulates the existential questions every person faces at some point or another in life. It's the ideal balance of endearing, funny, sad, and frank. It's well written and captivating the whole way through.
—Emma Brandt
There are a couple of cringe-worthy scenes in this brilliant author's first novel infused with humor, humility and truth. Oh my God... funny... Yikes! The characters are tangible... I know these people... you will know these people. The journey will resonate with "the seeker" in anyone. After digesting and reflecting on this unique novel for many months, I realize that the answers to the hard questions posed lay not in the pages, but in my own heart. I'm looking forward to a next novel...perhaps a sequel to learn what Rosemary will be gnawing on and what truths will be indirectly revealed. This unpretentious and entertaining work is clearly a true Labor of Love on the part of this talented writer.
— Marcie Edelman
Barbara Gerber does an incredible job of allowing the reader to step into the main character's shoes and feel what she is feeling. ... Overall this book made me cry, laugh and smile and it was incredible how easy it was to relate to the story. I look forward to recommending this book to anyone who enjoys reading. This book had no trouble keeping my attention.
— Dayna Garcia
An engrossing story of a woman discovering herself and the principles that will guide her through life. Her identity emerges and she explores her relationships with her immediate childhood family. The author leads you through her teenage years as she matures and explores her sexuality. As a young woman, she finds a man, marries and raises a family, always returning to the context of the desert environment in Joshua Tree National Park—that nurtures her soul and grounds her decisions. You feel the fragility in the family unit that she creates—it’s about the ambivalence that she feels. Rosemary actually becomes a real friend that you are interested in and care about. It’s a good read and you want to stick with it and find out what happens to her as a result of her life discoveries.
—Bob “Roberto” Cardinale
I was very moved by this book. As a wife and mother, it made me question decisions I have made in my life. I found that I also questioned decisions made by the characters in the book. I was able to relate to many of the situations and family dramas in the book. For me, it was a book to read slowly, digest and savor. I intend to reread it in the future. The book touched my emotions. I really enjoyed the book and would recommend it. The author is very descriptive and has great command of language and words.
—Rafael Merheb
This story gives a realistic view of life’s expectations, imperfections, and how we learn to love despite it all. I looked forward to each page as Rosemary has struggles and disappointments, yet finally, sees the beauty in her everyday life.
—Sharon Varela
Love and Death in a Perfect World is a great read of a mother’s love for her son! I could relate to the conflict that the main character (mother/wife) feels while trying to help her friends. I really enjoyed the conversational language and how the author gave the different characters’ points of view. I also love that so much of the book was set in Joshua Tree National Park. I could imagine the desert at night and the magical, ancient trees. Congratulations to the author on her first book!
—Kay H. Birdsell
Love and Death in a Perfect World follows the life of one woman as she struggles to accept herself, and the people around her. The universality of the story, along with the quality and style of writing, makes for a highly enjoyable read that left me eager to return and follow our main character Rosemary through the next step in her life. I would highly recommend this book, and I look forward to any future publications by the author.
—Frank Denny
Love and Death in a Perfect Word gives the reader a view of the inner thoughts of the main character as she travels the road to adulthood. You want to laugh, cry and find peace with the ride this character takes you on. Worth the read.
—Patricia K.
All in all, this is an excellent first effort and a worthwhile read for anyone who has struggled to balance family and work. Some laugh-out-loud funny parts, and some very poignant moments. I recommend this as an absorbing and rewarding read.
—Jennifer J Pruett
While starting slowly the reader gets drawn in to desire to learn more about the characters and their experiences and relationships. The writing is excellent and the level of detail does not get in the way of the progression of the story. Well done as a first full-length novel.
—Nolan Zisman
Thoroughly enjoyable and engaging. Keep writing, Barbara.
—John Bulger
— Jennifer Levin, Pasatiempo, The New Mexican's Weekly Magazine of Arts, Entertainment & Culture
A very thoughtful and engaging book! I found it hard to put down this odyssey of a young woman grappling with our modern day’s complicated moral and personal issues as she grows into adulthood. The author’s entertaining and realistic portrayal of Rosemary’s thoughts and conversations entices the reader to follow the twists and turns of her life along with her honest questioning and self-discovery, which periodically bring her back to her symbolic touchstone of the spare beauty of a desert campsite. I certainly hope this author gives a sequel before long, because Rosemary is too interesting a character to stop here!
