Ernie Resnick meets Ava Winkler when he is only eleven years old and she is just a girl with “spun-gold pigtails”.  They become childhood sweethearts but later go their separate ways–temporarily. Having lost Ava once, Ernie is not about to let his precious prima ballerina slip through his fingers again. Fate, however, has other plans. Following an accident, Ava undergoes a “battery of tests” before being confirmed as suffering from Lewys body dementia (LBD), a debilitating condition that progressively diminishes rational thinking and independent functioning. While this is a devastating diagnosis for Ava, for Ernie it is a long drawn-out process of losing the love of his life all over again. What ensues is a journey of devotion and heartbreak, interjected with joy such as the birth of the couple’s children, Berni and Peter.

Jerry Gundersheimer’s REACH (A Nexus of Life and Love) is constructed largely as traditional novel, but is punctuated with non-linear journal entries that offer insight into the more intimate reaches of Ernie’s mind.  The book’s structure is also characterized by its chapter headings, which are named after popular 1970s singer/songwriter Dan Fogelberg songs; the author recommends listening to the title tracks before reading the chapter to complement the meaning. While this may enhance the reading experience for some, others may consider it impractical. In any event, the overall impact of this story is rather memoir-like, in that it has the ring of an authentic journey.

Stylistically, REACH is constructed in detailed and elegant prose, with some beautifully figurative language. The description of Ernie and Ava’s first meeting, for example, is very evocative and conjures up the innocence and significance of the moment. For some, Gundersheimer’s prose could be perceived as borderline ‘purple’ but the author clearly exercises experience and restraint, never allowing descriptions to descend into the saccharine. REACH commences with a dictionary definition of the titular word and, as the story unfolds, the significance of the word–both its noun and verb form–really strikes a chord and echoes the subject matter. As the novels moves toward its conclusion the pace is skillfully executed to match the mood and action of the closing moments. The final journal entry adds an interesting twist on the previous entries and clearly adds to the narrative as a whole.

Readers who have loved someone with dementia–or those who just enjoy a sprawling story that tugs at the heartstrings–will find Jerry Gundersheimer’s REACH (A Nexus of Life and Love) a most satisfying read.

~Amanda Ellison for IndieReader