“You can’t give up something that brings you joy just because it is difficult. Or because there may be a risk.”–Lynda Cohen Loigman
On the brink of turning eighty, Augusta Stern is forced to retire from her job as a pharmacist and has no idea what to do with herself for the rest of her life. Her niece convinces her to relocate to a senior community in Florida where she is stunned to cross paths once again with Irving Rivkin, the man who broke her heart sixty years earlier.
Growing up in New York, Augusta adores her father, the neighborhood pharmacist, She assists him in his shop, wanting to learn all about healing people. When her aunt comes to live with them, she learns about a different type of healing. Her aunt uses methods from the old country and believes her chicken soup can cure nearly anything–which wouldn’t be a problem except she gives her medical advice to her brother’s clients. As Augusta prepares to attend pharmacy college she is torn between the two approaches as well as confused about her relationship with Irving. In a moment of desperation, she concocts her aunt’s most potent elixir with life altering consequences. Augusta receives clarity but ends up alone, disillusioned, and determined never to use her aunt’s remedies again.
Sixty years later and seeing Irving once more, Augusta wonders again about what went so spectacularly wrong and if there is any way to make it right. This is a novel about forgiveness and second chances. The characters are delightful, the dialog witty and I laughed out loud on more than one occasion. Lynda Cohen Loigman has written another stellar story that is guaranteed to put a smile on your face.
Content Advisory: bullying, blackmail, intimidation, organized crime