I loved "Strange Fits of Passion", and was looking forward to this book as my second date with Anita Shreve. However, I was very disappointed. I liked it enough going along to overlook certain problems, such as the only-somewhat-believable passion between the protagonists and the occasionally-unrealistic dialogue. However, at the very end of this book, information is revealed that pulls the rug out from under the whole rest of the story. The ending wound up feeling to me like a gimmick.I tried for several days to ponder it, but could never fully make sense of the story. Did Thomas really go to Africa? really marry Regina? if so, what really broke them up? etc etc I think I vaguely understand what she may have been trying to do here, but it just didn't work for me at all.