Sweet Geraniums and Soda Bread Too

In her first novel, Soda Bread on Sunday, Nielsen began a story based on the life of her immigrant grandmother, Annie Enright Nielsen, and the Enright family in Craggs, Ireland. This sequel moves to the early 20th century when Annie journeys from Ireland to New York City, joining three of her brothers in the States. She confronts the world as a young widow (her husband having died during the crossing), but her pluck and hard work earn her friends, and she finds a decent position in service to a pair of rich old ladies. When they are killed, probably by their own brother, Anna meets, weds and starts a family with Danish immigrant Nels Nielsen in a small upstate community. Their marriage deteriorates under the strain of family disapproval (Nels is not Catholic) and financial woes. Refusing to let Annie take advantage of an offer to start a bakery business, Nels deserts her, but she triumphs when her soda bread becomes a hit in New York, and soon she is a woman of means with a fine gentleman friend and her own home. Then Nels returns. Indomitable Annie takes everything in stride, and triumphs over all with Irish determination and the help of her seven children, her friends and her faith. Nielsen's prose is undistinguished, and the novel lacks character development and narrative momentum; even Irish spice is limited to a bit of ""gosh and begorrah"" and Annie's recipe for soda bread. (Sept.)