I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a fair and honest review. All opinions are my own. 

One woman must come to terms with a changing world in author Charlene Wexler’s “Farewell to South Shore”.

The Synopsis

Farewell to South Shore taps into and articulates a woman’s emotions related to dealing with a changing society, particularly its expectations of women. Farewell to South Shore creates an instant rapport between the main character and the reader who has experienced change in her own life. It explores the sadness of dealing with divorce, single motherhood, a friend’s abortion, a beloved cousin suffering from AIDS, changing mores, and the joys resulting from a loving family, rewarding career, finding new love in middle age, and making the world a better place. The book inspires perseverance and determination to help take charge of one’s own life in a rapidly changing world—a world vastly different than the idyllic South Shore of the main character’s youth.

The Review

This was an enlightening and thoughtful novel. A story of perseverance and growth, the author does an incredible job of catapulting the fight for equality for women by showcasing the evolution and development of a woman throughout the last few decades. The relatability of the characters and setting allowed the reader to feel the balance of grim and uplifting atmospheres that the author could infuse into the overall narrative.

The dynamic character development at play here was incredible to behold. The protagonist’s growth as she and her family evolved and took on the changing landscape, not just of the world but also of women’s rights, was very honest and truthful. It showed the painful realities of family members struggling to accept the changes around them and how important it is to stand up for what you believe is right.

The Verdict

Memorable, heartfelt, and engaging author Charlene Wexler’s “Farewell to South Shore” is a breathtaking women’s fiction novel. The twists and turns the character’s journey takes her on, the honesty and depth for which the themes of this novel were explored, and the inspiring sense of hope that readers are left with will keep readers invested in this incredible author’s work. If you haven’t yet, be sure to grab your copy today!

Rating: 10/10

About the Author

Charlene Wexler is a graduate of the University of Illinois. She has worked as a teacher and dental office bookkeeper and as “a wife, mom, and grandmother,” she said. In recent years, Wexler’s lifelong passion for writing has led her to create numerous essays as well as fiction.

She is the author of the books Lori, Murder Across the Ocean, Murder on Skid Row, Milk and Oranges, and Elephants In The Room.

Her work has appeared in several publications, including North Shore Magazine; the University of Illinois at Chicago College of Dentistry’s Vision magazine; Alpha Omegan magazine; the book and CD Famous Poets of the Heartland: A Treasury of Beloved Family Poems, Talent, OR: Famous Poets Press, 2014; and the Gazette newspaper of Chicago.

She also has had essays and fiction published on the websites AuthorsDen.com, The Best Short Stories, Cat Stories, Cats and Dogs at Play, End Your Sleep Deprivation.com, Funny Cat Stories, Funny Cats Playing, Funny Passport Stories, How Old is Grandma?, Laughter Is My Medicine, Moral Short Stories-Ethical Tales, One Bright Star.org, Scribd.com, Short Stories for Women, True Cat Stories, and Way Cool Dogs.com.

Wexler’s first novel, Murder on Skid Row, was published in 2010. It is the story of a double-murder on Chicago’s Skid Row in the 1960s. Murder on Skid Row won an international Apex Award of Excellence from Communications Concepts, a writing think tank outside Washington, DC.

Published as an e-book on Smashwords and as a print edition by Central Park Communications in 2012, Milk and Oranges, is a collection of her short fiction and essays examining life, love, and the tragedy and comedy of the human condition. Whether she is tackling fiction or essays, Wexler writes from the heart. With a keen eye for detail and a way of looking at the world a bit sidewasy, wexler’s writings in Milk and Oranges entertain while they make you think.

Milk and Oranges received a Bronze Award in the Women’s Issues category of the eLit Book Awards competition sponsored by the publishing services firm Jenkins Group Inc. of Traverse City, MI, and a rare international Grand Award in the Apex Awards competition by Communications Concepts in 2012.

In 2014, Charlene published two novels as e-books on Smashwords and Amazon Kindle: Lori, a family saga spanning several decades, and Murder Across the Ocean, a murder mystery set in England. Murder Across the Ocean also is available from Amazon as a paperback.

In 2016, Amazon Digital Services published her book Elephants In The Room, Charlene’s latest collection of short fiction and essays examining life, love, and the tragedy and comedy of the human condition.

Her short story Abracadabra Magic received a “Very Highly Commended” rating in the AuthorsDen.com Tom Howard Prose Contest, 2009.

Wexler is active with the Alpha Omega Dental Fraternity, the Authors Marketing Group, the Chicago Writers Association, Children’s Memorial Hospital philanthropy, Lungevity (an organization that fights lung cancer), the McHenry Bicycle Club, the Museum of Science and Industry, the National Council of Jewish Women, the Richmond IL Book Club, the Jewish United Fund, and the University of Illinois Alumni Association.

“I have always used writing as therapy,” Wexler said. “Now I have the time and opportunity to pursue it as a career.”

Her advice for other aspiring writers–even grandmothers like herself–is to “follow your dream. You can do it, and it’s never too late.”

http://www.charlenewexler.com/main/