When I Fall in Love

Romance blooms in the strangest places for Lily, an L.A. TV writer who is trying to manage a career, teenage son, and a new boss

Told with the same compassion and humor that drew readers to her bestselling book, Beaches, Iris Rainer Dart's When I Fall in Love is the story of one woman's search for true beauty and strength in today's cruel world. Lily Benjamin may have a great job as a comedy writer and a sweet cardiologist fiancé, but when her 15-year old son Bryan's spinal cord is severed by a gun shot, she can find no solace in humor or medicine. Bryan thinks life as a paraplegic will be dismal, and Lily can't muster any optimism either. When her new boss Charlie Roth shows little patience for her, Lily is dumbstruck. Charlie's attitude strikes her as particularly cruel and insensitive, considering his own disfigurement from cerebral palsy.

Even worse, however, is Charlie's new interest in Bryan. Determined to give Bryan and herself appropriate time to grieve, the last thing Lily wants is to have Charlie storming into the hospital and confronting them with his warped opinions on cartoon cripples. But as Bryan reacts to Charlie's offbeat humor, Lily slowly realizes that Charlie connects with Bryan in a way no one else can. Through Charlie's guidance, humor, and love, both Lily and Bryan gain a new perspective on life. As Lily reflects on her feelings for Bryan, Charlie, and her fiancé, Mark, she struggles to learn that, "It is only with the heart that one can see. What is essential is invisible to the eye."

Tackling the sensitive issues of disability and self-image, Dart's mixture of down-to-earth dialogue and realistic character development keeps the After-School-Special-Syndrome at arm's length. Our heroes have human flaws, and--with the exception of a minor wife-beating character--our villains are sympathetic. The evolution of Lily's own attitudes and outlook is genuine, and readers will enjoy strong secondary characters as well as some heartfelt humor in this unexpected love story.--Nancy R.E. O'Brien