Darcy was born beautiful. Really… it’s true. Just ask her. She will be the first to tell you that she is perfect. She loves that men find her attractive so it’s no big surprise that she is stunned to find that her fiance friend Marcus takes work. Oh but never fear, Darcy continues to work her magic until she gets her way… only to be truly shocked and offended when she finds out fer fiance Dex, has also found his way to another… her best friend Rachel.
Oh the nerve of some people! While yes, Darcy to has cheated with Marcus (more than once but really who is counting) she is still appalled to think that Dex and Rachel had done the unthinkable to her. Yes… once again it is all about Darcy…
and as the title suggests….
she turns out to be pregnant with Marcus’s child… a child he does not want… and in fact he’s pretty tired of Darcy’s uppity ways as well. Darcy quickly finds herself without a place to stay, so she packs her bags and goes to London to stay with her writer friend Ethan… only the life lessons continue as Ethan’s flat isn’t “all that” and he is not about to put up with selfish behavior.
Oh whats a girl to do…. and a pregnant one at that….
The character of Darcy is desribed as 5' 9" and 124 pounds. I had to Google such a body type to get a visual... and here she is .... "A Darcy"
Occasionally I enjoy a bit of a fluff read. Just a fun, no thinking involved read. When I found this audio on Amazon I thought I would give this audio a try. A series of emotions came forth as I listened to this audio:
disbelief
annoyance
horrified
disgusted
cautiously optimistic
passive
accepting
Ugghhh…. it’s almost like the stages of grief. 😛 I started out not liking Darcy at all. Really there was nothing to like. She is an extremely self-centered character who only cared about making sue all men had eyes only for her, always wanting what she could not have until she got it… and then drinking while pregnant just about pushed me over the edge. Fictional character or not, I was about to take Darcy out.
Then…. slowly…. she began to change, in an almost predictable way, she learns the errors of her ways and well… you will just have to read it to see exactly what that means.
This is the sequel to Something Borrowed which I have not read. ( I heard it was a movie and I was going to try to see it before I listened to this audio but I did not… I still may watch it at some point.) However I don’t think I missed anything by diving into this one, the characters were easy to figure out where they stood.
In recap…. I didn’t hate it. It actually grew on me a bit. Not so much as I would pursue the series, but in the end I may have been able to have lunch with Darcy without stabbing her in the neck with my fork.
Over 200 great-tasting, easy to tote dishes for parties, picnics, potlucks, barbeques, holiday dinners, and any get- togethers.
I purchased this book recently on a trip to the North Shore. Browsing through the books being offered in one of the many (MANY) touristy type gift shops… my eyes landed on this book. It was pricey, (I can tell you I paid over double what I see it is on sale for at Amazon now…) but I really was drawn to this book.
I am that girl who has a stand by item or two that I bring to every outing we are invited too. One is my baked bean dish. You know the one that has baked beans, bacon, lima beans, hamburger…. yup that’s my “go to” dish to bring to outings… when I have time to mess with it. When I do not have time, I make my fresh salsa and grab a bag or two of good tortilla chips.
Nothing that I bring is “the dish”. I am not the coveted person that has to attend because what I bring makes the party. Nope, if not for my witty and fun personality, I may not be invited at all ( ha ha – I jest). I think…. 😯
So now you see the need for this book to get into my hands. Hard cover, square, appealing to the eye book with almost 500 pages of ideas…. I could not wait to read!
Author Anne Byrn is known to millions of fans through her Cake Mix Doctor, The Chocolate Cake Doctor, and Dinner Doctor cookbooks. She has had over 200 television appearances on Good Morning America, Roker on the Road, QVC, as well as local stations.
Ok… in my opinion, this book is a rave! From fun down to earth parties like back yard potlucks and kids parties, to house-warming gifts, or something a little more formal this book covers it all from, packaging, transporting, serving… LOVE IT. Each page has a right side bar space to record who you made the recipe for, prep notes, what not to forget, special touches and if this is an item you should bring again. It is a book that makes me want to go through and try everything just so I can make notes. 😀
So here are a few little items that caught my eye (there were many more…. but this is a sample)
French Toast Slices (to be used for bruschetta, or spreads)
Slice a loaf of French bread diagonally about 1/4 inch thick. You should get two to three dozen slices depending on loaf size. Place on baking sheet and lightly brush with olive oil. Sprinkle bread lightly with kosher salt (if desired), or dust with Parmesan cheese before baking. Bake at 400 until slices are crisp and browned – 15 to 18 minutes. These will store in plastic bags for up to three days.
