Pages: 227 pages
Publication Date: August 28, 2022
Young Lauren knows she doesn’t want to be a ranch wife in Palo Pinto County, Texas. After she’s discovered by a modeling scout at the 1940 Fort Worth Stock Show Parade, she moves to Manhattan to begin her glamourous career. A setback ends her dream, and she drifts into alcohol dependence and promiscuity. By twenty-four, she’s been widowed and divorced, and has developed a pattern of fleeing her problems with geographical cures. Lauren’s last escape lands her in Austin, where, after ten chaotic years, she achieves lasting sobriety and starts a successful business, but happiness eludes her.
Fast forward to 1985. With a history of burning bridges and never looking back, Lauren is stunned when Brett, her third husband, resurfaces, wanting to reconcile after thirty-three years. The losses and regrets of the past engulf her, and she seeks the counsel of Jane, a long-time friend from AA. In the end, the choice is Lauren’s. What will she decide?
“The
whole thing seemed like a raw deal for girls, and my heart broke a little. No. A
lot. Being demoted to household chores, women’s work, chapped my hide.”
I’ll
Be Seeing You is the
story of Ruby Lauren Eaton’s life from age sixteen to sixty-plus, and from the
moment we meet her, the drama begins. Sixteen-year-old Lauren, goes from
Mineral Wells, Texas, farmgirl to living in Manhattan as a Powers Girl model?! I’m sure you can imagine. Over these decades, some of the toughest topics and
harshest realities of life are covered via Lauren’s poor decision making, lack
of parental guidance, and the often-tumultuous world around her.
“I
asked for a Coke. The blond stewardess didn’t ask me what kind, and I was too
shy to ask for a Dr. Pepper.”
You can take a girl out of Texas, but you can’t take the Texan out of a girl. Despite Lauren spending a good chunk of time in Manhattan, there is plenty of Texana to enjoy, and the above quote in particular gave me a knowing giggle. In Texas, a Coke is the generic for sodas and can mean a Dr. Pepper, an RC, or GASP – even a Pepsi! There’s liberal use of “might could,” as in, “Might could be we’re heading that way,” which further reinforces the West Texas vibe. Also included in I'll Be Seeing You is some interesting background on iconic Texas businesses, like HEB grocery store, and Neiman Marcus, which has just recently shuttered its original Dallas location.
“It’s
alcoholism, not alcoholwasism.”
It’s
impressive how Lauren recognizes and overcomes, again and again, her alcoholism
and keeps things in check – until she doesn’t. Frequently, the authors who
include this level of raw reality get deep in the nitty-gritty details, but I’ll
Be Seeing You is never gratuitous or graphic. It doesn’t need to be: in I’ll
Be Seeing You, the events in Lauren’s world will evoke a wide range of
emotions from readers, which is the mark of exceptional writing. Easley makes
us feel the gut punches and victories as if they are our own.
In the last fifth of the book, there’s a huge re-cap of Lauren’s life as she tells it all to her AA mentee, who’s also a psychologist in training. This is done more through dialogue, which makes it fresher, and readers also get new information that provides closure. A couple of chapters later, we get more of it, and we have more historical context in 1950s Austin and forward. But at this point, it’s a bit much and somewhat repetitive, which made it feel like the author doesn’t trust readers to remember.
ABOUT THE NARRATION: The book is narrated by virtual voice, and I don’t know much about how much control there is with that. I’ve heard really good ones and some so painful I had to stop listening. In I’ll Be Seeing You, the virtual voice is done with a midwestern accent which conflicts with this solidly, small-town-Texas girl. Nonetheless, it has remarkably good pacing and narration and only a few odd pauses. Easley’s writing must have helped direct the pronunciations because “darlin’” is perfect, but AI doesn’t live in Texas and wouldn’t know that the character of Imogene is not pronounced Emmajean. It’s definitely easy to read this one with your ears, and I’ll take virtual narration over having the book languish in my TBR for years on end.
The story meanders to the conclusion, but a satisfying conclusion it is in how it carries the readers to an ending that’s full of hope. I highly recommend I’ll Be Seeing You as a thoughtful, realistic, and powerful tale of redemption. I really am looking forward to the installment of Lauren's life in Higher Love, that picks up not long after where this story ends.
Thank you for your thoughtful review of my novel.
ReplyDeleteTruly my pleasure, Joanne. Sorry I didn’t read it sooner, but I loved being able to go right into Higher Love!
Delete