
Marley, following a botched abortion, as a teenager, decides she is not loveable. With cold, undemonstrative parents, Marley concludes she is not worthy, so when the good-looking, wealthy and successful Peter comes into her life, she "settles" for a relationship that whilst not being "in love" is at least, safe and comforting. When, on her wedding day, she meets Peter's best friend, Warren, she realises, to her horror, that this man is actually the man of her dreams. The electricity between the pair is palpable.
All this is played out against the background of the horror, the loss and the music that was the dominating factor of the 60's and early 70's - the Vietnam War and the country's opinion of that war. As a child of the 60's and 70's I enjoyed the nostalgia trip, but more importantly, I enjoyed the story of these characters, as they tried to come to terms with who they were and what to make of the situations life had thrown at them.
This is not deep, sophisticated literature; this is a simply told, beautifully written tale of a woman attempting to find her place in a world she's not sure she belongs in. The friendship between Marley and her best friend since childhood was one of the highlights of the book. I have to be honest, there's not a lot I can read that makes me emotional, yet this book has that ability. I wondered how the author would conclude the story given the first person POV and I was both satisfied and moved by her writing.
If you love romance, relationships and the dynamics between them, you really will love Yield. It's a winner in my book and worth every one of the five stars I've given it.
