cover image A Tight Grip: A Novel About Golf, Love Affairs, and Women of a Certain Age

A Tight Grip: A Novel About Golf, Love Affairs, and Women of a Certain Age

Kay Rae Chomic. She Writes Press, $16.95, paper (225p) ISBN 978-1-938314-76-6

When 46-year-old local golf celebrity Jane "Par" Parker is arrested by Deputy Dee Dee Virgil for driving under the influence, the incident becomes front-page news. And while Par is still determined to win an upcoming golf tournament, she finds herself forced to confront her marriage to alcoholic Nick, the anniversary of her father's murder, and herself. Chomic's novel may appeal to fans of the genre, but it suffers from an unlikable protagonist. Additionally, a lack of tension, predictable plotting, and underdeveloped characters will prevent many readers from ever fully engaging with Par and her struggle.