The Things We Do For Love -

"LOVE CAN GET US THROUGH THE HARDEST TIMES.

It can also be our hardest times."

-Angie to Lauren in The Things We Do For Love

103.1°F at 3 o'clock in the afternoon. The bright blue skies of August some times are best enjoyed inside. Reading. Toasting the King of Cool, Willis Haviland Carrier the inventor of modern air conditioning.

The Things We Do For Love runs deeper than a catchy title.To open and turn the pages of Kristin Hannah's novel  is to be addicted. To love. Which shares  chocolate's flavor-range- from sweet to bittersweet to darkly delicious.

The plot begins shortly after the Patriarch of a large Italian family- DeSaria- dies. The recently divorced daughter, Angela, at first in denial that she still loves her now ex-husband. The family restaurant is in trouble and she quits her fast-track career to leave the big city to help revive the family restaurant restaurant in a town  on the Washington coast that smells of salt and pine. 

Angela's story of regret is expertly woven with that of a poor-but-proud girl on scholarship to the local private high school and her rich high school boyfriend quarterback.

The characters draw you in, keep you turning the page. Just like life, the actions and emotions are believable, if not always predictable.  From giving in to staying away; love pulls and pushes, making one question God. Why, if You want us to do the right thing- Why is the right thing so often not the easy thing to do?

Confession. My inner imp- when Nancy Pelosi used the phrase last week"ginning up"- I thought about segueing into a cocktail made with gin. Maybe something about gin rummy. Or the historical importance of the cotton gin. However, there is enough salt on enough wounds leading to this coming anniversary of  September 11th.

Instead- In honor of the fictional DeSaria's restaurant in this week's book- punch in to irrepressible Oregon Sue 's Aug 19th post to learn how to make a batch of fresh pesto. 

A summer special on our patio here is to shoo the bees from the basil bushes long enough to harvest a basketful to whir up some fresh pesto.

Guests are wowed when a green salad and a glass of wine is paired with pesto tossed over fettuccine studded with black olives, chunks of freshly grilled chicken breast and red pepper strips.