(I may make this tonight to go along with spaghetti)
Asian Chicken Lettuce Wraps
1 large head of iceberg lettuce
1 tablespoon vegie oil
1 pound ground chicken
3 med garlic coves, minced
1 cup chopped scallions (green part only from a bunch)
1 tablespoon minced peeled fresh ginger
3/4 cup hoisin sauce
4 tsp. soy sauce
1 teaspoon Asian (dark) sesame oil
3/4 cup finely chopped water chestnuts
Fresh cilantro (optional)
Use a small paring knife and cut the core out of lettuce. Wash and dry on paper towels.
Place the oil in a large frying pan over medium heat. Combine in the chicken, breaking it up with a wooden spoon. Add the garlic and cook, stirring until the chicken is cooked through – 4 to 5 minutes. Turn off the heat. Stir in the scallions, ginger, hoisin sauce, soy sauce, sesame oil, and water chestnuts. Cook this filling over medium low heat stirring until it bubbles and is heated through – 2 to 3 minutes. Keep the filling warm if you are serving immediately.
When ready to serve, carefully pull apart the head of lettuce to separate the leaves. Pat the leaves dry with paper towels and pile them around the outer edge of a large platter. There should be at least 12 large leaves. Spoon chicken filling into the center of the platter and garnish with cilantro. Serve at once. To eat – spoon chicken mixture into lettuce leaf and wrap the lettuce around it and eat like a burrito.
Ok scrap the spaghetti idea for tonight… I may try this one instead if I can find the Hoisin sauce.
Taco Ring
*you can prep this ahead of time and not bake until you arrive to whatever event you made it for…)
For Taco Ring:
2 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 – 2 pounds ground lean turkey or lean beef
2 packages taco seasoning
1 cup water
2 packages refrigerator crescent rolls (reg or reduced fat)
For serving:
reduced fat sour cream
shredded iceberg lettuce
chopped tomatoes
shredded cheddar cheese
Guacamole
Pre heat over to 375. Place the olive oil, if using, in a large skillet over medium heat. Add the turkey or beef and break up with a wooden spoon. Cook, stirring, until cooked through – 3 to 4 minutes. Add the taco seasoning and stir to mix. Then add the water. Increase heat to medium high and cook stirring until all liquid has nearly evaporated, 4 to 5 minutes. Take off burner and set aside.
Unroll the crescent rolls; you will have 16 triangles of dough. Place an ungreased baking sheet or pizza stone about 14 to 16 inches, ona work surface. Arrange the dough with the large side of the triangles facing the center of the sheet and the points hanging over the edge. Leave a 3 – 4 inch empty space in the center. Press dough together where the triangles meet to connect them.
Spoon the turkey beef mixture in a ring on top of the joined dough, leaving the center empty (you can put a bowl of sour cream there when serving). Carefully pull all the points of the of the crescent rolls, twisting them together to seal over the filling. Do not get too fussy about this as after the taco ring bakes, it looks gorgeous no matter whether the filling os completely covered by the rolls.
Bake the taco ring until golden brown – 20 to 25 minutes. Let it cool 3 to 4 minutes before transferring to a serving platter. If you do not have a platter large enough, cur sturdy cardboard into a large enough piece and cover with foil. Put bowl of sour cream in the middle and arrange the rest of toppings in pretty little bowls around the ring.
*Note – it is just as easy to make two rings as it is one. If baking later, cover with plastic wrap and keep cool.
Ok – scratch everything I said above… I am making this tonight! 😀
These few recipes are barely scratching the surface of the recipes that caught my eye in this book…. main dishes, sides, appetizers, desserts, breads, soups, marinades…. and party planning. I will get many years of use out of this new treasure in my home.
To win a copy of this book:
In my excitement over my new find – I am offering a copy of this book to be mailed to one lucky commenter between now and Thursday morning. Open internationally – I will mail directly to you from Amazon. *Simply leave in the comment section what your favorite item is to take along to a potluck or gathering type event.
