Fascinating Authors

Book Review
by
John H. Manhold

Love Tag ISBN 9781935517504, Fireside Publications, Paperback, 272 pages + a biography, an address and a request for comments, by Peter Shianna.

Peter Shianna has produced a scenario that too often seems to occur today.  The protagonist is a boy from a blue collar family who enters the university with hopes for a career in baseball. He is thwarted by one of the ‘wealthier’ boys, but continues his education to obtain a degree in law. He never forgets the wealthy boy and the cause of his shortened athletic career, however. His career moves into insurance and, with a partner, becomes highly successful with all of the toys associated – club memberships, lakeside summer home with boats, private airplane, etc.

His wife is a former nurse whom he loves, and he has an adopted son and daughter, both of whom become problem children for reasons prevalent among contemporary teenagers. Additionally, the son decides he wishes to find his natural parents and from this point, the story moves into high gear. He acquires an unusual social case worker, finds the mother, learns about his natural father, and everyone’s life begins to fall into place.

Unfortunately, interaction begins to accelerate among the characters. The parish priest begins to show more than a religious interest in the wife, who is a devout Catholic and spends much time and energy with projects for the church. The protagonist’s company gains a huge contract that requires the expertise of the son’s natural mother. The former ‘wealthy boy’ is an important cog in the company offering the contract. The hero finds an opening to ‘get even’ and proceeds to attempt do so. Simultaneously, he succumbs to middle age syndrome with attraction to the natural mother.

The description just presented is every bit as involved as it appears, but to expand it would spoil an enjoyable read. The author has so deftly woven the various components into a tight plot that it seems real and, as stated previously, could be a scenario from any of a number of situations that, with variations, play themselves out almost daily in our society.

Peter Shianna has created living people that include all of the faults one can readily believe to be there. Enjoy.