Cypress Point by Diane Chamberlain

This is an author who takes unpalatable subjects like unfaithfulness and murder and makes them somehow acceptable to the reader. That I think is being rather clever.

We have Joelle who works in a hospital along with Liam. Joelle works with babies and Liam and she have a very close working relationship. Liam's wife Mara was a very dear friend of Joelle but now lives in a nursing home suffering with permanent brain damage after the birth of her son which went tragically wrong. The situation has put immense stress on Liam who is very much in love with his wife and trying hard to cope bringing up his little boy the best way he could in the circumstances.

The attraction between Joelle and Liam is dormant but one day the relationship goes a step further and results in Joelle getting pregnant. It is ironic because Joelle does not think she could ever conceive. She had been married for seven years and during that time tried desperately to get pregnant and it never happened. That led to the break up of her marriage as well. That she should conceive now takes her completely aback. She decides to keep it  a secret from Liam and to move away from her present hospital to one further afield where she can make a new life for herself. She does not want to disrupt Liam's life because she realizes that Liam is still very much in love with his wife and torn between the dilemma of his wife and his secret attraction to Joelle.

Joelle's parents (hippie and a commune lifestyle till Joelle was ten) welcome the news of the impending birth and give Joelle all the support she needs. At the same time Joelle remembers a faith healer who supposedly brought Joelle back to life at birth, and approaches her with an idea of improving Mara's state of health. Liam looks on this skeptically but finally gives in to Joelle's request. The introduction of Cathryn unveils another story which is equally interesting!

Courtesy of Open Library this was a very heart warming book.