Four year old Colton Burpo undergoes an emergency surgery that almost takes his life. As his parents Todd and Sonja pray for a miracle to save their son… a miracle happens, and Colton survives.
In the months that follow, Colton starts to talk to his parents about things he could not have possibly known, such as while he was being operated on, he was able to describe where his mom and dad both were and what they were doing, even though neither of them were int he room with him. At first skeptical, Colton’s father, who is a Pastor, lets these conversations run their course. Soon Colton is describing Jesus in ways that are beyond his years and Todd knows in not part of the Sunday School curriculum. He describes Heaven in ways that match up with the Bible, again in ways that a four-year-old would not know.
Colton Burpo, now age 11, is described as a normal kid who fights with his siblings .
Colton himself picked out the title of this book, says Todd Burpo. We were sitting around trying to decided on a title when we asked Colton what he hoped people who read this book learned. Without hesitation, Colton responded, “That Heaven Is For Real.”
I first heard of this book through the buzz of my book club. When this group of amazing readers talk books… I listen. The audio is a short 4 cd’s but in those 4 cd’s an amazing story is told of a little boy and his experience when he almost died.
Spoken in the pure and bold way of a child, Colton’s dad retells the story of his son’s time in Heaven. Todd Burpo, being a Pastor, knew that this book would bring up questions as well as its share of doubting Thomas’s. He two had questioned his son but knowing what was going on when his father was in another part of the hospital and describing seeing him was just the start of the unexplainable things that Colton knew.
In April 2011, he book was the number one best selling book on USA todays best selling book list, the fifth week dropping to number two behind Water For Elephants. People could not get enough of the story.
I enjoyed this quick audio listen. If anything I wish it would have been longer, more in detail – but I can not put my finger on what could have been added to the book. It is a book that will make you think. Colton’s story is an amazing one, and one I will not soon forget.
On June 21, 2008 lighting struck a very drought-dry California and ignited over two thousand wild fires in what became the lightening siege. One of the blazes turned towards Tassajara Zen Mountain Center. The monks within this area prepared for the fire to arrive, though told to leave the area, a small group of five would not consider leaving.
If you lived on the west coast, you knew of the fires. If you lived in California, you smelled the smoke. What was happening was news worthy, and the news was focused on Tassajara.
The center was famous for its hot springs, food, and peaceful environment. What would happen to this place? Could it be saved by a few? And what if those few were merely monks, who practiced sitting cross-legged and staring at a wall – what were they really trained to do?
I am not a history buff. Almost embarrassingly so. I do not follow the news, and due to this, there are things in this world I think I should know about… but sadly – do not.
Unless of course, I find my way to a book, as I did in this case… a book about the fires of summer 2008. From Minnesota, I am sure I heard about the fires, but did not follow the story. I did not smell the smoke. After reading this book I can no longer say that I have not heard the story. I am not even sure if I can say that during this read, I did not smell the smoke. As one can read about blueberry pie and their mouth begins to water vividly knowing the flavor, the same can be said for reading about a fire.
I went into this read knowing nothing of the Tassajara Zen Mountain Center. I learned it was not only know for the practice of meditation, but also for bread baking and vegetarian dishes (see? another word association to the taste buds – bread baking! Mmmmm!) I also learned that there is one road into Tassajara, a 14 mile unpaved one.
The book itself moves at a zen like pace. You spend the first 150+ pages learning the background of Tassajara, when it was purchased in the 1960’s, what it was, what it became and how. You also are following the people and the decisions made prior to the fire. All fascinating really, but a book about a massive fire… I wanted to see smoke.
And then we get there, where is evacuation… and fire… and it is exciting. I read these pages quickly wanting to know after all this build up how it was all going to go. And as I write this I think – this is where the book really comes alive. People fighting for what they believe in – against all odds… Now that I know the story, I will not forget it. I would recommend this book to others who enjoy amazing non fiction.
Reading this book reminded me of the devastating fire on the Gunflint Trail in Grand Marias Minnesota. The Gunflint Trail is a fascinating road that goes up up up and is famous with history and books written about it. It is known for moose sighting, bear, and other wild life. We have friends from Brainerd who run a camp on the Gunflint every summer. In May of 2007 the fire that they believe started from a campsite quickly found its way to an area of downed trees from an earlier storm and took off and our of control. It consumed 40 buildings including a large camping resort, causing evacuation of many of the homes and businesses along the trail as the fire made its may closer. Our friends camp was not harmed, the fire finally under control just a mere 13 miles away from it.
