"...there is a river in every life, which can lead to refreshment and renewal."
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Romance on the River by Orlando L. Tibbetts Trafford Publishing
book review by Libby Grandy
Orlando L. Tibbetts' novella, Romance on the River, is a fictional story, based on true events. It takes the reader into the difficult world of ALS, better known as Lou Gehrig's Disease. The characters in Romance on the River struggle to deal with the reality of the debilitating disease through their religious beliefs and their commitment to one another.
The story begins in Waltham, Massachusetts, on the shore of the Charles River. Oliver Tate and his wife, Jennifer, decide to celebrate their tenth wedding anniversary by having a picnic with their two daughters, nine-year-old Jessica and six-year-old Julie. A subsequent family outing to Boston ends when Jennifer Tate falls, injuring herself. The visit to her doctor reveals that she is in the first stages of ALS. Oliver takes a six-month leave of absence enabling them to move to the shore of the St. Johns River in northern Florida. Supportive neighbors and church members and the surrounding beauty of nature provide a nurturing environment for Jennifer's last days.
Back in Massachusetts, Oliver, Jessica and Julie strive to begin a new life without Jennifer. However, it isn't until Oliver takes a cruise on the Delta Queen on the Mississippi and meets Margarita Ramirez that he once again finds happiness for himself and his daughters.
Romance on the River is well written and inspirational. Tibbetts, a retired clergyman, suggests that, "If we stop long enough to allow the effect of the waters to touch us, we sense a fresh influence, a calming peace, and a transforming renewal."