Jemology

Watermark is the lovely sequel to [b:Touchwood|639544|Touchwood|Karin Kallmaker|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1329120347s/639544.jpg|10694801]. People who read TouchWood should definitely continue on to this book. In fact, even though Louisa isn't actually in the book, we get a much better idea now of why Rayann is so in love with Louisa, the woman who is 27 years her senior, as opposed to just being totally in lust with her, as was my impression from Touchwood. On the other hand, people who have not read Touchwood should definitely pick that one up first to better appreciate Rayann's character.

Watermark is about loving and losing and the possibility of finding love again. It is about grief and dealing with it (or not) and acceptance of fate, and as such, is not a light read at all. But the gravity is well balanced by the trials and travails of Teresa, a newly-minted art school graduate. Juxtaposed against Rayann's depressing journey is Teresa's own rocky road to maturity. When their paths cross again after the initial disastrous first encounter, Teresa finds herself falling in love with a woman who can't seem to love her back. And even if she does, how can she ever compete with perfection? Both of these ladies journeys are very well done. There is lots of angst, naturally, considering the subject matter, but it never devolves into hokey melodrama. I like that the ending isn't the usual "neatly tied up in a bow" one that we get with romances. People who need that kind of ending can always look it up in [b:Frosting on the Cake|321656|Frosting on the Cake|Karin Kallmaker|https://d.gr-assets.com/books/1369431866s/321656.jpg|10694884]. One of the short stories there called 'Tapestry' gives a pretty good closure to this pair of ladies.

P.S. Love the title of the book. It is Louisa in one word. :)