The Greek Persuasion: A Novel

by Kimberly K. Robeson

Consumed by a myth about Zeus, a magic sword, and soul mates, Greek-American professor Thair Mylopoulos-Wright has spent much of her life searching for her Other Half. At thirty-one, she spends a summer in Greece; there, alone on a tranquil island, she begins writing stories about her grandmother’s experiences in 1940s Egypt, her mother’s youth in 1960s Greece, and finally, her own life in contemporary America—trying to make sense of her future by exploring the past.

Spanning Thair’s life from thirty-one to thirty-six, The Greek Persuasion explores human sexuality, the complexity of mother-daughter relationships, and the choices women of different generations make when choosing—or settling—for “Mr. (or Ms.) Good Enough.” Will Thair ever find that missing part of her that Zeus chopped off with his magic sword? Or is the concept of The One just one big fairy tale that has left her searching for someone who doesn’t exist?

Genres: Fiction, Greece

380 pages, Paperback

Published April 30, 2019

About the author

Kimberly K. Robeson is a Greek-American assistant professor at Los Angeles Valley College, where she teaches world literature, creative writing, and composition, and is the coadvisor for the college’s LGBTQ+ Club. She grew up in Greece, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, and California. She holds a master’s degree in comparative literature and has taught English in Greece, Peru, and the United States for the past twenty-seven years. Kimberly, like her yiayia, has always been a storyteller, and Greece is always in her heart. She currently resides in Los Angeles with her husband, Hugo, and their three bulldogs, Achilles, Oia, and Opa. The Greek Persuasion is her debut novel.

Reviews

[Arybo ✨ · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not my cup of tea?

I think I'm not the right audience. I wanted to get out of my comfort zone, read something adult that was not a thriller, but I think I exaggerated here, because I didn't find anything exciting and fascinating in this story, which could be the story of any person. Perhaps this is what can attract the reader, I only know that it did not excite me and told me nothing.
Everything starts well, the protagonist's thoughts are interesting and stimulating, encouraging me to continue reading. The first stay in Greece is very beautiful, well described and very evocative. It is also interesting to see how various narrative lines intertwine in the novel: there is the main story, then the story of the mother of the protagonist and the story of her grandmother. In addition, the pages that the protagonist is writing also appear. This choice of various narrative "spaces" is very astute and keeps the reader's attention alive.
But now the negative things begin. I didn't like the main character. It happens, it happens not to be in tune, but in this case I felt nothing for her except indifference and impatience at times. Even the stories she has with men and women have not thrilled me, and this can depend on my coldness towards her. What I liked instead are the long talks about the search for a soul mate and about the power of writing, about the importance of myth and the freedom to choose who to love, whatever sex they have.
A book that touches on important topics such as gender love and illness, and at the same time presents a protagonist who is almost always on vacation in Greece. This alternation of serious themes set in vacation spots is destabilizing. Perhaps it is also for this reason that the book has not convinced me. However, it may appeal to many people, because it has the possibility of having a large audience.



Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me the arc in exchange for an honest review

[Joc · Rating 4 out of 5]

I picked this up because I thought I’d like to read something a little different from my normal reads. Thair, after her boyfriend of six years ends their relationship, decides spend her summer holiday on a small Greek island where her grandmother lived. While she’s there she starts writing about her grandmother from the pieces she shared before she died, her mother from what she’s willing to share and herself. Through her time alone and her writing she questions what she wants from a relationship and the notion of finding ‘the one’.

The story takes place over six years of her life from the age of 31 to 37 detailing her relationships, the questioning of her sexuality and her connection with her mother and their cultural background.

I read the entire novel in one sitting (without actually intending to) because I found myself completely engaged by Thair’s thoughts. I enjoyed the way it was written and the switch from first person with Thair as the narrator to third person when showing Thair’s writing. Oddly enough though, I’m not sure I really liked Thair but I did like the expression of her story.

Book received from Netgalley and She Writes Press for an honest review.

[Dora (Swift Coffee Book Blog) · Rating 4 out of 5]

It took me a while again and again to get into this story, but that's probably because of my own conditions and not the book's fault. Truth is, I never really wanted to put it down, but unfortunately, life happened and I had to. When reading I loved it, though.

