Terri DuLong

Kensington Books, 2009

My Rating: B+

Ever since Sydney married she has lived the good life in Boston with her doctor husband. She has not been employed outside the home since her wedding day twenty-eight years earlier. Now she finds herself a widow with no home, no money and no job. A good friend since their college roommate days, Allison offers her a room at her Bed and Breakfast on an island off the coast of Florida. With no other options, Syd heads south. Now in her fifties, she must create a new life for herself.

This story epitomizes the saying “When a door is closed, God opens a window.” For Syd, many doors seem to have been closed, but then windows start to open up for her. She has her faithful friend Allison, her faithful dog, Lilly, and she has some satisfying hobbies in spinning and knitting. Allison wonders if Syd could do anything with those hobbies.

In the meantime Syd takes a part-time job waitressing at a local cafe where she has a chance to meet many of the residents of Cedar Key. She finds herself embraced by this community of quirky but loving characters. They help her take steps, tentative at first, and help her form a plan of how to move on from this upheaval in her life.

The real Cedar Key

The story is not always rosy but it’s definitely not dull. Syd manages to get her life heading down a good path. The author had me turning the pages to make sure. As a knitter (and former spinner), I enjoyed that part of the story. Syd opened a yarn shop with a unique twist: Syd spins fiber from dogs and cats that owners have collected from their pets. It’s a popular idea.

What made the book heartwarming for me were all the characters – the supporting cast. They were well-developed and had that “real people” feel. By the end of the book I wanted to know more about several of the folks in the story. Fortunately, for me, this is the first book in a series of Cedar Key stories.

About The Author:

Terri DuLong is another example of someone who retired joyfully. Until her retirement Terri was a Registered Nurse. She has always had a desire to write. Spinning Forward is her first novel but I see many books in her future. She is currently at work on the second book in the Cedar Key series. In addition to writing, Terri is mother of three and grandmother of seven children and then there are the numerous pets. Terri and her husband live in the real Cedar Key, Florida. For more information, visit her website HERE. I will confess to “borrowing” the pictures of the author and Cedar Key from her website.