A bout with alcoholism has just cost Dr. Kate Anderson her medical practice, her comfortable lifestyle, and her confidence. After a year in recovery she accepts a job for the Public Health Service in rural Immokalee, Florida as the only physician to Seminole Indians, migrant farm workers, and drug addicts.
Haunted by dreams of a long repressed childhood incident, coupled with the raw pain of the loss that sent her spiraling out of control, it would be easy to curl up into the bottom of a vodka bottle and drown. The temptation is always there.
But her patients need her, depend on her. And being a doctor is more than just a job, it is her life’s calling.
As Kate fights her demons, both old and new, she knows failure will cost her everything. Like stepping through seagrass in the Everglades, one misstep will spend her sinking into the ooze.
There won't be a second chance.
Rushing out to the waiting room, she ran into a man with a ponytail. His fierce dark eyes studied her like she was some undisovered species, but he held the gaze for only a second. "Who the hell are you and where is my daughter?" His voice boomed.Kate stared back noting his bronzed skin. "I'm Dr. Anderson ..."Billy Cyrpress hurried out and his mouth hung open. "Tommy Tiger. She couldn't breathe. I had to bring her here."Tommy sternly shook his finger. "You should have found me.""We didn't know where you were, she's my wife after all.""And she's my daugher. Where is she?""I don't know what's going on here but I'm Dr. Anderson and we have to get Nahah to the hospital right away. I think she has a blood clot in her lung."For a split second Tommy eyed Kate as though he believed her but just as quickly he plowed past her and found his daughter. "Wait a minute here!" Kate raised her voice. Who the hell is this character?Tommy ignored Kate and spoke to Nahah in a indiscernable language. Alma came in. "What's all the commotion?" When she saw Tommy Tiger, she pulled Kate aside. "That's Tommy Tiger. He's the medicine man for his clan." "He might be the medicine man but I'm the doctor." Kate's voice carried through the office. She started back in, but Tommy's stare stopped her cold. He took a bag from his pocket and crumbled some herbs in his hand. He slid his hand back and forth under his duaghter's nose gently and chanted unintelligible words. Kate thought it sounded like a song. The young woman's breathing eased.
Professional Reviews
Elizabeth Laquidara, Ph.D.
“Ms. Bilodeau catches the elemental difficulties confronting individuals in their second year of recovery. Too few authors, lay or professional, seem to have such an in-depth awareness of the residual problems, guilt, and family of origin issues which arise with sobriety. Stepping Through Seagrass captures the readers interest as well as warning those in recovery, their family, and their friends of the struggles still to come.”
Elizabeth Laquidara, Ph.D.
Licensed Psychologist and alcoholism and substance abuse counselor
Road to Romance
Dr. Kate Anderson, a recovering alcoholic, begins a new life in rural Immokalee, Florida. Her patients are Seminole Indians and migrant farm workers. In spite of her commitment to remain sober, Kate struggles with the temptation to lose herself in a bottle of vodka. She worries that she’s lost not only her hospital privileges and the respect of her peers, but also her compassion for her patients.
Kate battles with Tommy Tiger, the Seminole medicine man, over permission to treat patients. She is interested in learning about his herbal remedies and soon finds herself wanting to learn about Tommy himself. Can they overcome their differences?
Excerpts from Kate’s journal entries add insight into her thoughts and emotions. Bilodeau’s descriptions are detailed and evocative. Her characters are true to life and interesting, and her subplots contribute depth to the story. The title refers to the care needed walking through the seagrass in the Everglades, where a misstep means sinking in the ooze. A good analogy for the danger of slipping every alcoholic faces. I enjoyed reading this novel and will recommend it to friends.
Reviewed by Marie DisBrow for The Road to Romance
Coffee Time Romance
STEPPING THROUGH SEAGRASS
LINDA BILODEAU
ISBN# 1-59507-150-4/e-book 1-59507-151-2
November 2006
Archebooks Publishing
9101 W. Sahara Ave. Suite 105 – 112 Las Vegas, Nevada 89117
Hardback/e-book
$27.99/$3.99
284 pages/e-book 379 pages
Womens Fiction
Rating: 3 Cups
Kate Anderson is starting a new life and job. As an alcoholic, she has turned her life around and is beginning to pick up the pieces and put them in place. Taking a job as a doctor in a small town clinic, she realizes that starting over is not as easy as it sounds.
Marine Parker, a loving and supporting wife to the local minister, befriends Kate and helps her to settle. As she helps Kate begin her duties, Marine notices that her husband is spending more time away from home and is no longer interested after twenty years of marriage.
Immokalee, a small town in Florida, is in need of a full-time doctor for their clinic. When Kate Anderson gets the job, she moves from New Hampshire to start over. She realizes that for an alcoholic it will be tough to get the respect, but finds that it does not matter how people perceive her and gets on with her life. Between fighting the ghosts of her past and taking care of her patients, she finds friends that she can rely on, and a most unexpected relationship.
Ms. Bilodeau has intertwined the two central characters, Kate and Marine, into a loving and caring tale of friendship and love. The strength Kate shows while coping with her disease and tragedy will make you grieve along with her. Marine is a very strong secondary character and the sympathy and pain that comes from her is overwhelming. I found this story has a lot of good things about it, including the strong-will of the characters. This story will leave you smiling and realizing that anyone can overcome even their most awful nightmares.
Erotic Interracial/ Reincarnation/ Suspense]
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