This is a very complex story, yet it's not very hard to follow. There are several timelines and POVs, but it doesn't get confusing at all, and every change in time or person has a meaning. Everything's about the evolution of the main character, her development regarding love, sexuality, mother-daughter(-grandmother) and other family relationships, and also relation to (different) people in general. It's so much about the protagonist's development that it strongly reminds me of young adult literary fiction, yet it gives off a completely different, way more adult and serious vibe. (Of course, the MC is in her thirties.) Though Thair (the MC) did sometimes seem to me a bit immature for her age, everything about her screamed kind of a peace and patience that no 16-20 year-old would ever feel or show. What I want to say is that though this story is about life crisis, and finding the way, and learning about one's self, but it's not overly dramatic and it's all appropriate for a main character in her thirties.

What I felt a bit lacking is the stories of the mother and grandmother. I understand that this story is, after all, about Thair's journey, and her ancestors' stories are just pieces of that, but I was very invested in those little stories in the story (especially the grandma's), and I would've loved to learn more about them! Not everything can be fit in one book. I get that.

The writing is very nice, and I did care for the characters the protagonist (and narrator) cared about.

One more little note: I loved Thair's musical taste! It's so similar to mine, I was always happy when she mentioned a song.

[Karen · Rating 3 out of 5]

One of those books you just keep reading to get done. Some good parts, some you are just skimming through. It reminded me sometimes of someone just going on and on when you want the coles notes.

[James Hansen · Rating 5 out of 5]

THE GREEK PERSUASION is a fantastic novel, a transportive read. Greece has never seemed more enticing, as we follow Thair on her lifelong quest to find both her true identity and true love. In particular, I loved Thair's retracing of her mother and grandmother's stories, and the device used where Thair tells her own story in third-person was very well done. Lastly, as a lifelong wary eater of tomatoes, I've never imagined them as delicious as when I was reading.

[Zoë Dubs · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved this book, a perfect summer read!!

Through the eyes of the protagonist, Thair, the novel depicts a modern woman trying to make sense of the trials of life, love, and family. Her journey, spanning three generations of women, will beg you to join her.

The characters and situations are realistic, relatable and compelling and Robeson's gorgeous descriptions of Greece will transport you!

I highly recommend this book to all of my friends and fellow travelers!

[Angela Benoit · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars. The ending was disappointing.

[Lorraine Devon Wilke · Rating 4 out of 5]

There is a voice to THE GREEK PERSUASION that is so unique to its author, such a specific tumble of feelings and emotions and sensations and experiences shared, that you can’t help but feel you’ve taken a journey into the heart, head, and mind of not only Thair, the main protagonist, but Ms. Robeson as well.

This is a novel that reads much like a memoir, interweaving the stories of three women—thirty-something Thair, her mother, Phaedra, and Thair's cherished yaiyia, Dita—all juxtaposed against the memory pieces Thair writes in her search for existential clarity. The book digs deep into the culture, the gender politics, the hopes and dreams of these women of different generations and disparate life expectations, all of which inform Thair’s evolving worldview.

One of the book’s richest and most rewarding aspects is its immersion into the Greek mindset, of the author and her characters. With much of the narrative taking place in Greece, and an actual plot foundation pulled from mythology so endemic to Greek history and culture, it’s a sensorial journey into the sights, sounds, foods, and scenery of the character’s most beloved island, Kythnos. In fact, Thair’s obsession with red, ripe, Greek tomatoes is so fully realized in the text you can almost taste them yourself!

The main focus of the story—looking for and finding your “other half”—may resonate most with readers exploring their own notions of soul mates and the visceral glory of true love. At times I felt Thair’s fixation on such matters limited her worldview, and repeated explorations of why she would never want children, an element that factors into every one of her relationships, occasionally felt cynical, even harsh. But, if nothing else, there was a candor and honesty to that discussion that compelled a certain admiration, even if it might be off-putting for some.

Mostly the book succeeds in its commitment to tell its story, explore its characters, and come to its conclusions with unmitigated, unbridled passion—of its main character, of its dive into the politics of friendships, family, love, gender roles, sex, and independence; of its depiction of a single woman looking for, finding, losing, stumbling, standing, and, ultimately, discovering her true self. At its end, you feel as if you’ve been on a poignant journey with an unapologetically emotional and expressive friend, and her “peace found” becomes something you applaud.

