The Laws of Harmony

Sunny Cooper lives in Albuquerque with her boyfriend, a long way from Armonia, the commune where she grew up. She can tell that things aren't going well between she and Michael and she wants to talk to him but he is killed in a car accident before she can confront him. In the wake of this accident, her life starts to unravel and she takes off to start over again, heading all the way to the small town of Harmony on San Miguel Island, off the coast of Washington. Painstakingly building her life over again and slowly letting other people into her life, Sunny comes to be a part of Harmony even as the past catches up to her and determines her future. Sunny's present storyline is interspersed with her childhood in the commune, leading up to show more the tragic day when her younger sister died. The weaving is well done as the reader never feels yanked one way or the other and is content to wait to get back to each story in due time.

Sunny is a prickly character but one whom the reader comes to care about and wish well. Her scars are earned and it is completely understandable that she is slow to warm up to people given her past history. The setting of the book, both in New Mexico and on the fictional Washington island, is incredibly well drawn and makes the reader feel as if s/he is there. The characters are realistic and almost all fully fleshed out (Sunny's initial landlady is a bit of a characature but she's one of few here). There is a massive twist in the plot that I didn't expect but it worked and showed how far Sunny had matured given the way she chose to deal with it. This is definitely a relationship story, between mother and daughter; between lovers; and between friends. And it was a satisfying one at that. show less

The Laws of Harmony is the story of Sunny Cooper, a voice-over artist living in Albequerque with her boyfriend, Michael. Her life seems to be all in order: boyfriend she loves, amazing best friend, work she enjoys. Then a tragic accident occurs, one that takes someone precious and also reveals the secrets and lies that were under the surface of her world.

Sunny runs from her past - the distant past of her chidlhood in a commune on the mesa in New Mexico, and the recent past of her broken relationships - as far as she can go without boarding a plane. She ends up in the little town of Harmony, on fictional San Miguel Island in the Pacific Northwest. Sunny begins to make a life for herself in Harmony, but fate has a few more startling show more revelations to throw her way.

The Laws of Harmony was a wonderful way to spend the last week’s worth of reading time. Ms. Hendricks is a talented wordsmith, and her descriptions of the New Mexican desert and the San Juan islands were beautifully written. I also enjoyed the way she wove scenes of Sunny’s history into the present action - it was seamlessly done, and a good way to give the character’s backstory without dumping it all at the beginning of the book, as less talented authors are wont to do.

I read one review of this book that described Sunny’s character as “prickly,” and that’s an apt description. Her history and relationship with her mother have made her fiercely independent and wary of people. Her relationship with Michael only served to reinforce her distrust of others. The townspeople of Harmony, however, are determined to break through her defenses and welcome her into their community - whether she likes it or not.

In The Laws of Harmony, Judith Hendricks writes deftly about dealing with the past. What should we hold on to? What should we let go? What happens if we don’t let go of past pain? I especially liked the realistic way in which the relationship between Sunny and her mother, Gwen, was handled. A relationship that has endured pain and betrayal does not heal quickly. It takes work and each person moving closer, one step at a time. Hendricks writes realistically of betrayal, disappointment, and pain, but also of healing, hope, and community. Highly recommended.

5 out of 5 stars show less

Judith Ryan Hendricks’ fourth novel, The Laws of Harmony, opens in New Mexico and is narrated by Sunny Cooper - a 32 year old woman whose life is suddenly wrenched out from under her. When detectives arrive at Sunny’s door to inform her that her fiance Michael has been killed in a fiery car crash, Sunny’s grief is quickly replaced by confusion and then anger when she discovers Michael was keeping secrets from her.

There was an aura about him - daring, adventurous, carefree, almost joyful - but with a darkness just under the surface. Like you could scratch him with a fingernail and find something you might not really want to see. - from The Laws of Harmony, page 68 -

The tragedy opens a floodgate of memories from Sunny’s childhood show more growing up in a commune - the drugs, sex and rock n’ roll; her close relationship with a brother who has since disappeared from her life; the sister she lost to a freak accident; and the strained connection she still has with her mother. On an impulse, Sunny sells nearly all her possessions and quits her job, heading west to a new future in the tiny town of Harmony on San Miguel Island.

I’ve entered a different world, and my heart suddenly lifts. It seems I’ve finally slipped the gravitational pull of New Mexico, and the past is dropping away behind me like a spent booster rocket. - from The Laws of Harmony, page 146 -

The Laws of Harmony is a novel about personal growth, the impact of the past on our future, and the delicate connections we make with other people. Sunny’s journey is not just a physical one from New Mexico to Harmony. Her memories do not simply stop the moment she leaves the desert and arrives on the fog enshrouded island of San Miguel. Sunny’s journey from despair to hope and her gradual understanding that she cannot walk through life alone is what drives the narrative…and it is a compelling and satisfying story.

Hendricks is a capable and talented writer whose prose is filled with warmth, humor and a deep understanding of what it means to be human. Half way through the novel, I found myself immersed in Sunny’s world, comforted by the rich descriptions of food, and not wanting the novel to end. Although there is a bit of a mystery in the book, it is not the mystery which kept me turning the pages. Hendricks’ ability to create character is her strength, and it is the characters who engaged me.

