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Finding Cadence
A solid-gold pedigree and the illusion of wealth can't guarantee a life of serendipity -- not even if you're Carter Reed. Cadence Reed learns this hard lesson after her husband of twenty-five years dies on a blizzard-swept Michigan highway - along with his pregnant young mistress. Now alone, Cadie discovers Carter has squandered the family trust on his secret life, and has sold half of his business to longtime friend and attorney, John Sloane. The lubricious Sloane delights in taunting Cadie, his interest transcending the mere business relationship.
Untangling Carter's mess consumes more than time. Sick and heartbroken, worried for her son’s education and her future, Cadie questions her life choices. A cross country journey with her son, Jackson, retraces her history – and peels away the veneer of learned aristocracy to reveal her own secrets. Only when she reconciles her past can she execute a plan to start a new life.
FINDING CADENCE explores deception and depression, the intricate and tentative bond of relationships, and one woman’s determination to overcome pride and adversity to find the strength to carry on.
Untangling Carter's mess consumes more than time. Sick and heartbroken, worried for her son’s education and her future, Cadie questions her life choices. A cross country journey with her son, Jackson, retraces her history – and peels away the veneer of learned aristocracy to reveal her own secrets. Only when she reconciles her past can she execute a plan to start a new life.
FINDING CADENCE explores deception and depression, the intricate and tentative bond of relationships, and one woman’s determination to overcome pride and adversity to find the strength to carry on.
426 pages, Paperback
First published March 31, 2014
About the author
Joanne Huspek
3 books6 followersJoanne Huspek has written for Associated Content (Yahoo! Contributor Network), Blog Critics, and Medium. She is a retired Army brat who currently resides in Royal Oak, Michigan with her husband, a rescued Boston terrier, and a very bad kitty. FINDING CADENCE, her first novel, placed in the 2011 San Francisco Writers Conference contest. VIRTUALLY YOURS was her second novel (first released).
Visit her online at http://joannehuspek.com or
http://joannehuspek.wordpress.com/
Follow her on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook (@jlhuspek).
Visit her online at http://joannehuspek.com or
http://joannehuspek.wordpress.com/
Follow her on Twitter, Instagram, Pinterest, and Facebook (@jlhuspek).
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Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews
November 27, 2015
Joanne Huspek’s novel "Finding Cadence" takes her protagonist, Cadence Reed, on a difficult journey after revelations about her marriage and about herself. When her husband Carter is killed in an automobile accident, for a time Cadence succumbs to grief and depression. Her struggles intensify when she finds that her husband has been living two lives—both intimate and financial.
The novel takes us on Cadence’s evolution from dependent, “trophy wife” living in “saccharine suburban complacency” to an independent, strong, and competent woman. Because of the first-person narrative, readers are close to Cadence’s emotional ups and downs, her questionings and discoveries, and her solid relationship with her musically gifted and mature son, Jackson.
Overall, this is a very satisfying read which keeps readers, especially women, anxious to turn the page and find out what Cadence will learn or do next.
It is not a spoiler to say that Cadence does find herself. It’s the how, where and when of the narrative that will engage the reader.
Nancy Owen Nelson
Author of "Searching for Nannie B: Connecting Three Generations of Southern Women." Searching for Nannie B.
The novel takes us on Cadence’s evolution from dependent, “trophy wife” living in “saccharine suburban complacency” to an independent, strong, and competent woman. Because of the first-person narrative, readers are close to Cadence’s emotional ups and downs, her questionings and discoveries, and her solid relationship with her musically gifted and mature son, Jackson.
Overall, this is a very satisfying read which keeps readers, especially women, anxious to turn the page and find out what Cadence will learn or do next.
It is not a spoiler to say that Cadence does find herself. It’s the how, where and when of the narrative that will engage the reader.
Nancy Owen Nelson
Author of "Searching for Nannie B: Connecting Three Generations of Southern Women." Searching for Nannie B.
