Miss Julia Speaks Her Mind -- Ann B. Ross

by Tristi Pinkston | More from this Blogger

12 Sep 2006 07:12 AM

Miss Julia is a Southern lady through and through. Not a Southern belle; none of those fainting spells for her, but a Southern lady, the kind that doesn't sweat, but glistens instead. She has spent her entire life in an orderly fashion as the dignified, if somewhat matronly, wife to a husband who concentrated a great deal on business and not a great deal on her, but she had grown accustomed to that life and had made the best of it.

But her husband has just passed away, and in the midst of trying to adjust to a life without him, she learns the reason why he seemed so distracted: he had a mistress, and with that mistress, he had a child.

Miss Julia was never able to have children, and so this revelation is doubly hard: not only was he unfaithful, but the other woman was able to have his child as she never was. And what makes it even more disturbing is that the boy looks just like his father.

Miss Julia has a choice now. She can pretend that Hazel Marie never meant anything to her late husband, and she can pretend that Little Lloyd doesn't exist. But he's nine years old, and he wants to know more about his daddy. Hazel Marie is living on a shoe string, barely able to make ends meet. Miss Julia is torn.

Finally she makes a decision that I think only a real lady would make. She takes in Hazel Marie and Little Lloyd, inviting them to live with her, so she can help with Little Lloyd's upbringing and make sure that they have everything they need. The reading of the will brings out some surprises, and this unconventional household finds what they need to form a family.

I found this book by Ann B. Ross to be very touching, although somewhat irreverent and containing mild language in spots. How many women would show that kind of mercy toward their husband's mistress? Miss Julia serves as a role model of how to handle life's curve balls with grace, dignity, and forgiveness. The comical moments are the icing on the cake in this novel of charity and love.

Learn more about Tristi Pinkston

I've been a blogger for Families.com since August of 2006.

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