A year or more has passed since the events in Distant Cousin. Ana Darcy, the first human on Earth from another planet, lives in quiet obscurity with her husband Matt Mendez and their twins, Julio and Clio. After her spectacular performance at the Olympics, not to mention the weeks spent on the run from government agents, she has opted to live a private, secluded life. And yet, her concern over the arrival of relatives from the planet Thomo causes her to revive her celebrity status for the good of mankind. The Thomo delegation includes her brother-in-law Herecyn, whom she had previously rejected as her own suitor, and she does not trust that his diplomacy skills will outweigh his simple greed when it comes to trade negotiations with Earth. Since her marriage to Matt has stripped her of all status among the Thomans, Darcy's only choice is to offer herself as a celebrity representative of Earth, to aid in the upcoming momentous meeting as a "good will ambassador."
Reluctantly, Darcy begins a grueling circuit of interviews and television appearances, while trying to maintain the secrecy of her life with Matt and the twins. Unfortunately, this may be the wrong time to step into the limelight, as a certain unscrupulous conglomerate is currently looking for leverage in the upcoming negotiations for technology data with the Thomans. And Darcy looks to be an attractive sort of leverage ...
This sequel to Distant Cousin is, like its predecessor, more mainstream literature than science fiction. Readers will find the science fiction elements kept to the background in a storyline that is more about character and society than about the arrival of extra-terrestrials on Earth. We continue to learn more about the culture of our "distant cousins," the humans transplanted on planet Thomo, but the focus is more on our own culture. It is not difficult to believe in the astonishing charisma of Darcy, since we, the readers, are charmed to the point of wanting to read anything that the author cares to write about her. Don't get me wrong--Repatriation has its share of suspense--but the fact is, this novel's allure exists primarily in the depth of characters and also in the nature of the 100-pound demure and spitfire little heroine, our distant cousin, Darcy.
(D. Salerni)
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