[John Barnier · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great read--engaging, wise, and fulfilling

The Greek Persuasion, Kimberly Robeson’s debut novel, delivers a captivating narrative with implications that range well beyond the day-to-day events—beginning in the Prologue with the Greek myth of the “other half.” Do we each have a special partner in life who will make us whole if we can only connect with that person? That this ancient idea of complementary halves is introduced by Phaedra to her young daughter Thair in such innocent terms as “a nice boy who will make you so happy” reflects the breadth and depth of the book’s scope. But no matter how abstract or philosophically dense the connotations in the story might be, the narrative consistently keeps the reader engrossed in the immediate lives of three generations of women: Thair’s grandmother (or yiayia) Aphrodite, known as Dita; mother Phaedra; and the central figure, Thair, a contemporary Greek-American.

Because the story is told mostly from the point of view of Thair, it may seem at times that the events and thoughts are lifted from a personal journal. But some of the most compelling adventures aren’t Thair’s. Especially engrossing is an episode in 1942 Alexandria, where Dita, an unworldly seventeen-year-old, has volunteered to serve at the Allied Forces military base. She is assigned to change the oil in military vehicles. Before long, clad in overalls, sporting a red bandanna, and doing her work with efficiency and grace, she becomes “the most popular girl on the base.” Dita isn’t deterred by her parents’ having already betrothed her to a Greek fisherman. Setting aside a future that she may not be able to control, she relishes first the idea and then the reality of dating young soldiers. Literally, on one evening it’s “good-bye to English suitor at the front door, hello Dirk at the back.”

Read the book to see how things work out for young Dita—and what paths Phaedra and Thair take. Their stories are as real as fiction can be, with the author’s ruminations about life’s mysteries woven seamlessly into the narrative.

[Joseluz Sosa · Rating 5 out of 5]

In The Greek Persuasion, Kimberly Robeson writes a novel about generational change through the eyes of Thair, a Greek-American women grappling with identity. Robeson has a knack for character development. In the case of Thair’s grandmother Deeta, whose battle between independence and family duty, exemplifies a constant theme for most immigrant families struggling to adjust to the new worlds around them. Thair’s thirst for identity is mirrored by each and every one of her family members as they struggle with generational change and this dichotomous battle between family and personal passion. Robeson’s main character, Thair navigates her own American life, built on a foundation of Greek sensibilities, a yearning for a simpler time, and strong feminist ideals.
The constant search for sexual identity and sexual orientation is defined by her need to find the “right” partner over the “right” gender. Robeson uses the Greek myth of love, this search for her other half as Thair’s love story.

Kimberly Robeson’s writing is impeccable and her ability to infuse her characters with life, love, and the mundane makes this novel easily digestible. Somehow she makes me both fall in love with Thair’s Greece and inspires me to revisit my own family stories. Her novel is about what coming “home” might feel like.

[Belle Brett · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Greek Persuasion takes us on a sun-splashed search for self-acceptance and love. Unable to let go of the Greek myth that each person has a perfect other half out there, 31-year old college teacher Thair, heartbroken by the end of a relationship that wasn’t working, spends time on a Greek island with its happy memories of visits to her grandmother. There, she begins to explore her family history by writing the stories of this proud and determined woman; her daughter, Thair’s mother, who marries an American and Immigrates to the USA; and then herself, told in the third person to provide some distance, but interspersed with a present tense account of her life. We learn of her deep, but challenging relationships with two very different people, a man and a woman, who want different things from her. Although the novel takes place in several locations, the heart of the story is Thair’s ancestral home, the place where Thair will find herself. Robeson’s rich descriptions of the landscape, the sunsets, the food, and the way of life help to lighten the mood when Thair’s self-doubts threaten to become too weighty. But the self-doubts and honest reflections about relationships are also one of the strengths of this very engaging book, which had me hooked start to finish, and made me ready to book passage on the next plane to Greece.