In early June I went to visit our friends and we drove the Gunflint looking at the damage. It was heart breaking to see the normally lush and full forests gone – replaced only with black soot. The only soothing to my soul were the green buds peeking out here and there reminding me that nature will conquer and replace in time.
Laurie Hertzel started out with what I would have once called my dream job. She worked in a library. Later, when offered a chance to work at a Duluth Minnesota newspaper, she jumped at the chance – jumped… before even realizing what the job entailed. Laurie found herself running copy, writing obits, answering phones, and making coffee (which is something she dis not drink and had to fill the large carafe in the only sink deep enough… the ones in the men’s room).
Despite Laurie’s start in newspaper with little previous experience, she watched and learned, moving horizontally and then eventually up the ladder to reporter, and then journalist. The times that Laurie describes in this book of her journey… well… times… they were a changing, and Laurie was right in the middle of it.
The story of her career was a chance to accompany a group of “Duluthians” (I know right? This is what she refers to people of Duluth as) to the USSR in 1986 to build a relationship with a potential sister city. The result of this trip not only leads to a great newspaper story, but also relationships between a USSR city and the city of Duluth Minnesota that stand strong even today. This trip eventually led to a second trip where she wrote a book, They Took My Father, based on a true story.
Laurie’s book is lighthearted and funny as she shares the happenings with co workers, and all that is shared in a newsroom.
Laurie with her book, "News To Me"
I listened to Laurie at an event at my local Library this week. I went in knowing chances are I was getting the book… what I wasn’t expecting was after Laurie shared with the 44 people in the room exerts from her book, how much I wanted the book. To the point that I was eyeballing how many books she brought with her, vs… the people in the room and concerned she would run out before I got my hands on one! 😛
Laurie in the early 1980's interviewing a llama farmer.
Laurie’s book kept me up late into the night. I could not put it down. Her delightful retelling of her time in newspaper when women were not really valued as anything more than wives. The papers even still referred to women as Mrs. John Doe – using the husband’s name to identify them… or describing them in the papers as a petite blond, or other now controversial titles.
The antics of the newsroom in the 70’s was pretty interesting. The guys smoked at their desks… and the women were expected to just do their job. In one instance, Laurie describes a female coworker becoming impatient when the single women’s bathroom was occupied and she marched herself into the men’s room. Afterwards, one of the men asked if she was having her monthly since she was so crabby (yes, you read that right)…the woman along with another female offered to make a “flow chart” so the guys could document if they were truly upset…or just hormonal. 😛 Happily, it did not come to this.
There are many other great stories, both funny and amazing that Laurie discusses in her years leading up to where she
Duluth News tribune 1978
is now, the Senior books editor of the Minneapolis Star and Tribune. Yes, that’s right… I am reviewing the book of a senior book editor. 😯
When Laurie talks about the Congdon Murders taking place while she was working for the newspapers, that blew me away. The murders that took place in Duluth in 1977 were later on trial in my home town Brainerd Mn. This is long before I knew anything about the Congdon’s, but in my adult life I have toured the Congdon Mansion many times.
When Laurie writes about her time in the USSR with a camera person and the other delegates from Duluth I thought maybe the book would take a turn to the less passionate for me. Boy was I wrong… what I thought may be heavy information about the trip and Russia was still handled with Laurie Hertzel’s flare for getting to the story. I found myself just as engrossed in this section as all the others of the book.
I loved this read. As a lover of words, writing, and crazy opportunities, Laurie seemed like an adventurous person after my own heart. She inspired me. She will inspire you.
When Laurie was speaking here is what she said when asked about the future of newspapers: “Newspapers should always have a place in the world. People like to hold them, they like the feel of them. On line newspapers are great if you know what you are looking for, but difficult to maneuver when you are just reading. Love on your newspapers.”
Kyle Kingsbury is one good looking guy. And… he knows it. He is that guy that looks amazing, has a way with words, and has the money to back it up thanks to daddy. Kyle can have any girl he wants and has her…. but one girl annoys him, the class freak Kendra. She calls out Kyle every chance she gets and he makes a decision to get even.
