A Line Between Friends
by Michele VanOrt Cozzens
Published by McKenna Publishing Group
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Review by Amanda Schafer
Noelle begins the story by telling us about sending Christmas cards out, and a specific one she received from her long-time friend, Joel. Joel has asked her to no longer contact him.
The tale unfolds as we are pushed back to their high school days of where they met, and through college. Noelle tries to figure out why Joel would ask her to stop writing to him...after all; they're just friends, right?
We soon see that Joel has a very special place in his heart for Noelle, and he compares every other woman to her. They both date other people and go their separate ways, but they always end up back with each other. While making friends, moving all over the country, and marrying other people, Joel and Noelle are able to remain friends. However, many years prior, they "crossed the line of friendship," and now had a sexual relationship as well.
Noelle's reaction to Joel's request that she no longer contact him is to write a book about their relationship. She becomes famous for this book--and Joel never speaks to her again.
Cozzens' first book reminds me of a popular teen soap opera TV show, Dawson's Creek. Two childhood friends who one day cross 'the line' and then struggle to have relationships that aren't compared to their first love. In the end, one of them moves on and the other makes a bunch of money exploiting the relationship.
It's your typical 'friends grow up and grow apart' storyline and was very easy to read. With a time frame that goes back to 1977, there is a lot of history and political and legal issues that are dealt with, along with personal struggles by each of the characters. Even though this wasn't one of my favorite novels of the year, I can only hope that my first novel is this good!
Armchair Interview says: Good title to attract readers.