A sweet and charming book about how a self-absorbed man blossoms into a caring grandfather and husband |...

Great entertainment | Tiare in Bloom: A Novel | Celestine Hitiura Vaite

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	• Tiare in Bloom: A Novel Celestine Hitiura Vaite Back Bay Books, 2007 - 260 pages average customer review:based on 3 reviews view larger image
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Faa'a from reality

The Matarena Mahi trilogy consists of a trio of light-hearted takes on life in modern day urban Tahiti. In the first volume Breadfruit, full of amusing Tahitian yarns and proverbs, we meet Matarena and her lovelorn pursuit of aimless boyfriend Pito. The follow-up Frangipani takes a humorous look at the Tahitian mother-daughter relationship of Matarena and Leilani while the now husband and father Pito takes a back seat. In the final work of this tropical trilogy the wastrel Pito finally redeems himself in Matarena's eyes when he assumes full responsibility for an abandoned baby, the eponymous Tiare, the product of one of their son's dalliances. There is a rather naff parallel subplot involving Matarena's search for her `unknown' French father.
All the books are set in the district of Faa'a, Tahiti's most populous commune where many of the residents are migrants from French Polynesia's outer islands who have come to Tahiti seeking work, and where life is pretty tough and often far from the jaunty tropical fun described in Tiare. In fact, though the places mentioned in the book are real and despite the Tahitian name-dropping, the action could just as easily be taking place in suburban Sydney. You cannot dislike the book, though, written in an easy, bouncy style, and relentlessly feel-good, but in the end it is all a bit superficial.

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A sweet and charming book about how a self-absorbed man blossoms into a caring grandfather and husband

The front cover hooked me by relating this book to the Number One Ladies Detective Agency series. I can see the resemblance, though this book's characters do a lot more drinking, the men are often less responsible, and there are a lot more references to and discussion about sexuality.

I hadn't read any of the other books in the series (Frangipani first and Breadfruit second), so I was delighted to find that I fell right into the book and understood everything that was going on.

Pito is a thoughtless and self-absorbed husband to Materena, and their marriage troubles start out this book. Materena is a big radio personality now, and Pito resists celebrating her first year on the radio by going to a restaurant. This and other examples of his lack of thoughtfulness for his wife begin to pile up, and Materena begins to think about divorcing Pito.

The turning point in the book comes when Tiare, their baby granddaughter whose parents can't care for her, arrives on their doorstep. The ways in which Pito grows while caring for the little one, and the impact this has on their relationship is so sweet to read about.

This is a feel-good book that is perfect for unwinding after a long day. I was very sorry to see the book end and am looking forward very much to the next one. I loved the little witticisms and turns of phrase that did indeed remind me of Mma Ramotswe and her crew.

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Great entertainment

I have read Celestine Vaite's other two novels and really enjoyed them, but I think this one is the best. It was so fun to read, I was sorry when I finished it.

Now that Materena is a big star with her radio talk show, Pito can't help noticing some changes in his wife. She's spending more and more time at work and with her girlfriends instead of coming home to cook for him. And why does a Tahitian woman need to know how to drive, anyway? He tries to shrug it off, but when Materena gives him the silent treatment and doesn't come home after a night of dancing, Pito has had enough! How is he supposed to fix things with Materena when she doesn't even give him a chance?
Luckily for Pito, his opportunity comes when a threemonth-old girl named Tiare--rumored to be their son Tomatoa's daughter--is left on the Mahis' doorstep. Anxious to pull his weight and set things right, Pito embarks on a hilarious and noble mission to prove himself to his granddaughter, his wife, and--most importantly--himself. TIARE IN BLOOM is the heartwarming story of a couple facing big changes on a small island--and a love that outlasts it all.

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