For the Love of Willow Walk--the Saga Continues (A Review)

For the Love of Willow Walk is the second book in the Willow Walk series by S. K. Hamilton.  This book continues the story of the Kahills, a family full of passion, dreams and love.  Unlike most sequels, which often leave the reader wondering why the author bothered to write a sequel, this book holds its own in the series.  It isn't merely a bunch of words meant to extend the Kahill saga, but is instead just as full of intrigue, mystery and a host of surprises that leave you anxious to see what the enxt page will bring.

Ms. Hamilton is a character-driven writer.  While her setting and plot are well-developed, it is the the characters that carry this series.  From the grumpy Jed Kahill, patriarch of the family down to the charming smile and inquistive questions of his young great-grandson, the namesake he has waited years to see.  The characters in this book are living, breathing spirits that enter your life from the first page and stay long after you close the covers. Ms. Hamilton breaks the often cautioned rule saying you shouldn't write in dialect--and she does it so well!  She seems equally comfortable with a Southern drawl as she is with an Irish brogue.  The nuances of English spoken as a second language are not lost and you would be inclined to think S. K. had gone through the experience herself.  This is a rare trait for even the most skilled of writers, yet Ms. Hamilton does it effortlessly.

The Kahills are people you meet every day as you go about your business.  They share the same love, joys and pain that are universal.  You can't help but believe you;ll take atrip out one day and pass Kat's boutique or see vacationers heading for the family ski lodge. A new group of characters have joined the family in this sequel (including a cute little lassie of four that captured my heart!) Ms. Hamilton's skill at language comes through again in her ability to write from the viewpoint of a man over eighty and a child of four.  She masters them both equally well.

 My only problem with this book was it ended too soon and I have to wait for the third book.  I will repeat what I said in my review of The Kahills of Willow Walk--this series will end up rivaling Gone With the Wind in time. 

For the Love of Willow Walk earns six colors on the Rainbow Scale of Writing Excellence.









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