by Jacqueline E. Luckett

As a not very seasoned traveler, held back only by my pocketbook, I love to read fiction and non-fiction featuring African-Americans in world settings.  This book is going on my favorites list.

Lena Spencer is a woman in her fifties living in a classic situation: a beautiful home, a late model foreign sports car, a career-driven husband and teenage children who no longer really need her.  For years she has put off her dream of a career in photography at the behest of her husband, Randall, who is just one deal away from being the CEO at his firm.  Throughout their marriage, they have revisited her dream and while he always promises to support her, ultimately he puts her off until he can reach another milestone in his career.  He believes that providing her with a luxury lifestyle, that should be enough for her.

Finally fed up with the situation but not sure how to deal with it, Lena stumbles upon Tina Turner’s autobiography, I, Tina  in a used bookstore. She then begins a quest to fulfill her life and her life’s dream using Tina’s example.

I don’t want to give anything away but Lena’s journey takes her to France (Tina lives there) and the scenes involving her sightseeing with friends and enjoying the art, culture and architecture made me want to pack my bags! 

As I was telling Carleen Brice (if you haven’t read her books, then shame on you) on Twitter the other day, it was nice to read about African-American women of a “certain age”! LOL! Fans of Terry McMillan will love this debut novel.