May 17, 2014
Unable to put this page-turner down
Most impressive page-turner that I've anticipated since I first met Joanne years ago. I thoroughly enjoyed this well-written, unpredictable story line and well-developed characters and look forward to reading more from this author.
Most impressive page-turner that I've anticipated since I first met Joanne years ago. I thoroughly enjoyed this well-written, unpredictable story line and well-developed characters and look forward to reading more from this author.
April 7, 2014
First I must say that I read the first draft of this novel a while back so I knew where the story was going when I started it.
There is quite a story here. It was told well. The settings for the novel were well described, especially San Francisco. It was the San Francisco that not every tourist sees and it was described accurately and with a fondness that was evident.
The characters, for the most part, were very well fleshed out and I could match them up with people in my own life that reminded me of the characters. Cadence, at times stiff, was the vulnerable stay-at-home-then-empty-nester-mom that so many of us are or are becoming. She was very familiar to me and I could identify with her and her feelings and fears. I did not understand how everyone kept wanting her to be over the death of her husband when it had only been a very few weeks, then a few months. It did not make sense to me that those around her were so lacking in understanding and unsympathetic to what she was going through. The loss of a spouse, even a lying and cheating one, is not something you get over in a matter of weeks or months. It takes years and for the people around her to not get that, didn't ring true for me, but it did add to the storyline of Cadence being pushed along to accept things she wasn't ready to accept or to change.
I'm a tough reader. I don't skim. I read every word. That means that I give great attention to details and notice every discrepancy. When I read, I inevitably notice things that are not right chronologically. That happened here. They were parts that were not even much of a part of the story and did not effect the story line. I just knew that they didn't fit the timeline. Like I said, those parts didn't effect the storyline and if you are not that kind of reader, you won't notice and you won't care. Because I don't skim, I also notice every extra word and missing word that proof reading did not catch. There were many instances of missing words and extra words that made me stop mid sentence and reread until the meaning was clear. But again, that's me.
To me, the true test of whether I enjoyed a book or not is whether I would re-read it or not. With Finding Cadence, the answer is yes. I would re-read it. It passes my test. It wasn't a waste of time. It was enjoyable. It made me think and remember and identify as I joined Cadence in her adventure to find herself.
There is quite a story here. It was told well. The settings for the novel were well described, especially San Francisco. It was the San Francisco that not every tourist sees and it was described accurately and with a fondness that was evident.
The characters, for the most part, were very well fleshed out and I could match them up with people in my own life that reminded me of the characters. Cadence, at times stiff, was the vulnerable stay-at-home-then-empty-nester-mom that so many of us are or are becoming. She was very familiar to me and I could identify with her and her feelings and fears. I did not understand how everyone kept wanting her to be over the death of her husband when it had only been a very few weeks, then a few months. It did not make sense to me that those around her were so lacking in understanding and unsympathetic to what she was going through. The loss of a spouse, even a lying and cheating one, is not something you get over in a matter of weeks or months. It takes years and for the people around her to not get that, didn't ring true for me, but it did add to the storyline of Cadence being pushed along to accept things she wasn't ready to accept or to change.
I'm a tough reader. I don't skim. I read every word. That means that I give great attention to details and notice every discrepancy. When I read, I inevitably notice things that are not right chronologically. That happened here. They were parts that were not even much of a part of the story and did not effect the story line. I just knew that they didn't fit the timeline. Like I said, those parts didn't effect the storyline and if you are not that kind of reader, you won't notice and you won't care. Because I don't skim, I also notice every extra word and missing word that proof reading did not catch. There were many instances of missing words and extra words that made me stop mid sentence and reread until the meaning was clear. But again, that's me.
To me, the true test of whether I enjoyed a book or not is whether I would re-read it or not. With Finding Cadence, the answer is yes. I would re-read it. It passes my test. It wasn't a waste of time. It was enjoyable. It made me think and remember and identify as I joined Cadence in her adventure to find herself.
Displaying 1 - 3 of 3 reviews