[Vanessa · Rating 5 out of 5]

I must admit I have now read and re-read “The Greek Persuasion” more times than I can count, and have been seized by its story every single time. An intricate novel spanning three-generations of women and more than two continents, “The Greek Persuasion” is a tale of love and identity that is both honest and unapologetic in how it raises the struggles faced by the turn-of-the-21st-century Western middle-class woman. Narrated in the inquisitive, reflective and often downright hilarious voice of Greek-American college professor Thair Mylopoulos-Wright, the novel explores questions of love, sexuality and identity as its first-personal protagonist writes her mother’s, her grandmother’s and her own story. Robeson takes you to the coasts of Greece and California with images so vivid you can almost feel yourself swimming with Thair in the Aegean, driving away from “suburbia hell” after a fight with her mom, and being caught by a student leaving a bar in the gay hub of San Diego. The novel is a riveting journey taken by a mind refreshingly unafraid to ask the questions many of us ask (no matter how seemingly small), and to challenge the categories with which we define ourselves— even when it involves digging into the roots of family history and the very ancient myths that make it up. An absolute delight to read—I truly could not recommend “The Greek Persuasion” more highly.

[Miss W Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Greek Persuasion is a fantastic novel that suprised and touched me. This is definitely different than what I usually read, and I am so glad I gave it a chance.

In this book we meet Thair,who, after her boyfriend of six years ends their relationship, decides to spend the summer on a small Greek island where her grandmother had lived. She spends time writing about her grandmother and her life.

The story takes place over six years of her life from the age of 31 to 37 detailing her relationships, the questioning of her own sexuality (that aspect surprised me, but was wonderful), and her relationship with her mother and her own culture.

I really enjoyed that it was written in two different perspectives, as we hear Thair's voice as narrator in the first person and then Thair as the third person when showing Thair’s writing.

I loved Thair's story, but I didn't love Thair, I did not find her to be relateable at all, but that does not mean I didn't not think this was a fantastic book, as it really was.

[Lily Salter · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the pleasure of reading Robeson’s novel while on a much-needed summer vacation. Burnt-out and emotionally exhausted, The Greek Persuasion was just the medicine I needed! With Greece and Greek culture central to the story, it was delightful to be swept away by the deft descriptions of the lush landscape and magical Mediterranean. The romantic locale fused with mouth-watering descriptions of traditional dishes reignited my sybaritic soul.

The generational story is engaging and Thair, the protagonist, is a relatable, real character who resembles so many women on a quest to find their path and passion in life. Throughout the novel, Robeson opens a window into culture, family, love, and self-fulfillment, and in doing so, invites us to pause and reflect on how these influences have shaped our own destiny. And as I followed Thair’s fated trajectory, I couldn’t help but hope for a fairy-tale ending. I thoroughly enjoyed this book and heartily recommend that it be added to your gotta-read list!

[Houston · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't typically find books that captivate me to the point of where I don't want to put them down. Kimberly K. Robeson does a superb job of crafting a story that impacts us all in some way, shape, or form regardless of who we are or where we come from. This book has made me laugh, it has made me cry, but, most importantly, it has made me feel, and isn't that really the point? Robeson is a wonderful writer and, more so, a magnificent storyteller. The journey she weaves with words is so tender and sensual that I can't help but feel for the characters; Robeson brings them to life. This novel has already brought me loads of joy and sorrow; sorrow for the struggles the characters face, but that empathy is exactly what our society needs more of in fiction. I believe this novel has a lot to offer, and if you give it the time of day, I am confident that you will see how brightly this gem shines. Thank you, Kimberly K. Robeson, for this fantastic piece of art.

[Daniella Factor · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kimberly K. Robeson brilliantly ties together the histories of three generations of Greek women to question the structure of a modern woman. Ultimately, the main protagonist, Thair, is conflicted by traditional femininity and its opposite, a sort of feministic freedom – a complex debate that many women face today.

Although this novel is labeled under the genre of romance, it has proven to be a grand testament to change. The non-linear construction of the story allows you to immediately compare the past and present through all aspects of each reality: society, love, family, aspirations, gender roles. I was able to swallow this whole book in the matter of two days as it sucks you into the varied but interconnected dilemmas of love and liberty.

Furthermore, the allusions to ancient Greek mythology and philosophy with the journey through Greece itself serves as a sincere love letter to the rich culture. I recommend grabbing a juicy tomato and curling up with this book!

