Book Reviews

February’s Book Review Is a Coming-of-Middle-Age Story

The author (Photo courtesy Carolyn McBride)

Alexandria, VA – Review: The Cicada Spring
Publisher: Make Waves Press
Author: Carolyn McBride
Reviewed by: Ralph Peluso, Literary Editor
Zebra Rating: 5 Stripes

Generally, coming-of-age stories are written about a young person’s transition into adulthood. The specific age of this transition varies between societies. The nature of the change can also vary. Coming-of-age stories are a warmly accepted genre in literature and film. Carolyn McBride takes the genre a few steps further on the timeline of life with her creative and fast-paced novel, “The Cicada Spring.”
Katie Young, an IT wiz approaching 50, lives near Occoquan, Virginia. Her life changes quickly. Her daughter, Belle, heads off to college and the nascent empty nester and probable helicopter parent finds herself grasping for purpose. The ramifications of COVID-19 are in full swing: quarantines, shutdowns, and furloughs everywhere. An opportunity too good to be true comes Katie’s way. She accepts the job of her dreams and heads to Miami. There, she meets and is swept off her feet by a smooth-talking swooner, JC Bland III. This whirlwind romance leads to a quick marriage proposal. Important relationship issues, like money and intimacy, are never as JC says. Despite her concerns, they tie the knot. Aboard JC’s yacht, the newlyweds head to Key West. When they arrive, they meet a very happy married couple. The couple has an impeccable relationship until the covers are pulled off and secrets are revealed.
Meanwhile, Katie’s life continues to twist. She wrestles with the not-so-dreamy aspects of her new job. When her mom succumbs to COVID-19, Katie hustles back home. More alone than ever, she wrestles with her mom’s estate, pending employment, an unraveling relationship, and a vicious “neighbor,” set on destroying any peace she has in her life. A bright spot is her long-standing friendship with a group of women who call themselves the Beach Bonfire Babes.
“I searched for books set on the Potomac River. I enjoyed reading Sherryl Woods’s Chesapeake Shores series and was looking for a similar series set on the river that flows through our nation’s heritage,” McBride told me in a recent interview. “Ultimately, I decided that if I wanted to read it, I might need to write it, especially given my background as a writer, and my life growing up on the banks of the Potomac.”
First-time novelists often rely on personal experience to tell their tale, meaning parts of themselves can even wind up as character traits. “The pandemic was a pivotal time in my life, as it was for many people I know,” McBride added, “and I could not ignore its impact on our lives. I lost my mother right before the pandemic and was responsible for cleaning out her home during quarantine. This experience inspired me to start writing as a way to preserve some of the family artifacts that I had to part with physically. By handing over my emotions to my characters, I was able to find a way to heal and navigate a new path in life, just as Katie did.”
McBride touches on another key life relationship, that which exists between siblings. Katie is the family caretaker, always near home. Her brother, Ben, is a restless spirit. He ends up in India, where he falls in love and is building his own family. So Katie is left to deal with estate issues after the passing of their mother. Brother and sister realize they need each other, but Katie is better suited to preserve their family legacy.

Photo courtesy Carolyn McBride

In the novel, McBride provides lots of issues to unpack. Why Cicadas? Although creepy, they’re only looking for romance and sing loudly for it. Take a cue from nature and pursue your desires fully. Women are at the helm of their own boats. One’s oldest friendships, like the Beach Bonfire Babes, are most genuine. They knew you before life got in the way. Middle age is older but not always wiser. Life is a constant transition, filled with second and third chances. Women embrace and survive transitional events: empty nest syndrome, ageism in the workforce, and parental caregiving. When dating and romantically involved as a middle-aged person, you’re never too far over the hill (especially if a character like Deke crosses your path). Or did that ship sail too? And men. Is it in our nature to avoid truthfulness?
McBride is a professional marketing and technology copywriter. She has published articles for National Geographic Traveler magazine and children’s nonfiction. A graduate of the College of William and Mary, McBride is completing an MFA in fiction writing at Lindenwood University. Outside of freelance writing, property management, and water-related activities, she is fascinated with exploring the natural world and human culture.
McBride penned a timeless story, perfect for women and men. The themes of bonding, resilience, and multiple chances are consistent. Peppered with an array of colorful characters, “The Cicada Spring” is a must-read! Zebra rating: 5 Stripes.

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