Beat

”Boaz follows her debut with another finely wrought novel rooted in literary history. Here it’s a member of the Beat Generation who provokes the narrator’s desire and dilemma. Frances, an attractive young woman chronicles her sojourn in Paris with her precociously inquisitive seven-year-old daughter. Cathy has a lot to inquire about, because she knows more than she should about her mother’s relationship with Joseph Pasternak, an older poet for whom Frances has all but ended her marriage. Apparently Joseph hasn’t confined his affections to Frances, and he is now incarcerated in Colorado after the disappearance of Arlene, his common-law wife, which may be a crime in which Frances may be complicit. Satisfyingly subtle and rich.” —Kirkus (a starred review)

“A convincing picture of a woman caught between stifling domesticity and physical passion. It adds up to a compelling picture of love and its attendant travails”. —Publishers Weekly

“ Boaz brings the streets of Paris to life as deftly as she conjures her flawed characters, and her humane investigation of the misguided obsessions that drive us all to some degree or another make this a brave, heartfelt, intelligent novel. Highly recommended for anyone who’s ever felt torn between doing the right thing and doing what feels good. Which is to say, recommended for everyone.” —Marc Schuster, Small Press Review