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Carmen DuPre never really found her place in the world. She is considered the “black sheep” of the family because she doesn’t have a high-powered job or a family yet. She is a school counselor at one of the worst schools in the city. Under-funded, the school dropout rate is insanely high and Carmen has yet to find a kid she thinks will even complete high school, let alone attend college. Her father was a well respected educator and she hoped his reputation would garner her a position in one of the wealthier districts, but she is stuck in what she calls, Chicano hell.
The only thing Carmen thinks she has going for her is her beauty. She is the kind of woman that stops men dead in their tracks. Her beauty has been the focus of her life, from her and those around her, for so long that it’s become second nature for her to use her looks to her advantage. She’s dating two men, both average looking and both teachers, because she knows they will worship the ground she walks on and won’t break her heart like her handsome ex-fiancé did. She’s so used to men asking her out, that when the repair shop owner makes a comment on her beauty she thinks, “Here we go again,” but he surprises her when he then tells her that she’s too beautiful to be so sad.
When her charmed life begins to unravel, due to sexual harassment and a diagnosis of breast cancer, denial seems to be the best way for her to deal with her life. Support, comfort, and love come from the unlikeliest people, and Carmen’s life will never be the same.
I have to admit, when I first started reading SCHOOLING CARMEN, I thought it would be one of those books that I wouldn’t get into, but had to finish reading for the review. I was mistaken. Kathleen Cross delivers a book that will change the way you live your life. Never before has a work of fiction moved me to more than tears. SCHOOLING CARMEN did. Carmen is a hard character, very cynical, and the transformation she goes through in becoming a woman who loves who she is, is both beautiful and heart-wrenching at the same time. We all have our favorite authors, favorite books and while Kathleen Cross will be added to my top-ten list of authors, I will always remember SCHOOLING CARMEN as the book that changed my outlook on life. Let it change yours. Be Happy.
Reviewed by Tina Burns
for The Road to Romance
November 28, 2004
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