Of use to future readers is the fact that the author is, among other things, a professional Recovery Counsellor. The picture immediately becomes much clearer, as the author explores the scarring effects that addiction can have on its victims and their family members. At the heart of the novel stars a dysfunctional family including two brothers, Joey and John. John is an ex-alcoholic and very early on it is made clear that Joey is a current alcoholic and hooked on the medication pills he takes for his 'disability' – the source of which is never fully explained. None of the family are married and this novel has its own particular tragic love triangle, only undermined by the author's constant description of the heroine as 'beautiful' – a word which is easily abused and should be avoided at all costs by tabloids and authors alike. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the fact that unusually this is a much-needed antidote to the typical happy endings of la-la land. A thought-provoking read.

The Flower of Grass - Rarely do I find a book that captures my heart so much that I cannot wait to get home from work to continue reading. Robinson's magical writing brought all my senses alive, passionately walking me through the lives of John, Jessie, Tuck, and their families. With hope, originality, and reality, Jim has created an ethereal reading experience with his gift of writing that will be sure to touch your heart in a special and unique way.

I loved the Flower of Grass! It is a beautiful story about how our thoughts and feelings of love are always in the changing context of our life histories. Change sometimes happens when we aren't paying attention. This is true for Jessie. She loves John, but really in the same way that she loved him at 17--when he left her in the small town of Tranquility. She talked herself into hating John, but in the back of her heart, she held on to his memory. Tuck, she loves as a mature woman in the context of their life together, which she comes to understand as the more valuable love. However, she doesn't come to this insight without the reappearance of John and further reflection and pain. While I connected more with Jessie, I appreciated John's struggle with his own family story. He did wrestle with his demons while in Tranquility (a pretty safe place that Tranquility) and left after coming to terms with some of his family drama (can't say we ever resolve all of it). And, here is the best part; he left with hope for his own future! My favorite books are those that pull emotion out of me. If I laugh, cry, and become involved in the characters and their lives, then it is a keeper. The Flower of Grass is a wonderful story that had me crying with sadness, crying with joy, and crying for the peace that can be ours.

If you have a heart, you'll love this book. Both real-to-life in its subject matter, and artistic in its imagery, you'll be drawn into the lives of Robinson's characters the moment