Coming Together, A Novel of Love & Intrigue in Rio by Joyce Norman & Joy Collins; 2009; 221 pages; Chalet Publishers, Arizona & Alabama; 978-0-9840836-2-6; gift from the author via mutual friend Deni Feather; B+; 1/1/10-1/3/10

The book had me hooked until almost the end and then ruined my enjoyment of the book with what seems to be a tacked on happy ending.  I have no problems with happy endings as long as there is an obvious way that the author takes us there.  The ending here seems like the authors had some one read the manuscript and they said it needs a happy ending.  Anytime a chapter starts with “A year later”  it seems tacked on.

Now with that out of the way I must this is a very good book.  The story centers around a documentary filmmaker named Daisy, who is so good at what she does that it contributes to the breakup of her marriage.  She has an interesting supporting cast, her Mom, Dad, Charlie (lifelong friend with a surprise), Luis and most importantly to the story Isabella.  Charlie and Daisy go to Brazil to shot a documentary for a professor and hire a cameraman, Luis, from Brazil.  Daisy had told her ex husband that she did not want to have children, which was another contributing factor to their breakup.  However as soon as she holds an infant in her arms in the course of filming, she simply must adopt this baby.  She will move heaven, hell and two governments to adopt the baby and return to the states with him.  WHAT?? She let her marriage break up cause she didn’t want kids and now she must have kids.  I don’t get it.  Luis and Charlie go to film on the Amazon and Luis doesn’t make it back because the chopper he was in crashed.  He survived, but some guy with some kind of operation in the jungle captures him. He escapes, and is traveling through the jungle when the story ends.  Oh wait it’s time for ” A Year Later”.