At a school dance he sets Kendra up for an epic fail and humiliates her. Feeling good about himself, as Kyle usually does, he goes home only to find that Kendra has also come to his home and curses him by telling him he will be just as ugly on the outside as he is on the inside. Instantly, Kyle turns into a scarred, tattooed beast.
The cure, Kendra tells Kyle is to find someone who loves him for who he is on the inside. And well…. good luck with that.
Even the family money can not find a way to return Kyles looks and his father embarrassed now by his son sends him away to a home with his maid to live out his days out of the public spotlight.
Will Kyle ever be able to find someone who could love him as hideous as he is when he can not even stand to look at himself?
The movie Beastly: Also recommended
Honestly? I had no intention of reading this book. I think I seen the movie cover before I seen the book cover and it just screamed “Teen angst!”
But then, as occasionally happens I read a review of this book over at my friend Reagan’s blog, Miss Remmers Reviews. It was enough to make me curious and so I found a copy and poked my head inside. This is one of those books that even though you know that you know that you know the outcome – how it will all come together, even who the characters will be that makes it happen… it was still…
wonderful.
Yes – I too was surprised by my enjoyment of this book, so much in fact that after the read – I rented the movie and really enjoyed that as well. Vanessa Hudgens and Alex Pettyfer do an amazing job together and it just made me fall more in love with this modern day retelling of Beauty and The Beast.
You may recall that I read and reviewed Cloaked, also by this author. Alex Flinn has a way with putting a pretty interesting twist on the fairy tales of our past, and I enjoyed the modern day recap.
Anthony Bourdain, the star of the series No reservations on the Travel Channel, and the author of Kitchen Confidential now releases his sharp tongue, never apologizing ways in this new collection about the chefs in the industry, the economy, the best places to find a good burger… it reads like we are sitting and talking about cooking and food…. Anthony Bourdain flies from topic to topic, while occasionally hard to follow – it almost always is interesting.
If you have seen his show, you pretty much know what you are in for. At least… I thought I did.
Here is a little sample (or two) of Bourdain’s show, No Reservations:
Anyway – you get the picture. Food is what Boudain does. And for the most part he does it well. This was also the draw for me to this audio, narrated by Anthony Bourdain himself.
I admit it. I like the tone of Anthony’s voice. He is level and matter of fact. he has a quick wit, a knack for sarcasm – and he tells it like it is. Even, when I necessarily do not need to know to that extent of “what it is”.
What do I mean by that? Well, while I do enjoy Anthony Bourdain’s show, No Reservations… I have come to realize that they clean his words up quite a bit. In this audio, there is none of this and you can plan on being encased in everything that is on Anthony’s mind and without any sensors, all of this will come right out of his mouth. You will hear the “F” word… frequently. You will hear pretty much every other word as well.
So why, a person that usually avoids such books and audio, why would I put myself through this?
Honestly… I like to hear about the food behind Anthony’s language. If you can filter (and you will need a heavy-duty one at that) through that, the audio is quite interesting.
I enjoyed hearing how the economy changed the look and feel of some of New Yorks higher class restaurants forever – and even possibly for the better. Anthony shares that while some restaurants may no longer be able to afford to serve the salmon they once did, they have found ways to serve delicious lesser priced fish just as well. In some cases – they are thrilled to do so as chefs have known that some of the fish that normally would not grace their menu, is actually very good – and the economy has given them the opportunity to show this.
I also learned – that the economy has made the classy restaurants friendlier. There was a time you would be snubbed for walking up to a high-class eatery without a reservation. If you called to get a reservation without weeks and weeks notice, you would practically be hung up on. These days are gone. People are now encouraged to come in anytime. The phone service has greatly improved and the wait staff is considerably friendlier. Well – yay for all of that. 😛
I also enjoyed hearing about other big named chefs. Bourdain is not easy on any of them. He takes no prisoners. Some he admires. More, he does not, and he is not shy to tell you why. Names are tossed on the chopping block. He even goes into detail about his time as a judge on Top Chef. Bourdain will share, occasionally at great lengths about the importance of the great chefs actually being at their restaurants – actually cooking meals instead of relying on their name alone to get people in the door.
