Jim & Louella's Homemade Heart-Fix Remedy

Jim & Louella's Homemade Heart-Fix Remedy by Bertice Berry Harlem Moon/Broadway Books September 2003 $11.95, ISBN 0-767-90989-5

After 26 years of marriage, Jim and Louella's love life has become somewhat routine. One night, Jim experiences an episode of impotence. Louella calls on her female ancestors for help. Her mother, grandmother and aunt come to Louella in her dreams, and give her some sage and humorous advice. Louella follows their instructions, and in short time, things between Jim and Louella take a decidedly hot and steamy turn.

At the same time, they discover that they have been given a new gift-a gift that has far-reaching and long-lasting effects on the entire community. Jim and Louella begin to hear the thoughts of their neighbors and see into their deepest secrets and fears. They also develop the ability to feel what others are feeling. Armed with this gift, the couple starts to help their neighbors, and before long, they have people coming to their door for some heart fixing. Their advice is delivered in a distinctly folksy manner with good old-fashioned common sense combined with a healthy dose of humor.

As the story unfolds, Jim and Louella learn that all that has happened to them is not coincidental, but part of a larger picture involving African American history, tradition and spirituality. Using her unique style of telling a story, Bertice Berry (Redemption Song, Doubleday 2000, and The Haunting of Hip Hop, Doubleday 2001) delivers a heartwarming, funny and touching story of love and history, complete with a wonderful cast of characters and a memorable, thought-provoking story line. A bonus is the Reading Group Companion section at the end of the novel, featuring 10 questions sure to stimulate a lively discussion of the book.

[Author Affiliation]

Reviewed by Mary N. Oluonye Mary N. Oluonye is a writer in Cleveland, Ohio. She is a library associate at the Shaker Heights Public Library.