Deep End

by Kathleen Duhamel

When her close-to-perfect world falls apart, can love still prevail?

After years of struggle and harsh criticism, happily married rock star wife Claire Martin has finally achieved the career success of her dreams. As the featured artist in an international traveling exhibit, she looks forward to her best year ever, while her husband, singer Robert Silver of the legendary band Deep Blue, contemplates a return to touring.

Things are also looking up for Claire's best friend, Denise Hrivnak, who's planning her wedding to Robert's musical partner, Art Hoffman. However, what should have been most joyful day of Denise's life turns to tragedy when an unexpected event forces both woman to contemplate the terrifying possibility of life without the men they love.

Besieged by the paparazzi and sick with worry, Claire waits for answers in a Las Vegas hotel room, thinking over her improbable relationship with Rob and praying that love alone is strong enough to bring her husband back from the brink.

205 pages, Kindle Edition

Published July 1, 2018

About the author

Kathleen Duhamel wrote and illustrated her first short story at the age of eight, and has never stopped writing. Her love of the written word continued throughout her varied career as a newspaper journalist and editor, public relations executive, freelance travel writer and owner/operator of two small businesses. A native of Texas, she spent most of her adult life in Colorado before relocating to Virginia in 2014, where she lives with her husband, a standard poodle and two geriatric cats. She is a lifelong devotee of rock and soul music, contemporary art and pop culture.

Reviews

[Bonnie McCune · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jump Off the Deep End or Get Pushed: Being rich and famous isn’t all it’s cracked up to be. Groupies (read, stalkers), constant scrutiny from the media, intrusive paparazzi, troublesome and threatening exes, the list goes on and on. In Deep End, famous aging rock duo Deep Blue, Rob Silver and Artie Hoffman, along with their partners Claire and Denise, negotiate life in the fast lane while preferring and appreciating the little joys of life. This approach becomes even more desirable when Claire bumps into a former lover who attacked her years ago and now is a big shot at the art museum where her exhibition is going on display. Then Rob and Artie’s plane goes down in a wilderness area. Who needs these kinds of troubles to value what’s really important—love and health and family? Unfortunately we don’t get to choose what problems we have to face, but these and other complications keep life interesting. A special highlight, the sensitivity and insight of author Duhamel as she successfully captures the near-panic suffered by those undergoing extreme situations with no ability to control the outcome. This story had me salivating in anticipation of the continuing challenges, thrills, opportunities, and romances paraded by the quartet. As Helen Keller said, “Life is either a great adventure or nothing.”

[Donna · Rating 5 out of 5]

I love stories with mature couples--especially ones with depth and heart. Claire and Rob are so obviously in love and have an active sex life, which I found totally believable and wonderful. Deep End has characters who have lived full lives, endured hardships, heartaches, success, and failure. Real people who have faced life and learned to deal with everything that comes their way while doing the best they can to hold the demons at bay. In other words, they are multidimensional, fully-realized characters who come to life between the pages of this book.

While Deep End is the third book in the Deep Blue Trilogy, it is the first book I have read by Kathleen Duhamel. I'm sure Deep End would have been even more powerful if I had read the first two books but I had no trouble enjoying this book as a standalone. I will definitely be reading more of her books.

[Laverty Sparks · Rating 5 out of 5]

Told through the eyes of a mature rock star wife (an artist in her own right), and an aging rock star, the story touches on unconditional romance and love, a life threatening situation, long term relationships, shame, addiction, and domestic disputes. In addition to the challenges a step parent faces in an unconventional familial setup, all the while raising a young son.

Duhamel makes great use of emotions and conflict as the reader peeks into the private lives of celebrities. Trying their best to be normal in the high profile lifestyle they lead. I enjoyed how the author cleverly integrated song lyrics into the story, promoting the plot.

Warning: some portions are rated R.

All in all, Deep End proves one is never too old to experience love and understanding…even in the music industry! Despite the odds!

[George · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fitting end to the Deep Blue Trilogy

I loved this third book, filled with drama, personal challenges and growth, with wisdom sprinkled throughout. Having older characters (late 50's and early 60's) allows the author to let their extensive life experiences be the background for their journeys. As a reader, i felt for the characters during the lows and rejoiced with the characters during the highs. Highly recommended!

[Kathleen Jones · Rating 5 out of 5]

Claire Martin is a survivor. At 58, she has been through a tough divorce, financial struggles, and cancer. Late in life, she marries her true love, Robert Silverman, a handsome and charming rock musician. Famous for over 40 years, Rob has some serious baggage of his own, including a failed marriage, a history of substance abuse, and a love child.

The novel deals with Claire’s attempts to cope with Rob’s ongoing struggles and with her own demons. Claire’s devotion to Rob is tested when his tour plane is reported missing and she must confront the possibility of living without him.

One of Deep End’s strengths is its heroine, Claire, a midlife woman with her share of imperfections—especially an abdomen scarred from cancer surgeries—who is still sexually attractive to men. Rob, too, is portrayed in depth as an aging rock icon wrestling with his addiction to alcohol, trying to straighten out his life for the woman he loves. The story moves smoothly and quickly; I loved the way the author conveyed chunks of the plot through news reports. All in all, a great read and highly recommended.

Kathleen Jones, author of Love Is the Punch Line