[Patrick B. · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was given an advance copy for a fair and honest review, and I found this to be a great book for both the head and the heart. The central protagonist, named Thair, is portrayed from many angles, both via first-person narration and third-person. We follow her as she progresses into self-realization while living in, what Herman Melville calls, "this mixed affair we call life." There's nothing vain or overly self-conscientious about Thair; she is self-examining, but don’t confuse self-examining with being self-absorbed. Self-examination is a strong attribute and necessary for true integrity. We see how pathetic and disastrous a person who lacks it (or even has a phobia toward it) can be. Just take a look at President Trump.

The gods of the ancient Greeks are alive and well in this story of one woman's journey to selfhood. Even Christianity is alive and well because the most fully realized (to me) of Thair's friendships is the one named Angela (whose name, yes, means "angel," though this angel can be both fiery and insolent). However, like a James Joyce text, this author brings our cherished myths, both those of B.C.E. and of A.C.E., into the world of the ordinary. Don’t expect any fantasy; as much as the goddesses are invoked, this is a realistic story, one that's strikingly believable and honest. If at times they rise to the level of being remarkable, it's only because ordinary life itself can rise to that as well. Those readers who rely too heavily on categorizing or explaining away people may learn something from with this novel because Thair is never stagnant in her sexual journey. And that’s reality as I know it, because I personally have never encountered any one person who is just one thing. I was engrossed from the first page to last. What else can I say? I highly recommend The Greek Persuasion for all types of readers.

[Bettina · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is smart, though-provoking, yet easy read (maybe a beach read). The locations, Greece and SoCal, are vivid characters in the book, and I felt immersed in them - could visualize the blue sea, feel the heat, taste the Greek food (fresh Greek tomatoes and their complex taste are mentioned often, signifying more than just a food). In particular I enjoyed the stories of the protagonist's grandmother and mother, that take the reader back to 1940's Egypt and Greece, and 1960's Greece, and would have liked to see more of it in the novel. The protagonist's strong relationship with her grandma and her roots in Greece inform a lot of her thinking and actions. Her musings and conversations about feminism, sexual orientation, children, expectations of women, serial monogamy, etc., aren't heavy-handed but seamlessly woven into the novel, and they add that extra dimension that make this book a compelling and relatable read.

[Judith Teitelman · Rating 5 out of 5]

At a time when we’re not able to easily travel, most especially to international destinations, we are fortunate to have books that help us continue to explore the world. Kimberly Robeson’s debut novel, "The Greek Persuasion," takes place in a few distinct locations, but Greece is a central character. Greece—the colors, light, history, heritage, myths, landscapes, scents, cuisine, language—is beautifully rendered and a wonderful partner in this story that leads the reader on a revelatory journey of heart and head. Written in first and third persons, often feeling more like memoir than fiction, the unfolding tale explores the connections and disconnections of the two, while striving to meld them. The reader follows the protagonist, Thair, as she embraces the complexities of love, romance, desire, family, and culture. It’s an exploration of self-discovery and understanding that ultimately leads to self-acceptance.

[Margarita · Rating 5 out of 5]

A book on self-discovery and self-acceptance, "The Greek Persuasion" walks you through Thair’s life as she begins to embark on a journey to find her soccer-ball person. She leaves a relationship she had been in for a couple of years because she realizes that, though she loves James, he isn’t her other half. We walk through Thair’s life—we laugh with her, cry with her, feel angry and lost as she does—and learn valuable lessons about the importance of self-discovery and self-acceptance. The most important lesson? You should never settle for anything less than what you deserve. Though, upon diving deeper into the chapters, we learn that we must first love ourselves before finding love with someone else. A beautiful novel and a must-read for all! It was so relatable and enlightening. I found it hard to put the book down...I finished it in one sitting.

[Elizabeth Wood · Rating 5 out of 5]

A very sweet romance woven through a complicated story of self-discovery. Thair, the central character and narrator, struggles to understand who she is and how to love. Her efforts involve examining her grandmother's life and then her mother's, learning about herself as she goes. Meanwhile, she meets, loves, and leaves a number of people who do not match her expectation of a perfect second half. Thair, though, finds happiness alone in her independence, which then seems to open her to finding the love of her life. It's a beautiful, multigenerational story of the complexities of women's lives, the influences of culture, and the powerful urge to find a person who makes you feel complete.

