Rush by Lisa Patton

Rush by Lisa Patton– 416 pages

Book Blurb:

Achingly poignant, yet laugh-out-loud funny, RUSH takes a sharp nuanced look at a centuries-old tradition while exploring the complex, intimate relationships between mothers and daughters and female friends. Brimming with heart and hope for a better tomorrow, RUSH is an uplifting novel universal to us all.

My Review: 4 stars

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Rush is more than just “rushing” in the collegiate Greek system; it’s also about friendships, mothers and daughters, affluence, class difference and race relations. I’m an empty nester now, but while my daughter and son rushed, currently called recruitment, I was definitely stressed out. If you have someone in the process now, wait to read this until they’re finished. Different parts of the country vary in their recruitment processes, as are the protocols university by university. It’s a great background for a book with multiple storylines.

In my opinion, mother and daughter relationships are at the heart of the story however race was a close second. We see several mothers and mother-like figures in this novel that have very different relationships with their daughters. In each of them, we see growth, empowerment, forgiveness and understanding.

The housekeeper is black and treats the girls as her own, often having counseling sessions in the broom closet. Pearl is a likeable character as she is kind, honest and sensitive. It is her relationship with some of the girls that give her courage and empowerment. And then there’s Cali, a small town girl at school on scholarship that is overwhelmed by the entitlement she sees around her. I loved these characters for being true to themselves, while living in a place they weren’t sure they belonged.

I highly suggest this book if you’re looking for thought provoking, easy to read woman’s fiction.

Quotes I Liked:

Dogs are the purest, most authentic portraits of G-d’s unconditional love we’ll ever have on this earth. We humans eventually impose restrictions and let each other down, no matter the depth of our love. But G-d, like our beloved canines, loves and forgives us no matter what we’ve done wrong.”