W is for Winston, Lolly

When it came time to choose my "W" book, I really wanted to find an author named Williams since that is my maiden name. There were several in the library, but none spoke to me the way a book by Lolly Winston did. Hey, Lolly is a really cool name anyway. So, for "W," yes we are already to "W," let me present to you Lolly Winston's Good Grief.

Sophie Stanton had been married just three short years when she lost her husband to cancer. She feels way too young to be a widow and really doesn't know how to deal with it. Sophie chooses to grieve with ice cream and any other food she can buy at the convenience store. Everything hurts, from trying to go through her husband's clothes to trying to go back to work. After an embarrassing meltdown in the middle of the grocery store and showing up to work in a bathrobe and slippers, Sophie decides it's time to move. Her best friend Ruth lives in a small town in Oregon, so Sophie takes her up on her offer of a place to stay. Going from being a happily married woman with a good job and a great future to being a young widow with no job and no prospects in a strange town could be completely overwhelming, but not to Sophie.

Things really change for Sophie once she gets to Oregon. She applies to be a part of the "Big Sister" program, imagining spending her weekends coloring or playing dolls with a young girl. Instead of the tiny person she had imagined, she gets Crystal, a sulking 13-year-old with a bad smoking habit and a horrible home life. Crystal's fascination with fire could be even more dangerous than her smoking or cutting. Sophie considers calling the "Big Sister" group and telling them she can't see Crystal again, but sees something in the girl and perseveres.

While dealing with her grief and her new young friend, Sophie finds a job waiting tables. This is not her finest moment and after several problems, she ends up working in the kitchen. What could be seen as failure turns in to a great triumph for Sophie. She finds her place making cakes and pies for the restaurant and soon decides she will open her own bakery. Of course more obstacles stand in the way, but Sophie handles them with some grace and much humor.

Having grieved the loss of someone I loved, I picked up this book with some trepidation. How would a writer handle the grief process? The reviews I read said there was humor involved. How do you mix humor and grief? Well, Lolly Winston did a great job of it. Grief is hard. Losing a loved one is a sad thing, but Winston found a way to remind us that life is funny. We do silly things, humorous things. Winston handled the grief process with respect, but not with kid gloves.

I would recommend Good Grief to anyone who has had to mourn the loss of a spouse or significant other. You will likely recognize yourself in at least some of Sophie's mourning antics. I would recommend Good Grief to those who have looked up from the very bottom. I would recommend Good Grief to anyone looking for a good read filled with both tears and out loud laughter. I would consider Good Grief to be a bit of a "chick read" but it is a very enjoyable one. If you're looking for something to read on a cold winter's day, Good Grief fits the bill.