Redemption Mountain by Gerry Fitzgerald. Essentially this story is about a man and a woman, each married, bored and unhappy. Charlies wife is more in love with the money he makes than she is with him. Charlies is sent from New York to West Virginia by the company he works for. He ends up meeting Natty. A woman whose first child has Down's Syndrome requiring much of her care and attention. She also has a husband who spends most of his time drinking and away from home.
Among the various additional plots, these two find themselves in love with each other and both struggling with new found love and burned out marriages.
In-spite of all of the additional plots within this story, I was bored. It simply did not get my interest. I found both the writing and the storyline dull. Renee Robinson ( )

I didn't want to like this book. I was expecting the usual, handsome man and incredibly beautiful, yet unappreciated and unaware woman who get together against all odds. But this book delivered a lot more than just that. The supporting characters, the non-fairy tale like story. It was much more than the trite love story I was expecting. Definitely enjoyable! ( )

An interesting story that had romance and life experiences we all can relate too.... ( )

Redemption Mountain
By
Gerry Fitzgerald

My "in a nutshell" summary...

Natty and Charlie are total opposites...but something is drawing them together!

My thoughts after reading this book...

This book is one of those books that unfolds itself as if it was a lovely flower. I loved the alternating Natty/Charlie chapters. I loved their background stories and I loved the story that they created together. But most of all it was the story of the mountain that captured the heart of this story.

Natty is abused by her lazy awful husband...lives in a trailer...hides a sad past and the only joy she seems to take for herself is being with her children and running. Charlie...hmmm...successful, married to a sort of distracted materialistic wife and totally unsatisfied with his corporate life. Charlie needs more...wants more...in his life. He yearns to get back to his roots and in the field again. Enter Natty, West Virginia, and Natty's family farm which appears to rest on the mountain that Charlie is supposed to get rid of. You know that this is the tantalizing stuff that a good combative love story is made of.

What I loved about this book...

The problems are what make this book so interesting. Natty's husband, her children, her life! Charlie's wife, his values, his confusion about what he really wants. Lots of issues in the town with people...both good ones and bad ones!

What I did not love about this book...

I was struck by the sadness of Natty's life...the trailer, the meanness of the people around her who were supposed to love her. Buck...Natty's husband...was not so admirable...I didn't have any love for him!

Charlie's wife...Ellen...she and Charlie didn't even seem as though they ever had anything in common with each other. Can these relationships be saved?

Final thoughts...

I found this book to be interesting but perhaps at times just a bit predictable. However, I read so much that certain books feel that way to me. It did not detract from my enjoyment of this book. It's a soft cozy reading experience with just enough danger and excitement to keep me reading. ( )

I really enjoyed Redemption Mountain. It dispels the notion that everyone living in West Virginia is just another ignorant hick. I loved Natty and Charles and of course "The Pie Man" . The Corporate intrigue was a bit difficult to follow ,mainly because the names were similar. The town characters on the other hand were so believable I felt I could see them.
I admit I felt terrible when Emma died. I know it tied into Natty's sisters drowning. Oddly that was never explained fully.
I did like the ending. Natty's husband's redemption and new relationship with his son was a great resolution. ( )