Orange Mint and Honey

Orange Mint and Honey by Carleen Brice is the story of a mother and daughter, Nona and Shay Dixon, and the path both women take in discovering who they really are. The central theme in the author's first novel is forgiveness. Sometimes in life, we must face our bitter pasts in order to get to our sweet tomorrows. Nona is a recovering alcoholic, who in yester-years was not very motherly to her first daughter, Shay. She is now striving to be a better mom to her second daughter, Sunny. After an emotionally unstable Shay puts her postgraduate degree on hold and returns home for a semester discovering her "new mom," her pinned up animosity towards her mother radiates through several incidents and conversations. In spite of Shay's resistance to the extension of Nona's olive branch to mend their broken mother-daughter relationship, Nona continues her quest to stay on the right track and repair their relationship. Readers will find themselves drawn into this story, especially mothers and daughters. Mothers and daughters may not always see things from each other's perspective; however, through communication and mutual respect, anything is possible. Nona relied on her AA meetings and tending to her garden to keep her on the straight and narrow; while Shay found herself after she opened up to newfound beau, Oliver. Through supporting characters Ivy, a recovering alcoholic, drug abuser and prostitute, and Oliver, Shay's first "real boyfriend," Nona and Shay face situations where they lean on each other for emotional support and finally begin the healing process in their own relationship. Sitting down over a cup of orange mint tea with a splash of honey, the two women discover that sometimes in life we just have to accept the bitter with the sweet and make the best of it. Sometimes we have to know who we are and what we can accomplish as individuals before we can truly make someone else happy and give them the love and support they need. This book was an enjoyable read. I recommend it to all mothers and daughters, especially those whose families have struggled with alcoholism and the effects thereof. I was happy with the way the novel ended and would read another selection from this author.

ORANGE MINT AND HONEY incorporates layers of emotions into a wonderfully readable and often humorous story. Having raised herself due to her mother's once-rampant alcoholism, Shay Dixon nearly reaches the pinnacle of years of struggle--the completion of her graduate degree--when she finds she cannot go on. A "visit" from the late great jazz singer Nina Simone compels Shay to return home to her seemingly re-made, AA-saved mother...and a new little half-sister. The twists and turns that Shay's first few months with the family she's unsure she wants drive the plot and the growing understanding of how Shay must reconcile her tragic childhood with the potential promise of her future. Only through difficult lessons does she learn to relax, to relish the sweetness of simple pleasures despite the bitterness that often accompanies them, to love herself despite her perceived weaknesses and handicaps, to appreciate her unique style of gracing the world in which she lives and the lives of those who love her.

I loved this book by Carleen Brice. The characters, with all their flaws, were charming and likeable. I especially like the way the relationship developed between Shay, Nona and Sunny. Ms. Brice is a talented writer and I can't wait to read her next novel. I hope at some point the author will go back to these characters and tell us of Shay's life after college and how Sunny's life differed from Shay, being raised by the same mother under very differnt circumstances. I highly recommend this book as a book club read.

I'm not much of a reader but it only took me 5 hours to read this book! I'm only a few years older than the main character and I could relate to some of the issues a young woman goes through with her mother.I learned from Shay that people who "seem" together really aren't. I don't have my degree yet and the whole time I'm yelling (at the book) "you have a degree!! what are you whining about?" My generation is the first generation in the black community that's starting to talk about personal issues and family problems.It's hard to face things as black women. We were taught to hold it in and deal with everything on our own.I liked the way this character grew and decided to let it out. This was refreshing, real, and uplifting. I cried, laughed, and really want to make this tea!!

"Orange Mint and Honey" by Carleen Brice delivers an emotionally explosive story with universal appeal. The mother/daughter relationship, the struggles of addiction, and the challenges of making choices in life are interwoven themes that draw the reader into the story of Shay Dixon and her recovering alcoholic mother Nona. A must read for anyone who has had to struggle with personal regrets or forgiveness of others for the very human blunders we make in life. The talented Brice takes her readers on a journey of the unexpected in this touching and realistic story of discovery.