Thursday, August 5, 2010

Charlotte Figg Takes Over Paradise by Joyce Magnin Moccero


What do you do with your life when your husband of twenty six years falls over dead in the kitchen? Charlotte has a lot to find out about herself and how she might want to live after the controller in her life is gone.

I downloaded this book from Net Galley for review. It's published by Abingdon Press and will be available in September in trade paperback form. I appreciate the opportunity to read the book and comment on it.

With Herman dying on the second page, you're drawn into the book and wonder just where this story line is going. The author uses a good hook and her writing style keeps the story flowing gently.

This is a similar to a "cozy" novel, but the plot is a bit more complex. There is also a Christianity theme to the story that doesn't detract from the story. It actually all makes good sense since most of the characters are scarred in one way or another.

Charlotte's first big move was to sell her house and move to this cute little trailer she bought sight unseen. Then she sells her home and moves to the Paradise Trailer Park. She's all excited about her new little abode until she sees it. And finds out the park manager used a different photo...

This is a tale of folks who have been hurt in one form or another and have an unwillingness to trust again. They're good people, but cautious. I've known folks just like them. Watching them band together to fix up Charlotte's trailer and then create a woman's softball team with some prayers along the way was a good read.

There are twists and turns in the story, everyone seems to have secrets of some kind, and there's a death before the story ends. It'll keep your attention.

I also believe there will be more in this series. Charlotte has just begun to clean up Bright's Pond and Paradise Trailer Park and she has a fella who wants to take her out to dinner. I'd enjoy reading more of Charlotte's adventures.

1 comment:

Judy Christie said...

Can't wait to read "Charlotte Figg." Enjoyed "Prayers of Agnes Sparrow" so much!

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