Belonging. Finished 6-22-15, 3/5 stars, 341 pages, pub. 1995

Today Joanna has the life she’d always dreamed of…
Joanna Jones, the successful host of Fabulous Homes, a New York based TV show, seems to have it all. Blessed with great looks, she has a successful lover and a job that gives her fame and money, while allowing her to indulge her passion for beautiful homes.
Tomorrow she might lose it all…
Suddenly and shockingly, Joanna will discover what she doesn’t have: a committed relationship she can depend on. Now she faces a stunning discovery alone and makes the tough decision to leave her glittering life for an old Nantucket house on the ocean, new friends, and unexpected enemies. The choices ahead will test her courage; the surprising twists of fate will challenge her faith as she faces a day of ashes, a time of sorrow, and one extraordinary new chance for love, happiness, and…

from Goodreads

This has been languishing on my shelves for many years and many moves and finally the Nantucket setting reeled me in.  I love the idea of being able to find a place that feels like home and helps you heal with beauty and friendship.

What I didn’t love was Joanna herself.  She initiated an affair with a man she knew was married and even pregnant with twins managed to find herself drawn to married men.  Her life wasn’t perfect, but she still had all of the advantages of beauty, wealth, fame…and I never really forgot that.  I loved her companion, Madaket, and she brought the only warm feelings I had for any of the characters.

The beautiful Nantucket and spiritual Madaket made the sometimes slow-moving story worth reading.  This is an older book and I will probably try one of Thayer’s more recent books because I’ve seen lots of positive blogger reviews.