Romance

4.5 stars. Catching Fireflies is a hard-hitting and powerful lesson that addresses bullying from many different perspectives. To read my review in its entirety, please visit http://www.bookreviewsandmorebykathy.com/2012/07/17/catching-fireflies/ ( )

The title seems to allude to a one or two paragraph conversation about kids in times past having no more worries than catching fireflies in the evenings and missing the innocence of those times.

I kind of wish the author had stuck to the bullying story and left romance out of a book of hers for once. It just seems an odd juxtaposition. (Of course, for my tastes, it there was going to be a romance, I would have preferred it to be a clean romance rather than the one depicted here where the teacher and the pediatrician have sex in an undefined relationship--the sex scenes aren't graphic but they are more than hinted at. And then for chapters afterward, they're still trying to define their relationship--are they dating? friends with benefits? serious about each other?) I mean you're trying to help a teen girl keep her life together while she's being bullied and you're groping each other?

The bullying part did clarify some aspects of modern-day bullying for me. They did also talk a bit about bullying of the past and how it differed: there wasn't such a broad audience 24/7 for one--things were said or done, but they often didn't reach beyond the town or the schoolyard. Nowadays, things can be posted online (social media etc.) and be seen by people half a world away. It's easier to doctor photos than it used to be--put someone else's head on another person's body etc. and post those as well.

There's also harrassment going on (which gets lumped into the bullying in this book--I'm not sure whether they should be separate things or if one does fall within the realm of the other.)

Greg, the football star, is hitting on Mindy (and apparently other girls) even though he's going out with Annabelle. Instead of dumping him or blaming him, Annabelle decides to take it out on Mindy--even though Mindy's refused Greg's advances every time he's made them. Annabelle does this by posting items that make it sound like Mindy is promiscuous.

One thing I've never understood is why the bullied don't find a trusted adult to tell. It could be a parent, a friend's parent, another family member, a teacher, a doctor, etc. And tell them soon after you realize it's becoming a pattern--don't wait, hoping it will get better. Yes, it's embarrassing. But being embarrassed is better than the alternative.

I was proud that Mindy's friend found a way around the promises she had made to her friend to let an adult know what was going on. And I was proud that the girl stayed as a true friend to Mindy even when the going got tough.

So--Annabelle's mother practices permissive parenting--but where is her father in all her raising? He's present when her social media bullying is exposed and seems firm. And the mother says he warned her about the results of her parenting in the past--he's the father! If he had concerns, he should have stepped in long before his daughter became a bully and made sure she had to face some consequences for her actions--and that his wife did too.

I was appalled at how the students continue to blame Mindy even after Annabelle's bullying is exposed and Annabelle given punishment by the school. Greg continues harrassing Mindy with unwanted advances and takes up a similar line of posting to what Annabelle had finished up with. They caught her--did he really think they wouldn't find out it was him? Some of the students decide to harrass Mindy during a citywide anti-bullying rally because they blame her for the punishments the school has given Annabelle, Greg and others. That behavior makes me sad. ( )

Excellent book. A teacher and a pediatrician are brought together in a sweet romance when they combine forces to deal with a case of bullying at the high school. Misty is a junior, smart and hard-working, so when she starts skipping class, Laura is worried. JC is equally worried when Misty comes to him asking for a note that will let her get out of going to school. Since she won't tell him what's happening, he makes her promise to talk to someone, and have that person call him. Though she talks to Laura, the lack of real information has Laura and JC determined to discover the truth.

I really liked Laura and JC. Both are deeply caring people who want the best for those around them. Laura has seen the bad side of love in the past and doesn't do much dating. JC has been burned himself and considers himself too bad at relationships to indulge again. That doesn't stop various people from doing their best to find matches for them (JC's nurse is especially persistent). From the moment they meet, there are sparks between Laura and JC, though they both try to resist and deny. It was fun to see them both try to deny the attraction even as they found reasons to get together. It was hilarious to see the whole town get involved, commenting on sightings of them together. I really loved JC's bewilderment at the way he can't stay away from Laura, and how his feelings are changing. The support they showed for each other during some really tough times was sweet and heartwarming. I loved JC's big moment at the end.

The romance was wonderful, but there is more than that. The case of bullying that brings the two together is an eye-opening look at one of the toughest issues kids today face. When Laura and JC discover what the problem is with Misty, it calls to them in a deeply personal way. Both had had experience with bullies in their own youths, affecting their lives even now. I loved the honesty and depth with which the issue was handled. Misty, who is having other troubles at home, tries to deal with the problem on her own. She gets some support when her best friend gets involved, but swears that friend to secrecy. Fortunately that friend is a daughter of a Sweet Magnolia and finds a way to keep her promise and still help. I hurt for Misty and everything she was going through. As the truth comes out, Laura and JC are assisted by the Magnolias and others as the issue of bullying is brought into the spotlight. I loved seeing Misty come out the other side, not unaffected, but stronger for surviving.

I loved seeing so many of the Sweet Magnolias and their husbands in this book. Their willingness and desire to do whatever necessary (loved Helen!) made resolving the issue even more successful. They were especially critical in support of Laura when the mother of the bully got involved. I also loved seeing the husbands checking out JC and making sure he knows that he's being watched. There are some terrific scenes that had me laughing out loud - margarita nights were especially good at that. Others had me cheering as they banded together. I loved Frances's speech at the rally, while JC's brought me to tears. ( )

I liked this one, and it also dealt with a serious subject. And that had me racing towards the end.

Laura is a teacher, she is sweet and nice and does not date much. J.C. is a doctor, who never dates, and he is considered a catch. These two do not get out much due to ..things. They end up together cos of a case at the school where she works. One part is about their budding romance, and them trying to keep it quiet and deny everything (oh how those small town gossip, I love it!).

The second part is the serious part. A girl is being bullied and it gets worse and worse. It was horrible, kids (and grownups) can be so cruel and they do not see the error of their way. But this is one small town that does not approve of bullying. But it takes a lot for it all to calm down. And Woods handles the whole situation well.

Conclusion:
A good romance, and a good story. I enjoyed the book, it was easy to read, even with the subject in hand.
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