Eichin Chang-Lim’s Love a Tangled Knot

  If love is true … How long should you wait?

  Kayla O’Neill in contrast to her closest friend Breeana, who gave the impression she could fall into and out of love at the slightest provocation, rather, Kayla was inclined to view even a crush as a pledge.

   Kayla’s older sister Veronica, parent of two young children works as a waitress. Veronica’s husband Robert is a cross country trucker.  While Veronica and Robert are dedicated to their children and to each other; Kayla has watched as Veronica’s impending plans take a tailspin during high school when an unintended, unwed pregnancy became a certainty. 

   Kayla is determined to gain an education and doesn’t plan to let anything stand in the way of that dream.  Kayla has begun living with her sister and Veronica’s young family following her oft married mother’s decision to move from California to Oklahoma following her recent marriage.  It is not a bad move, but does cause Kayla to be even more dedicated to gaining an education.

  Kayla found herself drawn to a handsome boy, on Earthday as high schoolers were cleaning the beach.  Russell, member of the school’s water polo team asked if he might share Kayla’s seat on the bus ride back to school.  It is only a month later, subsequent to several dates with Russell when he gifts her with a one-month anniversary, zirconium ring.  A few weeks later she meets Russell’s family and is treated to the family lasagna.

  Kayla begins studying college plans; she is happily anticipating her high school Senior year during summer break. She and Russell are going steady when during a typical noisy dinner time with Veronica and the kids; Kayla, her stomach roiling, apprehended something was amiss. 

After more than a few days with Kayla evading everyone; Veronica guesses the problem.  She encourages Kayla to be up front with Russell regarding the positive pregnancy test Kayla administered for herself.

  From that point the chronicle moves rapidly onward. Kayla begins her Senior year and before graduation gives birth to their daughter Alexis. Russell, following a moment of youthful recklessness is sentenced to a seven year term in prison. And, Kayla enters into a rushed wedding so that she and Alexis can visit Russell.

Seven long years at last end and Russell comes home.

As a rule, I am not particularly enamored of romance genre; when asked to contemplate this paperback for review I did wonder if it was one of the too much sexual element, too little storyline, put forth filled with poor writing.

I am delighted it was not!

 Love a Tangled Knot, poignant account of youthful indiscretion, dynamism, growing up, development, facing certainty and moving on, is well worth the read. 

 Writer Eichin Chang-Lim has fashioned a highly decipherable, well written account filled with pathos, moments of optimism, unforgiving authenticity, and rearrangement of ideas concerning marriage, individuality, childrearing, edification, facing public opinion vis-à-vis those who have spent time in jail for any cause and retrieving the fragments of devastated ideas, expectations, opportunities and understanding.

While it may be accurate that love can be a snarled knot, the larger question may be, can it also become disentangled? 

  The inauguration of the chronicle moves a bit slowly setting the milieu, presenting characters and formulating the ongoing story in manner to keep The Reader turning the pages.  

   Kayla, a cheerful accomplished student becoming pregnant and choosing to continue her education is a situation I viewed first hand more than once while teaching in a small K - 12 school for several years.

  This novel probes into both sides of that problem on the pages of this well-written chronicle that all too often results in a single mom giving up anticipation for future, and didactic vision. 

We all make choices, and, we all must deal with the results of our decisions. 

  Kayla and Russell’s story as portrayed on the pages of Love a Tangled Knot grants prospect as characters’ chronicle the realities as the tale sweeps onward and The Reader comes to understand how , Russell, as well as, the many secondary characters move through the complications of reality.

  Bursting with forceful pronouncements Love a Tangled Knot, I found to be, a pleasant drama filled work which I believe will interest many of the YA and upper middle grade reader.  The book offers a level well-paced read, having enough quixotic thought to interest the target audience, while melding into a affection infused, stirring read without sounding preachy.

Youthful readers may well identify with the Russell and Kayla characters, middle grades and high school years are a period commonly blemished by blunders some of which too frequently can lead to life altering consequences both good and bad contingent upon the choices made.

This account Love a Tangled Knot presents well the authenticity of life that we all come to appreciate.  The fact that both dandy along with some not so fine outcomes do become certainty with little regard to the underlying decent or even not so virtuous a person is.  Dreadful conclusions may well become the conclusion even when it not our fault. Just being in the wrong location or not thinking through a circumstance, as was the case triggering Russell, and causing others as well causes many to make poor choices that can affect the life of everyone involved. 

Knowledge that unfortunate choices can lead to paying a substantial price for years into the future is a warning not always learned without difficulty or soon for the most susceptible of our society. 

 I found Love a Tangled Knot to be a good read.

  I am happy to recommend for the target YA audience, as well as for parents, school and other counselors, and for any who deal on a regular basis with pre-teens and teens as they face the tough life decisions. 

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Reviewed by: MOLLY’S REVIEWS   molly martin     

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 http://www.AuthorsDen.com/mjhollingshead

http://www.angelfire.com/ok4/mollymartin

35+ years classroom teacher

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AMAZON   About the Author:  Eichin Chang-Lim is an inspirational and romance writer, among other things. She's also an actress, an Optometrist, a wife, and a mother to 2 children. Her books tell the story of people overcoming trials, and how love always succeeds in the end. She also wrote a non-fiction memoir /self-help book for parents with special needs children, A Mother's Heart.