Oddyssey, Part 3

After losing her father in 1966, Teresa's grief was soon coupled with a newfound liberation from the oppressive patriarchal traditions of the Old World. Now free to date to her young heart's content, Teresa discovers that with liberation also comes the chore of breaking hearts. In this third, often comedic chapter of the Oddyssey trilogy, the author must contend with suitor after suitor who won't take goodbye for an answer-even after she's met the love of her life, whom she ends up marrying after only six encounters. It's a love story for the books. The young couple must spend their first wedded years in Fort Knox, Kentucky, where Thomas is stationed during the Vietnam War. Under the constant threat of the daily levy sending more troops to the front lines, and her attendant flashbacks to World War II, Teresa's days are nevertheless lightened by family visits, road trips, and the magical powers of a chili dog. Soon after settling down in Michigan, the family of two turns into three, but on the heels of jubilation lurks a tempest. Author's proceeds from sales of all three Oddyssey books go to the old ladies of Capistrano, some of whom are centenarian and have lost their entire family.