Barren Hugs and Kisses

By Poly Monroe

Dorothy, a mature woman suffering from severe rheumatoid arthritis, finds herself contemplating the troublesome relationship with the mentally disturbed neighbor Jackie and her innocent boy Joy. And during this soulful reminiscence and journey of the past, the elderly woman discovers, not only her own failings and vanished expectations, but the essence of a life well lived, and the wonderful people who played intricate part in it.

People like her parents and grandparents with roots in Greece; the innocent little brother Kyriakos who died young; her unhappy mother Katerina who found solace in the Monastery of St. John; her troubled brother Leo who sought adventures as a soldier and died as a firefighter; her beloved husband Gregory and his career as an Officer of the US Army; her stoic father Paul who remained her cornerstone until the end; and all the wonderful friends and acquaintances she made along the way.

Remembering the past is a luxury reserved for the old. Dorothy knows that, and she indulges in it wholeheartedly and incessantly. Thinking about tomorrow is a more daunting affair, and she wants to avoid it.

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: B0FQ3ZWGGF
• ISBN13: 9798264142000
• Release Date: September 2025
• Publisher: Independently Published
• Length: 222 Pages
• Weight: 0.67 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 6.0" x 9.0"