The chapter talking of the great detail that chefs go to prepare the fish for our meals – astounded me. I had never thought about what the big name restaurant may pay for a pound of fish and that would be including – head, innards, scales etc… much of which they paid for is thrown away in the cleaning process and they pay a very talented chef with a knife to do just that long before we ever see it on our plate.
At times I applauded Anthony Bourdains’ boldness. At other times I cringed at his references, language and crudeness. I am well aware that some of what make me cringe… are part of what has made him the success he is today.
The over all thing I have to admit here is that despite his great flaws…. I like him.
This review is linked to Beth Fish Reads Weekend Cooking. Pop on over and see what others are cooking or reading about food this weekend!
In the beginning…. it was The Dursley’s at the (now famous) address of Four Pivet Drive, also the opening line to the book. The Dursley’s kept to themselves, not liking anything out of the ordinary – but that was about to change.
One day… a very odd day filled with strangely cloaked persons and owls everywhere…. a package arrives on the doorstep of the Dursleys…
a baby actually. A baby called Harry Potter.
Certainly by now you know the story. Harry is raised by his Aunt and Uncle – if you can call living under the stairs, not being acknowledged, and pretty much treated worse than a house mouse, being raised.
Until one day – a visitor comes. A large visitor and it is suddenly like Harry won the lottery. He is taken to a school for wizards – wizards!!! And this is really where Harry’s story takes flight. With his new friends Ron and Hermione… who knew that Harry Potter would become a household name – and that this amazing book, about an orphaned boy with a scar was only the beginning…
I have looked for a hard covered version of this book for years. I could not find book one in hard cover! Then, this past May in New York, I not only found it at the Harry Potter Exhibit, I found it as the ten-year anniversary edition. SSSQQUUUEEEEEEE!!!!!
SO this week – the week before the final movie release and an end, really, to an era. I had to dive into Harry’s world once again.
It wasn’t me who grew up on these books… it was my kids. But really… I think in a way, I did too. These books became as important to me, as they did my two sons. We read them together…. three copies of each as they came out. Three readers, noses buried deep into a fantasy world of magic, friendships, dark forces, and a school that makes all of this
Snape, as J K Rowling always saw him. This was scribbled back in 1992 or 3. Although J K spent years denying that Snape is a vampire, even she admits now he looked a little like Count Dracula in the cloak.
happen.
*sigh* Is it no wonder I love these books so much?
Now I know many die-hard Harry Potter fans were reading either the entire series on preparation for the final movie, or the last book, or the 6th and 7th book again. My goal was to read the first, (this one) and the last.
Why?
Because when something is ending… I like to remember the beginning. Reading Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone was going back to Privet Drive, before Harry had any idea he was a wizard, back to when Hogwarts was exciting and new, and school friends were the best thing in the world.
I had a blast remembering Harry’s first classes, how at first he and Ron found Hermione annoying and bossy (you may remember the fight in this first book where Hermione overheard Ron talking about how annoying she was…. ). This led to the whole troll in the castle chapter where we who have been through this book (and/or the movie) will always be able to recall the term “troll boogers”.
Pretty much from that point on – the three were friends for life.
Reading this book prior to seeing the final installation of The Deathly Hallows really opened up a bigger picture for me. It was hard to look at the screen as Hogwarts was no longer the beautiful and magical school it was under Dumbledore’s reign…. instead it lays in near ruins not only under poor management, but also being destroyed under the death eaters watch.
It is also pretty amazing to look at these three characters that in this book are all new to the joys of the magical world… and see them in the final movie as hardened young adults facing their destiny head on. Times… they have changed….
I think the biggest thing to remember about Harry Potter and The Sorcerer’s Stone is that it was and always will be… the beginning of something that changed the world as we knew it. It changed the way we read books and it really in all truth, set the bar high for future such reads. I myself can think of a couple of series that made valiant efforts to touch the greatness of Potter and ultimately failed. In truth, I am not sure if anything can ever touch this level of world-changing reading and writing again.
I for one, would love to read a fantasy book that even comes close to the phenomenon that is Harry Potter.
When Madeline Stone walks away from Chicago and moves five hundred miles north to the coast of Lake Superior, in Michigan’s Upper Peninsula, she isn’t prepared for how much her life will change.
