As Young As We Feel

Title: AS YOUNG AS WE FEEL
Author: Melody Carlson
Publisher: David C. Cook
March 2010
ISBN: 978-1-4347-6497-3
Genre: Inspirational/women’s fiction

Almost fifty years ago, four Linda’s were placed in the same first grade class. The four forged an instant bond, formed a Linda club, and to avoid confusion decided to go by their middle names.

Now, they are reunited at a class reunion, when sadly, one of their classmates drop dead. The four Linda’s spend the weekend together, but all four are now totally different. Janie is a lawyer in New York, trying to decide what to do with her mother’s estate. Abby is a lonely housewife in a lovely empty nest. Marley is struggling to find herself after her divorce, and Caroline’s mother has dementia.

Can the four Linda’s recapture their childhood friendship, and will it last after the reunion?

Melody Carlson is a very prolific author who writes in multiple genres with ease. AS YOUNG AS WE FEEL is the story of four different women, each of them having their own point of view chapters so the reader will be able to identify with at least one of them, and maybe parts of all four.

I found the story a bit slow, and not up to Ms. Carlson's usual standards, but it did read well. The story is character driven, and so the characters do have to be well developed and realistic. In the Afterwords section of the book you will find discussion questions and a preview of the next book in The Four Linda’s series, Hometown Ties. $14.99. 330 pages.