[Tamara · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book left me thinking about the characters long after I finished it. Thair’s journey begins with the question: do we all have another half (or soulmate)? The rest of the novel seeks to answer this, and we are pulled into Thair’s compelling quest of love, self-discovery and sexual exploration. While Thair’s romantic exploits were fun to read, I fell most in love with the chronicles of Thair’s mother and grandmother. By including these chapters, Robeson zooms out beyond Thair’s life to explore how in every generation, strong women break conventional boundaries to achieve love and self-expression.

[Alicia Bien · Rating 5 out of 5]

The Greek Persuasion by Kimberly Robeson is about Thair, a Greek-American woman, and her exploration of the power of love, in all its forms. We follow Thair’s explorations of her mother’s and grandmother’s lives in mid-20 century Greece and Egypt before following Thair’s own journey from Southern California to Greece in her quest to find fulfilling, long-lasting love. The Greek Persuasion is a compelling story about relationships: between mothers and daughters, among friends and soulmates. The stunning descriptions of modern Greece were enough to make me want to book my next vacation there! The Greek Persuasion is a joy to read. I highly recommend it.

[Melanie THEE Reader · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars
After hearing a tale about Zeus and finding your Other Half, Thair spends most of her adulthood searching for The One. But this story isn't just about her romances, it's about the bond-and expectations-between mothers and daughters. It's about their stories and being content with being whole on your own. A beautiful, sweeping and sometimes heartbreaking read. This book was also the perfect escapism, as Thair described her trips to Greece, I actually felt like I was there. My biggest complaint is there were moments when Thair spent too much time in her head. Someone would ask a question and you would get two whole pages of her grappling with how to answer that question. I'm an overthinker but there were moments when I just wanted her to get ON with it!

[Penny · Rating 2 out of 5]

Being from Greece and living in San Diego, I was excited to read this book. However, I found very little that appealed to me once I got into the book. Writing her own story in the third person especially bothered me. Her grandmother's and mother's stories didn't really tell me a lot about them. She was so self absorbed that I just couldn't connect with her.

Her descriptions of the two Greek islands she visited, the food, and the Greek people were the only interesting parts of this story.

[Roderick McIntosh · Rating 5 out of 5]

Anticipated the writer's work since it was first mentioned. I thought the format/layout of the book was great when considering the idea of the main character writing a novel within a novel; writing about her grandmother and mother's love life. The book covered all of your emotions with the majority coming in the second half of the book. I'm pretty sure with how the book concluded there will be a sequel, as it was too captivating for it not to have one. Overall I thought it was enjoyable work, and hoping for many more to come from this writer!

[Laura · Rating 5 out of 5]

I was hooked on The Greek Persuasion from beginning to end! I smiled and cried along with Thair in her search for her true love, her other half. I can relate to Thair in the sense of meeting someone so perfect but still feel something missing. I admire Thair for choosing her happiness over what is considered traditional. Reading about her summers in Greece made me feel like I was there with her enjoying the sun and fresh tomatoes. The Greek Persuasion is a great book, I definitely recommend it.

[Eloise Massett · Rating 5 out of 5]

Cover to cover I loved this novel. As a young woman I saw myself in the protagonist, Thair, who in her thirties finds herself navigating the blurred lines of what it means to be woman. Thair is our Greek-American heroine, courageously honest with herself and with us. The stories of her mother and yiayia weave together to form a compelling and captivating story of the collective search for our other halves.

[Vanessa Springett · Rating 4 out of 5]

Really enjoyed reading this novel. Different from any book I’ve read before. The author touches on issues such as searching for “true” love, religion, feminism, sexuality and finding peace in one’s self. I feel that the writing style matures as I progressed through the book, and eventually, I could not put it down. I’m now inspired to stock up on feta, cucumbers and heirloom tomatoes and can’t wait to visit Greece.

[Diana Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I thought it was a delightful book. I loved the main character’s thoughts on religion and God as I have been taking a 93 year old woman to church on Sunday’s and it’s challenges my beliefs. The love story between Thair and a lover is sweet. Having two failed marriages, two daughters, raised a stepson, divorced twice, living alone all these years, isolated, it was nice to escape into Thair’s love story.”