Charged with caring for an aging family friend, Madeline finds herself in the middle of beautiful nowhere with Gladys and Arbutus, two octogenarian sisters-one sharp and stubborn, the other sweeter than sunshine. As Madeline begins to experience the ways of the small, tight-knit town, she is drawn into the lives and dramas of its residents. It’s a place where times are tough and debts run deep, but friendship, community, and compassion run deeper. As the story hurdles along-featuring a lost child, a dashed love, a car accident, a wedding, a fire, and a romantic reunion-Gladys, Arbutus, and the rest of the town teach Madeline more about life, love, and goodwill than she’s learned in a lifetime.
Lake Superior is the largest of the five traditionally-demarcated Great Lakes of North America. It is bounded to the north by the Canadian province of Ontario and the U.S. state of Minnesota, and to the south by the U.S. states of Wisconsin and Michigan. It is the largest freshwater lake in the world by surface area if Lake Huron and Lake Michigan are considered to be two lakes. It is the world's third-largest freshwater lake by volume. ~ Wikepedia
Living in an area of Minnesota where Lake Superior is a regular sight when we travel north to our cabin, the title of this book caught my attention.
I have always liked the story line of a person being uprooted from their “comfort zone” and placed into a new life. This is the story of Madeline and her return to where she was born that leads to life lessons that she never could have anticipated.
Madeline’s new life is not without difficulties and I enjoyed her trying to find her niche while she still struggled with the lifestyle she came from and where she now was. While it takes awhile for her to literally WARM UP to her surroundings, the town needs to warm up to her too. (I was picking up a bit of a Renee Zellweger vibe from the movie “New In Town“.
The book is pretty paced, not too slow but not a fast page turner either. I enjoyed the book as a lite summer read that was enjoyed from my lawn chair on the back deck with a never-ending pitcher of iced tea.
On her wedding day, Irene Marsh sits in the bride’s room asking her best friend Valerie to go and get the car and help her escape. And if Valerie doesn’t want to help, Irene understands; she says can take a bus home. On the night before his wedding, John Marsh sits in a bar with his best friend who asks a nervous John to recall why he’s marrying Irene, in an effort to calm him down. John says: “Because she doesn’t wear make-up?” This marriage ends in divorce. No surprise there, not even to Irene and John. In fact they would both agree the only good thing that happened during their marriage was their daughter Sadie.
Now at age 18, Sadie is living with her mother and feels smothered by Irene’s over bearing need to control everything that involves Sadie, and John while still playing the role of the good father, lives back in Minnesota and seems distant and unavailable when Sadie needs him.
When tragedy strikes, hitting the core of what Irene and John held dearest, the once couple is brought back together to support one another while they try to support their daughter as well.
Irene and Sadie live in a three-flat. A three-flat is a three-story walk up apartment building in which each dwelling unit occupies one story and all share a common main entrance.
As I continue my way through the works of Elizabeth Berg I found myself with her newest release, Once Upon A Time There was You. I felt almost from the beginning that this book was going to be predictable. A few pages in, I felt as though I knew how it would all end and with a resigned sigh, I proceeded deeper into the book.
It made me, and hopefully you as well, happy to know I was wrong.
Irene was not a strong woman. She was self-conscious about her body, her age, and the fact that her daughter soon would go off to college and she would be alone. Irene dated yes, but never really connected with anyone. Even her best friend Valerie said that Irene was restless… never satisfied with just staying put.
“It’s like you’re all the time digging in the tomato bin, saying, ‘Where are the apples?'”
~ Valerie to Irene page 276
And John was actually the more likable of the once couple. He was calm, patient, and thought before he spoke, unlike Irene who’s every emotion ran right out her mouth.
Really though, this book centers around Sadie and Sadie’s “happening” is the plot of this book, and I have to say, a weak plot at that. What happened to Sadie could have been quite a powerful story line. In fact when it was happening I was thinking whoa…. this is going to really be explosive of how the book moves forward.
But…
it wasn’t.
And so the book moves on from this point and I along with it, wondering what big thing would happen…. but alas, did not.
As I turned the last page (actually I really did turn the last page because I did not realize it was the last page…) I do not know if I had a full sense of closure. Yes, most of the story was brought full circle, but in the end… it felt…. incomplete to me.
Book Journey 