Fred Jessett

Review: Drummer Loves Dancer by Fred Jessett. 4 Stars 11/06/2017

This book is based on a love story but has many emotional issues throughout the book and a Christian feeling to the story. The setting is 1954 in Seattle during summer break when Lad MacAdam meets an attractive talented Ginger Deforest who is a dancer from New York. Lad is a drummer for the Puget Sound Pipe Band and he is taking time practicing through the summer for a big event happening before the next college semester begins. That event is the reason why Ginger is in Seattle for the summer. She was practicing choreographing dances to do solo and some with other dancers.

Lad was a son of a minister and Lad had a strong religious belief and a loving family to be around. He was a drummer in the Scottish community band where they all wore kilts. Ginger’s parents were wealthy and she grew up with whatever she wanted and her parents always sent her away to one place or another. She never had a mother’s love or heard her fathers praise. They were always in another country. After this assignment she was heading back to New York for comfort, Seattle was not exciting and noisy.

Their relationship started as friends but it didn’t take long for Lad to fall in love, where as Ginger struggled not to fall in love. Ginger felt falling in love was a game. They both had issues they were trying to overcome. Lad’s older brother died in a car crash a year ago and Ginger was taken advantage of by an older man back in New York. Lad was still grieving but he was more willing to share his emotions about his brother than Ginger was to open up about her past issues because she was still dealing with being violated and feeling shame.

The young couple struggled with grief, trauma, secrets, religion, race, sex, and their hopes for the future. I was surprised by the ending but felt Lad and Ginger did the right thing.… (altro)