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I found it interesting that men, or rather the masculine characters in this book take a back seat. The expert fly fisher, who sort of coaches the other girls, is a woman - Rose. The person who is so instrumental in bringing this group together is also a woman - Sophie. All the characters indulge in fly fishing, a sport considered predominantly male. Even when they were rescuing Melody from the river, it's all girls who did it.

I could go on and on about how Veronica is an accomplished corporate girl, a domain typically considered male, and Amanda single-handedly raising her children since her husband is in Afghanistan.....

Did the author intentionally bring out the can-do, will-do attitude in women?

I really did not get that impression, however you are not the only person I have noticed that has come up with this idea. I think the fact that they participate in a sport that is typically considered a man's sport is where that concept comes from, but I just wouldn't consider it in that light.

This may be because I personally can relate so much to those women in the manner that you mentioned them. I can relate to Rose in being a mentor to other women. Just as Veronica, I was an executive in the corporate world and chose to leave that world to forge my own path. Just as Sophie, I was single for many years and was very independent and had only myself to rely on. I don't know if I could cut firewood, but I am definitely self sufficient in many areas.
I could see my friends and I in most of these scenes so to me this is just what a woman is/does.

I guess if that is girl power then more power to you, but I see it as just women being women and friends being friends.

I think that was the feeling that I got from this book. All of the women had strong, go getter personalities which were inspiring to me.

yes it does and i say this because that is how i see it, women can undertake task and be accomplished in life without losing it. it sounded like the author was sending a message.

I would agree that there is an undertone of female power. I do not think that it is overpowering or out of place, though. I think it is more of a reminder for the reader that these women are strong, independent, and true to life.

I completely agree with you! It's so refreshing to read a book where the women characters live their own independent lives and excel at traditionally male-dominated fields.

Yeah right. None of the girls are your typical damsel in distress. They do things on their power and if ever they complain, it is justified. It also mentions DJ, the first lady author who wrote a book about fly fishing and how she experienced hardships in the industry just because she's a woman. But in the end, she overcame it all.

I feel it does. First there is the story. It’s a story about women, and then you expect main characters to be strong. But then there are small details that hint at theme. The story of DJ’s name. There were also a few times the sport of fly fishing was described as empowering, which sounded strange to me. I didn’t feel it romanticized the sport much with that description, but it definitely stroke a note with the theme of female power. I don’t think the “traditionally male profession” thing strikes those same notes, other than Veronica’s job being to empower the future female leaders of the world. The job itself strikes the bell of a resonating theme. Yet, it is presented in a way where Veronica is taking advantage of niche market, and it still wasn’t an easy feat, but it propelled her up in the world as she found a way to truly connect with her customer base. To me, it fit seamlessly.

I think the author went all out to emphasize the power and strenght inherent in the female. I think it was deliberate that the author decided to allow the males in their lives to take a back seat while the women took the steering wheel.

I do not think so because the women whose families were mentioned were not domineering to their husbands. I see their meetings as just a girls' time out just the way men may sit and discuss over a bottle or two.

I never thought about that until you've mentioned it, but it is possible the author wanted to portray the strength of modern-day women. At the same time, it seems like such a comforting thought to take a break from our hardships and struggles in life and spend some leisure time out with girlfriends just chatting and sharing.

I think the author was trying to emphasize girl power in the book. I loved that the book was about 5 strong females.

I think she did, on so many levels! Through Sophie and Melody, she showed that a woman can be accomplished, happy, and self-sufficient without a man in her life. Amanda is strong enough to raise her two kids, have a full-time job, and make up for the absence of her husband who is dispatched to Afghanistan. Rose is an example of resilience and strength. Veronica is the embodiment of professional success. On top of all that, the book also showed the power and the healing that lies in female friendships. If that is not girl power, I don't know what is!

I think there is a clear undertone of girl power, all the women are capable, passionate and unapologetic about their need for down time.

I'm not sure that I would necessarily call it girl power, but agree that the women all have strong personalities and are not afraid, for the most part, to go after what they want. I see their friendship as part of what contributes to that strong foundation and allows them the freedom to explore and deal with what life throws at them. Individually they are strong, but together they are powerful.