by Rosina Lippi. (Published March 2009 by Berkley Publishing Group -- paperback -- 358 pages) Genre is contemporary Romance (man-woman).
When Julia Darrow's life in Chicago falls apart, she moves to small-town South Carolina and opens Cocoon, a shop specializing in antique linens. Five years later, her business is thriving; she's got a houseful of foster dogs; she has friendly, efficient, if quirky, employees and all the other Lambert Square shop owners to occupy her -- and she wears designer pajamas all day, every day.
John Dodge grew up an army brat, and he's still a rover. He makes a living moving around the country, fixing up small businesses on the brink of disaster. His newest venture takes him to South Carolina, where he's greeted by an odd sight; Julia Darrow, walking across Lambert Square, in pajamas.
Intrigued, Dodge asks Julia out to dinner, only to be refused. The townsfolk warn him that Julia is an unsolvable mystery, but Dodge likes mysteries, and he's really good at fixing things...
Who wouldn't want to work in their PJ's, LOL!
This was a perfectly paced story from page one. Smart and funny characters with flaws and pasts, you just love in spite of -- because of -- their humanness. Lippi knows exactly when to keep you guessing and how to make you laugh.
You have the impossible romance of Dodge, a claustrophobic, and Julia, an agoraphobic. It's nice to read about two people falling in love who have some baggage and a whole life lived before meeting each other. Lippi reveals the details of their past in delicious bits. And throughout an undercurrent of serious themes -- including death, racism, family betrayals -- the novel remains upbeat in tone.
Lippi's writing will sneak up and steal your heart you when you least expect it.
1 comment:
I've been meaning to read this ever since I won it in a contest Lynn Viehl held... *sigh* It's been on the TBR list for a while now. I'll have to bump it up a bit...
Post a Comment