The Fountain

Two decades ago in New York, Will Combrey simply vanished while his teenage fiancee Casey Stowe lovingly waited for him at the altar. Not long afterward, Casey's parents die in an accident. Distraught, she marries Michael Beckett, her next door neighbor. He was her neighbor since she was born and his parents are delighted with their marriage plans and hers folks would have been ecstatic as well if they lived. Over the next twenty years, the duo shares a contented life raising twin girls and one boy. The girls are at college and the boy will start in the fall. Casey is also a highly regarded teacher. Into her Eden returns Will, whose personal life consists of two divorces and no meaningful relationship today. He has come back to start over at the point where he feels he failed, jilting Casey. He wants her to return with him to his San Francisco home. The temptation is great as a part of Casey always wondered what would have been if Will had married her. THE FOUNTAIN is an engaging contemporary relationship tale centering on choices. The interesting premise is well designed, but the problem resides with the key cast because this tale is not choosing between a devilishly handsome "bad boy" and a steady mate. Will is pathetic instead of the confident cocky lover while Michael has been near perfect to Casey for years. Throw in their three teens and readers will not accept Casey's thought processes. Emily Grayson is a talented writer who entertains the reader with a well-written story line, but the characters fail to make the plot appear plausible.Harriet Klausner