The best novels are those which leave the reader with a more acute awareness of what motivates a character - and a better understanding of how a character’s life might parallel our own. The Laws of Harmony does both those things. The writing is accessible and honest. Judith Ryan Hendricks has written a novel which women especially will love. If you are looking for a comfortable and gratifying summer read, look no further.

Highly recommended. show less

I want to move to Harmony. Running away is something Sunny Cooper does well, and what an ideal place to stop her running. The author makes this small island not just a refuge but a place where friendships can grow, and lives analyzed at a slow pace. Growing up in a commune prepared Sunny for a low-income life style, but she makes it to be fun, not catastrophic, and the readers will go from page to page, cheering on our new lady friend. I felt as if I knew each character as the author developed them, and found myself rooting for some and hating others. Each reader can relate to one of the characters, and when the last page is read, feel as if they will come to the door at any minute for a cup of coffee. Not to tell the story line, show more because the plot is not so much the story as how mother-daughter relationships can be resolved, if enough patience and desire is there. Throwing in a scoundrel lover adds to the plot, if a reader wants someone to dislike. But overall, Ms. Hendricks takes all of the bad, all of the good, and makes a wonderful novel for us to know there can be resolution to a lot more problems if we just sit back and let go of some control we feel we all need. Graceful, funny and poignant, and yes, Judith Ryan Hendricks truly is a master at writing women's stories. show less

It's been a while since I read a book where I truly liked and cared about the characters. So many seem like flat, watery, black and white photographs. But this terrific author was able to create Sunny, who is anything but a plain picture. Her problems are real, her life is believable, and her choices are understandable.

While I was propelled to read because of the story, I was enchanted to read because of the writing. Judith Ryan Hendricks is a wonder, knowing just when to throw in a descriptive phrase to show you an emotion or a setting. Two quotes from the book as examples: "His laugh sounds like it hasn't been used in a while" and "The word sits there between us like the last cookie on a plate."

I usually prefer my books to end with a show more certainty, a finality. This one didn't, but that was okay. The way the book ends matches the personality of Sunny. Open, realistic, and looking forward. It definitely leaves room for a sequel, which I hope is written soon so that I can continue the journey with Sunny and her friends and family. show less

I’ve read two of Judith Ryan Hendricks’ other books and loved both of them. This book is no different. Her books are like settling down with an old friend to catch up on everything going on in her dysfunctional life. I couldn’t put down The Laws of Harmony. Her vivid descriptions of New Mexico and the Pacific Northeast, made you feel like you were living part of the story. I look forward to reading many more Hendricks books!

Sunny Cooper grew up on a hippie commune in New Mexico with her parents she calls by name, Rob and Gwen, her older brother Hart, her younger sister Mari, and all types of other people interested in living a communal lifestyle or at least partaking in its sexual and drug-related freedoms. Although she left the Armonia compound after graduating from high school, is now in her early 30s, and is a successful radio voice over talent, Sunny never seems to be able to escape the impact of her childhood, especially her relationship with her mother and the loss of her sister Mari. She finds herself unable to commit to marriage with Michael and hopes that living together will keep him satisfied. When he is pronounced dead after a tragic traffic show more accident, Sunny no longer has even a loose grip on her life. Impulsively, she sells everything she owns and travels as far away from Albequerque as she can get. She ends up on San Miguel Island in a small town called Harmony. She finds that even on an island surrounded by strangers that she can never fully escape her past. She has to learn to forgive and to acknowledge all that made her the person she is.

It was great to read a novel about a woman my age. Just because a woman is in her 30s doesn't mean that she's got her life together. Sometimes it feels far from it. Sunny and I had dramatically different childhoods, but I related to her as if she were my my sister. The scene at her maternal grandparent's house as a child hit me both as a young girl and as a mother. Gwen grew up in a well-to-do family in California. When she left home, she turned her back on her family's lifestyle. What drove her away appealed to Sunny and her grandmother saw to it that she got what she wanted. As they were leaving to return to the commune, Sunny begged her grandmother to let her stay where there was access to new clothes and indoor plumbing. I could feel Sunny's anxiety over leaving a more normal life to return to New Mexico. I could equally feel Gwen's pain as Sunny opening showed her partiality to the life she could no longer condone. It is interesting how each generation feels they know better how to raise children only to discover that their children do not agree.

This is the first novel I've read by Judith Ryan Hendricks. If her fourth novel is any indication of Hendrick's talent, she is an author to watch. The Laws of Harmony is full of interesting twists, so it's difficult to discuss the novel more in depth without giving anything away. It addresses relationships without being cliched or heavy handed. The fact that not all of Sunny's issues and relationships ended neatly or with a dramatic reconciliation made this novel so much more realistic than most. What she discovers instead is that the strength and fortitude needed to move on with your life is there if you are only honest with yourself. It would make for an active and interesting book club discussion.

I cannot say enough about The Laws of Harmony. Although there were a few sections that slowed the story down for me, I did not regret a single moment I spent with Sunny. There is so much depth to her character and in her story. I enjoyed being surprised when several twists - including the ending - turned out much differently than I had suspected. If you ever dreamed of running away from your cares, you can relate to this novel. You might even find yourself thinking through similar issues in your own life. It's always a rewarding reading experience to be invited to learn more about yourself through the telling of a story. show less