Reviewer: Lori Graham
Title: Just My Imagination
Author: Karen Sandler
Publisher: Hard Shell Word Factory
ISBN: 0-7599-0618-1
Release Date: February 2005
Genre/Sub-genre: Contemporary Romance
Year/Setting: Current/California’s Sierra foothills
Overall rating: 4.5
Sexual content rating: Sensual
Language (profanity) content rating: None
Karen's Website:
home.pacbell.net/sandler0/index.html
Corazon Walker is a precious little girl who just happens to not understand the havoc she leaves behind as she tries new adventures. How was she to know leaving a snake in the teacher’s drawer would be taken badly? How was she to know putting jell-o in the water fountain to see the water turn red was a bad thing? Her latest offense was starting a "screaming" club who practiced their screams outside at recess. The teachers should know it was just practice, right??
Steve Walker had adopted Corazon from Guatemala after her family was killed and he understands her need to find her place and that she really doesn’t mean to do bad things. Katherine Elizabeth Tipton, the school principal, isn’t so sure. Corazon is horrified to see Ms. Tipton walking up the sidewalk to their home. Steve Walker isn’t so sure the principal is the "Gorgon Schoolmistress" Corazon has built her up to be; especially after seeing the bit of red lace sticking out from under her conservative suit.
Katherine Elizabeth Tipton isn’t so sure about Steve Walker either (or the entire household he lives in for that matter). As she sits down to calmly explain to him Corazon’s behavior must be stopped there are minor explosions happening upstairs which are calmly dismissed as "Cousin Denny’s ‘xperiments". What does that mean? She is utterly convinced this household is too strange to even be in but she still finds herself being drawn into their humor.
Her concern mounts when she figures out Corazon’s father does nothing but play computer games all day. Yes, he may be currently paying one that is mildly educational but come on, how good of a father can he be if that is all he does all day. How does he support his family?
Karen Sandler’s Just My Imagination is truly a simple, precious love story. True, there are some quirky comic moments throughout the book as illustrated with Cousin Denny’s many experiments which we get to enjoy throughout the story but basic bottom line is a simple, heart touching love story.
However, it more than just a love story between a man and a woman. It is also a love story between them and a child. This child has seen some pretty horrific moments in her young lifetime but she is making a place in the hearts of the adults around her. Steve and Katherine don’t come into the relationship with anything much different than rest of us. However, there is a strength in their bond from the very first meeting. Something is written into the chemistry between the two of them and it grows as the book continues. One important lesson as well – don’t make the mistake of assuming something about another person like Katherine did with Steve’s computer game playing before you get to know them. 
Lori
Question or comment regarding the review or the book? Click here and let Lori know.
Top
Reviews
Featured Reviews
Archived Reviews