—Sophie Gardner
In her debut novel, Barbara Gerber poignantly shows how a young woman, Rosemary, navigates through the joy, sorrow, love, and confusion of life. The reader sees how Rosemary struggles to maintain her ideals in the all too real world. The plot, never contrived, is thoroughly realistic. All of the major characters are fully realized. The vivid setting in the American Southwest is fully integrated into the novel. I love this book, plan to reread it, and look forward to reading future books by Barbara Gerber.
—Norman Morris
Love and Death in a Perfect World is a kind of coming-of-age novel for adults: a story of a woman learning, growing, and loving more deeply, long after she has “grown up.” With searing insight, compassion, and breath-catching humor, Barbara Gerber has created Rosemary Sabin Ellis, “a loud piece of folk art, a coarse weaving in primary colors”—imperfect, original, unforgettable—who invites us to consider how we are, too.
—Claudette Sutton, author of Farewell, Aleppo: My Father, My People, and Their Long Journey Home
Barbara Gerber has succinctly captured the complexities of modern life in her novel and in the voice of her main protagonist, Rosemary Ellis. As Rosemary grows from childhood into young adulthood within the bugaboos and complexities of strained family dynamics, we travel with her on a coming-of-age journey. The setting of the contemporary American southwest adds schisms of cultural tension and place-based demands that challenge Rosemary’s basic values.
For Gerber’s protagonist, the peaks and valleys in life unfold within the inner workings of original and chosen family. Her concerns are our concerns as she reaches for a life of belonging and meaning, juxtaposed to patterns of obsession that trail her from childhood. As she navigates her conflicts, the thresholds between urban and wild, and the environmental degradation that rears alongside her many personal and political choices, she travels a road that is painfully familiar to us.
Rosemary stands as a captivating representative of those who attempt to live a conscious life, and of those who expect and demand more of life than a status quo existence. Bravo to Gerber, who has created a varied and often painterly backdrop for her characters’ evolution, from self-involved young adulthood to parenting and family-centric maturity. As Rosemary and those she loves face the angst, losses, obsessions and contradictions of modern life, we are glad to move with them into the heartbeat and the full heart that lies at the center of every conscious path.
—Cate Cabot, author of Uncharted: A Journey Along the Edge of Time and Survival
I kept wanting to turn the pages to see what happens to Rosemary and her family. This book is an honest account of what marriage, mothering, and finding one’s way entail in an imperfect world filled with expectations of perfect lives, environmental concerns, economic ups and downs, and personal love and loss. We never know what is happening in families from the outside, the love, fights, and day-to-day struggles and joys. Very much an inside look.
—Peg Johnson, librarian, Santa Fe Community College
Barbara Gerber’s first novel is a gem. In this poignant narrative, the reader accompanies Rosemary, the young central character, as she strives to fulfill her goals and dreams for a bright future. Throughout the novel, Gerber’s language soars as she vividly describes myriad characters, settings, and events. This is more than a stirring coming-of-age story; it is a refreshingly honest and exquisitely crafted book to savor.
—Syd Morris
I totally LOVED this book! You will find threads of your own life tapestry woven into the story of Rosemary Ellis. We can all relate to the complexity and honesty of her feelings about being a mother, a wife and a friend. I laughed out loud, cried and couldn't wait to get back to this story.
—Debra Satya
A good read! Gerber both entertained me and engaged me with a clearly drawn protagonist--who seemed oh so familiar despite our differences in age and situation. Rosemary struggles with many challenging dilemmas that should resonate with anyone trying to live consciously and in a principled way in today's complex world. Gerber also does a great job of capturing landscapes I know and love: Santa Fe; Joshua Tree National Park; and Twentynine Palms, CA. Bravo!
