キャミー・タング著「戌年」連載小説 プロのドッグトレーナーであるマリ・ムトウは、厄年を迎えている。 犬小屋と訓練所の改築をしながら、いつも不服そうにしている家族と同居することになった。母と姉に言わせれば、犬の毛とよだれかけにまみれる仕事は、家族にとって恥ずべきものだという。彼女は元カレを説得し、数ヶ月間犬を預かってもらうことにした。しかし、彼の兄は、数週間前に彼女が誤って車に追突した、怒り狂ったセキュリティ専門家であることが判明する。 アシュウィン・ケイトウは十分な問題を抱えている。叔母が玄関先に現れ、同居を希望している。彼は彼女にすべてを借りているので、断ることができません。母親が家を出て行った後、ネルおばさんはアシュウィンと弟を引き取り、愛のあるキリスト教の家庭で育てた。しかも、弟のダスティもアパートを追い出され、居場所を求めている。しかし、彼は犬を飼っている。そして、その犬の飼い主は誰だと思いますか? しかし、旧友でオアフ島のノースショアでデイスパを経営する私立探偵のエディサ・ゲレロから依頼を受ける。マリの施設で奇妙な破壊行為があり、3年前に失踪したエディサの妹の財布を発見する。エディサはマリが危険な目に遭っているのではと心配する。警備の専門家であるアシュウィンがすでにマリを知っていることを知ったエディサは、忙しい若い女性を密かに監視することを彼に依頼する。 アシュウィンは、活発でのんびりとしたドッグトレーナーに不本意ながら惹かれていく。彼女は、幸せそうな母親を思い出させる。その母親の裏切りによって、彼は人と距離を置くようになったのだ。マリは、アシュウィンの冷たい外見を見抜き、彼が家族に忠実な男であることを認める。彼は、彼女のキャリア選択を批判するだけの母親や姉とは違う。 マリのバラバラな家庭とアシュウィンのバラバラな家庭の中で、過去を隠そうとする人たちから、彼らの周りに危険が迫ってくるようになる。彼らは、影で動く秘密に光を当てることができるのか? 過去に発表されたパートへのリンクはこちら。 *** 第8章 - 恐ろしくも真っ白な不動産書類 『みんな仲良くできないのかな?』 マリは無用に力を込めて箱に本を投げ入れた。最近、なぜ彼女は人生の中で全員と言い争いをしているのだろう?もしかすると、これは本当に悪いアイデア
GEORGIA ON HER MIND by Rachel Hauck
From the back cover:
HOW DO YOU EMCEE YOUR CLASS REUNION WHEN YOUR LIFE IS ON A TILT-A-WHIRL?
Until 10:30 a.m., Monday, February 6, Macy Moore was Miss Most Likely To Succeed, a corporate executive on the fast track, with a marriage-material boyfriend and a cool city condo. By noon she was as good as fired…and dumped. How in the world could she go home to Beauty, Georgia, now?
Thank goodness for the Single Saved Sisters. With loyal friends Lucy, Adriane and Tamara by her side, Macy retreated to the House of Joe for coffee, consolation and consultation. Could they help her put her life back on the right path?
Camy here:
This is such a fun book! It starts off on possibly the worst day of Macy's life, and the heroine's sassy humor kept me riveted to the page.
I really like how the author addresses the struggles of single women in the corporate sphere--not in a glamorous New York or Los Angeles job, but in a decent company in bustling Atlanta, Georgia.
Many Christian romances are about women in more rural towns with jobs in smaller businesses, and as a woman who worked in a corporate arena, I have a hard time relating to the kinds of lifestyle and career conflicts they have.
In this book, I completely understood the dilemmas and stresses Macy went through. Corporate backbiting, downsizing confusion, inept managers, and most importantly, the lure of the corporate paycheck. As a single woman without dependents, this is can become a serious temptation and can influence lifestyle changes that might not be for the better. I know, because I've struggled with it.
Macy's also in her early thirties, so her concerns aren't the same as a fresh-faced ingénue off to tackle Manhattan. While she still has the same struggles with her job and men as other singles, she has a more mature outlook and also other types of lifestyle issues that a younger woman wouldn't have to deal with--like older parents, established siblings and cousins, and the family expectations of an older woman that wouldn't necessarily be addressed in a younger one.
Macy's friends--the Single Saved Sisters--are cute, although their bantering is a little sweet for my taste. I loved how the author used their struggles and events in their lives to cause more problems--both internal and external--for Macy.
I didn't quite agree with everything Macy did, but I completely related to the kinds of problems she got into--or that she got herself into!
While I'm not from the South, I never felt alienated by the different culture--rather, it was very entertaining and enlightening. It wasn't as lavishly done as SAVANNAH FROM SAVANNAH by Denise Hildreth, but the Southern flair is rich and warm.
A light-hearted, engrossing read--once I picked it up, I just kept reading. I think that twenty- and thirty-somethings, whether single or married, will enjoy this book.
Comments
Don't take carbs away from a woman! LOL
Any way the struggle between her going home, and going big was great and a little tormenting, and I love how it ends.
I'm from The South, so I liked the Southern feel of Macy and her family.
And Dylan! He made my mouth water!
I found myself talking sarcastic to Macy's boss and the Tums poppin' guy.
Which means the author did great. . .or I need a padded cell, which ever way--loved it.
in my book it gets 4 stars