Blink of an Eye

by Rexanne Becnel

To say that desperation clouded Jane Falgoust's judgment was a colossal understatement. With a hurricane bearing down on New Orleans, the failed nurse-turned-waitress viewed it as an opportunity --to escape her tattered life. But then she saw the dog paddling frantically in the surging flood waters. She couldn't let this dog drown. From that one rescue, her nursing instincts kicked in and she started saving people--including herself. As the hurricane...

• Format: Mass Market Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0373881274
• ISBN13: 9780373881277
• Release Date: February 2007
• Publisher: Harlequin Next
• Length: 304 Pages
• Weight: 0.35 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 4.2" x 6.6"

Customer Reviews

A tribute to New Orleans and the spirit of her people

Ms. Becnel's love of New Orleans shows on every page of this bittersweet but satisfying story of redemption and the resilience of the human spirit. The heroine is Jane, who has made many poor decisions in her life and now believes she has nothing left to live for. The only thing keeping her from suicide is that the suicide clause in her life insurance policy would prevent her brother from inheriting the proceeds. The approach of category 5 Katrina offers her the out she desires: death by hurricane. But at the last minute, her innate desire to help others kicks in, and she rescues a drowning dog. With that step she starts the process of rescuing herself. Helping her neighbors, the dog (who ends up in her temporary care), and the patients at a temporary free clinic rebuilds Jane's faith in life and herself, as does Ben, a doctor at the free clinic, who has secrets of his own. Parallelling Jane's near-destruction and struggle to regain her mental and physical health is the similar story of New Orleans. The city survives Katrina's winds and rains, only to fall prey to a government-made disaster: The poorly constructed levees break, destroying most of the physical fabric of the city. Jane and the other citizens form strong bonds as they care for each other and start the rebirth of the city while lacking electricity, clean water, food, and government help. No book can adequately convey the vast horror of New Orleans after Katrina. But Ms. Becnel does show how the crisis brought out the best in many people, strengthening the strong bonds between neighbors and the appreciation of diversity that make New Orleans such a wonderful place to live. It also shows people overcoming their grief to become stronger, better versions of themselves. Several characters discover the truth of the saying of the ancient Roman playwright Terence, "Where there's life, there's hope." Readers will finish the book inspired and awed by the human spirit.

insightful look at health in Katrina New Orleans

Forty-seven years old with her life in shambles having been divorced and losing her nursing job due to substance abuse, Jane Falgoust considers suicide. Meanwhile as public officials plead with people to leave New Orleans before Hurricane Katrina is expected to intensely hit, Jane decides to stay and let the storm make it look like an accident killed her so her Down's syndrome brother obtains her insurance money. However with the way her luck has run, Jane survives the storm. She soon rescues a dog struggling with the storm surge. Behind that Jane finds purpose helping the injured and the sick in Dr. Ben Comeaux's suddenly constructed street clinic. As she and Ben fall in love, they work together to help their city and its people heal. Helping those hurt by Katrina brings a new zest for life for the prime protagonist whose thoughts of ending it ends when others need her. The story line is incredibly powerful when Jane and Ben provide medical care to those left behind; however, the obligatory romantic subplot feels intrusive taking away from the insightful look at medicine in New Orleans just after Katrina as this tale does. Readers will enjoy this deep look at the impact of the hurricane through the eyes of health providers. Harriet Klausner