— Mannie
This enjoyable book takes you on a journey into the inner and outer worlds of the main character Rosemary, from her teens and through her years as a young wife and mother. The author concentrates on Rosemary’s inner growth and the complicated relationships within her family but also touches on her quest to make sense of her life in a world full of contradictions. The story moves along nicely and takes a couple of unexpected twists and turns, but the story is mostly about how the characters deal with and grow from these events. Joshua Tree National Park plays a big role in the story. Although I’ve never been there myself, her connection to it as a special, almost magical place that feeds her soul and her growth was a strong element throughout the book. I really liked this book and recommend it. … The story and the characters all rang true for me and I could easily relate to Rosemary.
—Joan Babcock
Real. Although a fiction novel, Barbara Gerber’s book touches on so many life events that I have experienced, making it fun to read another perspective on a familiar subject. Her character’s conversations in the book allow exceptional character development. Spanning many years, the novel allows the reader to grow with the story and see how people change over time. A great read and I look forward to her next book.
—Elizabeth Miller
Barbara Gerber’s first novel intrigued and comforted me, at a time I needed comforting, at a time when my life was devolving in the way her main character Rosemary’s does early in the book. The story warms up as it progresses, without a strongly discernable plot, the way real life proceeds: patterns emerge as we go along. Her story is in the way we make sense of our lived lives, the patterns we tease out, the stories we tell ourselves to make coherence and meaning, the way we decide what we’ve learned and where to go next. I felt an affinity for Rosemary, partly in sharing similar experiences (though with different “connective tissue”), but partly because Rosemary finds the shape of her life to be very different from the shape she might have predicted for herself. In the couple of months since reading the book, the vignettes of Rosemary’s life—around birth, death, trance, suicide, friendship, sickness, family, men, etc.—keep coming back to me, with new things happening to me providing even more uncanny overlap with Rosemary’s experiences. Pondering Barbara Gerber’s rendering of Rosemary’s reactions to and processing of these experiences has enriched the range and depth of my own responses to them, and I’m grateful for this energetic and thoughtful novel.
—Katherine Bueler
Great book! I appreciated how the heroine’s journey transcended gender-based analysis, in order to address some of the fundamental issues of what it means to be human. From Chapter 5 on, I was hooked and could hardly put it down until the end. I enjoyed how the formatting reckoned with the passage of time, providing for a flowing read AND some bracing changes in dynamics from one chapter to the next. Mostly, I appreciated the book’s honesty, in asking challenging and open-ended questions, while providing an entertaining read all along the way.
—Michael Polera
I love this book. It is substantial and thought-provoking. It is also hilarious. I had a sensation while reading this book of standing in front of a fire-hose, pushing me along a slip-and-slide until I caught my breath, and then wanting to run back and go again.
I was immediately drawn-in by Rosemary, the main character. She has a gift, not directly mentioned in the book, of a bigger picture of life. I had the sensation of navigating the stream of her life like a kayaker...sometimes floating, sometimes paddling rapidly, sometimes facing upstream, but somehow sure of her ability to right herself.
I also love the form of the book...It uses pertinent details like poetry to tell the story. It was hard to put down, and then, I noticed that I wanted to slow down and savor it. At one point, I found myself laughing and crying at the same time.
Many times I felt that the author was eavesdropping on my private thoughts. Although it can be read more simply as the story of a portion of someone's life, Love and Death in a Perfect world is about the big questions. I love those questions, and I love how Barbara Gerber's book explores those questions. I will definitely re-read it.
— Sheri Sinclair
Love and Death in a Perfect World is the unflinchingly honest, wry and often beautifully wrought story of Rosemary, a woman who yearns for an authentic life, but life keeps getting in the way. This is an earnest book, and for many readers, a familiar story: as Rosemary juggles the demands of partners and parents, children and career, she struggles with issues of identity, respect, and responsibility. I particularly appreciated the juxtaposition of First World concerns (is this organic? is it ethically sourced?) with the call of the wilderness -- a lovely device to parallel Rosemary's quest for balance in her life.
Love and Death in a Perfect World is an accomplished first novel, and I look forward to the author's future work with great anticipation.
— Sandra Vail
Loved this book! Poignant and authentic, it captures the conflicting emotions inherent in parenting, marriage, and staying true to one's values. The struggles Rosemary faces struck me as very real, and I alternately laughed and swallowed the lump in my throat as I traveled with her throughout her life. Gerber handles the time lapses seamlessly, and the recurring Joshua Tree locale helps center the reader's experience. A great first novel; I look forward to more!
