Is There Room for Change or Do Things Stay the Same?

The Marenos and Rosens came to America filled with dreams and aspirations. The Italian Al wanted to escape the Mafia; the Russian Jake was searching for religious freedom. Becoming business partners with a seamless friendship, they meshed their families together. Their spouses, the Jewish Becky, and the Catholic Rita, prepared holidays together...the Jewish festivities were at Beckys and the Christian ones at Ritas. They found their Utopia, right? Well, not quite.

Atlantic City, NJ (PRWEB) January 1, 2004 --THEY STAY THE SAME (PublishAmerica.com) or do they? This family learns the hard way. Do they dare to be different? Do they turn their backs on their young because the youngsters dont fit into what they had dreamed for them?

   The Marenos and Rosens came to America filled with dreams and aspirations. The Italian Al wanted to escape the Mafia; the Russian Jake was searching for religious freedom. Becoming business partners with a seamless friendship, they meshed their families together. Their spouses, the Jewish Becky, and the Catholic Rita, prepared holidays together...the Jewish festivities were at Beckys and the Christian ones at Ritas. They found their Utopia, right? Well, not quite.

   Their kids, Gary Rosen and Tessa Mareno, did the unthinkable. They fell in love. The schism came fast. Who would have believed the closeness could end so abruptly? Both sets of parents disavowed this union. The women were the ones who instigated the alienation of these kids. Jake even said Kaddish for Gary...and Al was beholden to his puppeteer, Rita.

    Al and Jake, who until this time enjoyed working side-by-side as partners in a clothier business, find themselves bitterly torn by their prejudices and ultimately find they cannot work together or continue their friendship. Al says, "Let's make a clean sweep with no hard feelings," and things get increasingly ugly as the partnership is dissolved.

   Some of the most compelling parts of the novel are reminiscent of Shakespeare's Capulets and Montagues, though fortunately, they do not meet a tragic end.

    After a year of isolation, Tessa made the overture to her in-laws. They were wise enough to yield to her. All fences are eventually mended to some degree because of their love for their children and their granddaughter, but never again do they share the same closeness.
      
   Between all these years, we learn of Gary's affair with a mutual friend, and other conflicts in the lives of the families, which serve to tell us that the more things change, the more THEY STAY THE SAME.

   Strengthened by their love, Tessa and Gary accepted all people...no matter their race, religion, or color. And these acceptances were tested...especially the latter.

   A surprise ending is guaranteed to send readers scurrying back through chapters to see how they were cleverly led astray. The clue (how did I miss it?) is found within the last few chapters.

   Have you ever been victimized? Anyone who has can relate to the injustices this family faces...even in subsequent generations.

   Whether one celebrates Hanukkah, Christmas or Kwanzaa, this family saga has appeal for most readers.    

   
PublishAmerica.com publishes THEY STAY THE SAME. It is now available.. It is 300 pages, soft cover, 6"x9". The price is $24.95 and the ISBN is 1-59286-349-3

   Toni Rich, a retired school nurse, just returned from a book signing in Iceland. In addition to her nursing education, she is also a graduate of TCNJ and Rowan. She and her husband, Jack Eisenstein, live in Margate, NJ. This is her first published work. She is presently working on two additional novels.
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Toni Rich
609-822-1247
Tonitonia@aol.
Reviews and comments
They Stay the Same is a family saga worth reading. The characters are human and believable and the story an American tale that captures time and place through each generation. The back cover blurb was right. I was not prepared for the ending.
(Not recommended for young or sensitive readers due to sexual situations.)
   Laurel Johnson
   Midwest Book Review
Toni Rich has written a beautiful story encompassing joy and tragedy and true to life human experiences which touched this reader evoking laughter and tears. The surprise ending hammers home why tolerance is so very vital in life.
   Ty Green Author Family Jewels
The ending, in itself, is worth the price of this book. Steve... Athens, Alabama
I have to say that I was really drawn into the saga of this little family and enjoyed watching the generations and lifestyles evolve. In fact, I was interested in them as people, which is to say that I forgot I was reading a novel and wanted to see how there folks could overcome all the tsouris life threw their way. You very deftly and sensitively handled all these lifestyle evolutions. Jimmy...Silver Springs, Maryland
Finished the book last night. It truly was a mind catcher and the ending was dramatic.
   F.Sinatra, retired superintendent Perth Amboy Public Schools (New Jersey)