A Season of Delight

by Joanne Greenberg

Empty-nester Grace Dowben finds solace in her marriage, community, and volunteer work, but she suddenly must decide how to resolve her love for a newcomer who is young enough to be her son.

256 pages, Paperback

First published January 1, 1980

About the author

Joanne Greenberg, also known as Hannah Green, is a writer whose style lends itself to the mature reader yet simultaneously presents themes suitable for all ages. Greenberg addresses the persistent doubts that plague all of us by relating stories of others in need. Though the scenarios in which her characters find themselves may be unfamiliar to the average reader, the emotions they feel while enmeshed in the plotlines are universal in appeal and scope. Her works include magazine publications, short stories, novels, and a movie adaptation of her book, I Never Promised You a Rose Garden.

Reviews

[meliss · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wasn't sure what to expect of this "older" book, but ended up enjoying it due to the generally hopeful and positive approach to the problems the main character faces. Despite an unbelievable rate of serious emergency calls for the volunteer fire/EMT squad in this sleepy PA town, the characters and their relationships were interesting, warm and believable. Also, it's been a while since I read a book that included some many Jewish history and holiday themes and the familiarity of those events/ideas also made it fun to read. However, some of the issues seemed dated (the dangers of cults, angry feminists, etc) and I found the narration a bit heavy-handed at times for my taste (more tell me than show me).

[Robin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Can a married, middle-aged woman find love in a much younger man, without physically cheating on her beloved husband, and then remain friends with the younger man?

In Joanne Greenberg's A Season of Delight, Grace Dowben, a middle-aged woman with two estranged children, helps her husband Saul with his store when not volunteering with the town's fire/rescue team, keeping house, and taking her mother-in-law, Riva, on periodic shopping trips. She is comfortable with her life, though not completely satisfied.

Enter Benjamin Sloan, who works with disturbed kids, and wants to volunteer with the fire/rescue team. Around the time he joins the team, Grace learns that Ben was born into a Jewish family, but lacks any form of religious tradition, something that Grace, Saul, and Riva value. Grace makes it her mission to include Ben in their weekly dinners, as her two children - Josh, now in a Hare-Krishna sect, and Miriam, a divorced feminist - are uninterested.

Between their time on the fire/rescue team and the teaching, Grace and Ben fall in love, but never quite get physical, which makes life a little less complicated, as Grace still loves Saul.

The book weaves Grace's story - rescue calls, her interactions with the team members, her work at Saul's side, her trips with Riva - into a beautifully satisfying book, to be read again and again.

[Hieronique Wentink · Rating 3 out of 5]

Goed geschreven, ik bleef lezen ondanks ik me ongelooflijk ergerde aan de hoofdpersonage

[Sheila Elkon]

Even though this book was written over 30 years ago, it is still relevant. Joanne Greenberg is a truly gifted writer.