This was the second Pekkanen book I've read to date, and I'm sure it won't be my last. That said, however, I'm glad this wasn't the first one I cracked open, or I might not have moved any further. There were so many different elements to this story, but I don't think they successfully meshed together for a cohesive novel. In the very first chapter, we're introduced to Dawn, an orphaned adult with low self-esteem who gets herself mixed up with a Romeo who turns out to be a crook. Our next introduction is to Kira and Peter - what some might call a typical married couple - getting by, but not yet grasping that brass ring. Finally, there's Peter's brother, Rand, and his wife, Alyssa. They're the hippie bunch in the group - the free-spirited type who pick up and move whenever the mood strikes them.
Rand, who isn't exactly on the greatest terms with his brother, calls Peter with the bright idea of becoming partners in a run-down Bed & Breakfast in Vermont. Yeah, because a young professional couple in Florida with no hotel/inn experience would *jump* at that opportunity. Whatever...
Now, remember the girl we met at the beginning...Dawn? Well, she shows up again and somehow finds her way to this newly opened and operating B & B (surprise, surprise!). Can you see my point? There's no logic here - none of these pieces really fit together.
Of course, drama abounds - should Peter and Kira have kids? Can Rand and Alyssa HAVE kids? And Dawn is running from her bad boy Casanova. Sounds like a soap opera, doesn't it? A silly, 1970's afternoon soap opera. Granted, those things have their place. However, my reading time is too precious to be wasted on it.
In very general terms, Catching Air is about starting over, second chances, life renewal, yada, yada, yada (anyone watch Seinfeld?). That premise may sound promising. Sadly, though, it fails to deliver. What I found instead was a bunch of unsympathetic, downright unlikable characters who I tired of very quickly. I'll say one thing for this book, though....it certainly has an appropriate title. One thing it's full of...is air.