—Amy Schroth
This is a very thoughtful story grounded in reality. I loved the real-life situations, emotions and encounters and felt completely engaged throughout. The references to Santa Fe ring true for anyone who has lived here and for me, they served to more fully draw me in to the story. These are real people, in real life, and I especially enjoyed that aspect. Clean, clear and simple in the best possible way.
—Donna Scheer
Love and Death in a Perfect World perfectly encapsulates the existential questions every person faces at some point or another in life. It's the ideal balance of endearing, funny, sad, and frank. It's well written and captivating the whole way through.
—Emma Brandt
There are a couple of cringe-worthy scenes in this brilliant author's first novel infused with humor, humility and truth. Oh my God... funny... Yikes! The characters are tangible... I know these people... you will know these people. The journey will resonate with "the seeker" in anyone. After digesting and reflecting on this unique novel for many months, I realize that the answers to the hard questions posed lay not in the pages, but in my own heart. I'm looking forward to a next novel...perhaps a sequel to learn what Rosemary will be gnawing on and what truths will be indirectly revealed. This unpretentious and entertaining work is clearly a true Labor of Love on the part of this talented writer.
— Marcie Edelman
Barbara Gerber does an incredible job of allowing the reader to step into the main character's shoes and feel what she is feeling. ... Overall this book made me cry, laugh and smile and it was incredible how easy it was to relate to the story. I look forward to recommending this book to anyone who enjoys reading. This book had no trouble keeping my attention.
— Dayna Garcia
An engrossing story of a woman discovering herself and the principles that will guide her through life. Her identity emerges and she explores her relationships with her immediate childhood family. The author leads you through her teenage years as she matures and explores her sexuality. As a young woman, she finds a man, marries and raises a family, always returning to the context of the desert environment in Joshua Tree National Park—that nurtures her soul and grounds her decisions. You feel the fragility in the family unit that she creates—it’s about the ambivalence that she feels. Rosemary actually becomes a real friend that you are interested in and care about. It’s a good read and you want to stick with it and find out what happens to her as a result of her life discoveries.
—Bob “Roberto” Cardinale
I was very moved by this book. As a wife and mother, it made me question decisions I have made in my life. I found that I also questioned decisions made by the characters in the book. I was able to relate to many of the situations and family dramas in the book. For me, it was a book to read slowly, digest and savor. I intend to reread it in the future. The book touched my emotions. I really enjoyed the book and would recommend it. The author is very descriptive and has great command of language and words.
—Rafael Merheb
This story gives a realistic view of life’s expectations, imperfections, and how we learn to love despite it all. I looked forward to each page as Rosemary has struggles and disappointments, yet finally, sees the beauty in her everyday life.
—Sharon Varela
Love and Death in a Perfect World is a great read of a mother’s love for her son! I could relate to the conflict that the main character (mother/wife) feels while trying to help her friends. I really enjoyed the conversational language and how the author gave the different characters’ points of view. I also love that so much of the book was set in Joshua Tree National Park. I could imagine the desert at night and the magical, ancient trees. Congratulations to the author on her first book!
—Kay H. Birdsell
Love and Death in a Perfect World follows the life of one woman as she struggles to accept herself, and the people around her. The universality of the story, along with the quality and style of writing, makes for a highly enjoyable read that left me eager to return and follow our main character Rosemary through the next step in her life. I would highly recommend this book, and I look forward to any future publications by the author.
—Frank Denny
Love and Death in a Perfect Word gives the reader a view of the inner thoughts of the main character as she travels the road to adulthood. You want to laugh, cry and find peace with the ride this character takes you on. Worth the read.
—Patricia K.
All in all, this is an excellent first effort and a worthwhile read for anyone who has struggled to balance family and work. Some laugh-out-loud funny parts, and some very poignant moments. I recommend this as an absorbing and rewarding read.
—Jennifer J Pruett
While starting slowly the reader gets drawn in to desire to learn more about the characters and their experiences and relationships. The writing is excellent and the level of detail does not get in the way of the progression of the story. Well done as a first full-length novel.
—Nolan Zisman
Thoroughly enjoyable and engaging. Keep writing, Barbara.
—John Bulger
