Book Review - Tracy McMillan's Multiple Listings

Thank You to Gallery Books for providing me with an advanced copy of Tracy McMillan's novel, Multiple Listings, in exchange for an honest review.

PLOT- With her father in prison and raised by a neglectful mother, Nicki Daniels grew-up fast. On her own since her late-teens, Nicki has managed to conquer adulthood on many levels. She has a stable career and owns a home. She's also a single-mother, with a good son who is nearly seventeen. Nicki hasn't been so lucky in the love department, often falling for the wrong men. 

Nicki has met Jake, a younger man who has dreams of owning his own restaurant. He convinces Nicki to make two major financial investments; a restaurant and a new home. As soon as her money is committed, he freaks out and bails. Nicki is not just heartbroken, but left financially unstable.

When it rains it pours and to this end, as soon as Jake splits, Nicki has an unexpected houseguest appear on her doorstep. Ronnie is the father than she hasn't seen in seventeen years. He has been a constant source of disappointment and now, he is begging for a second chance and shelter. Should Nicki allow him back into her life?

LIKE- McMillan's story is filled with strong and memorable characters. The central story involves the tension between Nicki, Ronnie, and Cody, Nicki's son. Nicki has refused all of her father's communication from prison and has barred him from not only her, but her son's life. The compelling drama stems from the regret that both Nicki and Ronnie feel for the ways that they've hurt each other. It's heart breaking, because Ronnie's past behavior has shattered Nicki, and even though he has put his life back together, he still has to face the consequences of his past actions. He can clearly see how his absence has affected her view of men. It's not a pretty picture. Nicki is thrown into further turmoil, when she realizes that Cody wants a relationship with his grandfather and as he is nearly an adult, she can't stop it. This is a story of healing, patience, and learning to take baby-steps towards forgiveness. 

There is plenty of humor in McMillan's writing to keep it light. I enjoyed the addition of Peaches, Nicki's high school friend. Peaches is the outlandish, crazy friend that every woman needs. She's a good contrast to serious Nicki. Although Peaches is a secondary character, she steals the show when she's on the page. 

DISLIKE- I'm not sure if this is a true dislike or negative, but the story read a little like a Hallmark Hall of Fame or Lifetime movie. It's more sweet and predictable, than it is edgy, given the themes. The loose ends are neatly tied up with a ribbon. That said, sometimes I need these types of books in my reading rotation. 

RECOMMEND- Maybe. If you enjoy family dramas with a chick-lit vibe, then Multiple Listings might be for you. I enjoyed McMillan's story, but when compared to other books that I've read recently, it's not memorable. 

Booksparks 2014 Summer Reading Challenge - Colleen Oakes' Elly in Love

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Elly Jordan's has a lot of things going right in her life. She has recently started dating an amazing man, she has just found out that she has a younger brother and she has been selected to be the florist for a celebrity wedding on a reality show, which will give her business a huge amount of exposure. Naturally, when things seem to be going right, everything starts to fall apart. 

I experienced a book first with Colleen Oakes' novel, Elly in Love. I read the second book in the series, without having read the first. Actually, I had no idea that this book was part of a series, until I hit the end and found out that the next adventure for Elly was coming soon. I'm really particular about reading things in order, however, this being an accident, I can honestly say that it didn't matter that I hadn't read the first Elly book, Elly in Bloom. Elly in Love stands on its own. 

There is a lot to like about this romantic comedy. Elly is an every-woman type of character, much like the appeal of Bridget Jones. She's a bit goofy and clueless, but she has a good heart and it's easy to root for her. I liked that she was a little star-struck with being chosen to participate in a reality show and then even a little more in awe when the celebrity turns out to be a Lindsay Lohan type of train wreck. The story went directions that I wasn't quite anticipating and had good resolutions. I was entertained. I can easily see this story being turned into a Hallmark Channel movie. It's sweet and endearing.

There were a few things that didn't work for me. Occasionally, Ellie was very cutting in her dialogue and it felt out of character. I get that she isn't perfect, but she had moments where she was mean and I didn't like it. I didn't quite get the character of Keith, her boyfriend, until the very last chapter. I didn't understand why she liked him so much, I didn't see it in the story. There was one style choice that Oakes used that could have worked, but fell flat. All of the characters had names, except for a teenage assistant in the flower shop, who was referred to as "Snarky Teenager." This character and her relationship to Elly undergo a major transformation and I felt that by the end of the story, we deserved to have her real name. She was a rounded character and she needed a name. The device of "Snarky Teenager" may have worked at the start of the story, but it overstayed its welcome.

Would I read the other Elly novels?

Maybe.

Oakes is a solid writer and I really liked that character of Elly. I might buy the other stories for a vacation read or a chick-lit pick-me-up. I enjoyed this book, but not enough to immediately rush out and read more Elly stories. I would recommend it for someone in search of a sentimental, romantic comedy. 

Book Review- Diane Hammond's Hannah's Dream

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 Diane Hammond's novel, Hannah's Dream, can best be described as sweet. Not Saccharine or cloyingly sweet, but more like honey in a hot cup of tea. It very much makes me think of a Hallmark Hall of Fame movie. It's a little cliche, with the good guys and bad guys clearly delineated, has problems that are neatly resolved and characters that learn their lessons in a gentle manner. 

The book isn't particularly well written, but that doesn't mean that I didn't enjoy it. I don't think that writing comes naturally to Hammond. She often tells what the character is feeling, rather than let the feelings be revealed through actions or dialogue. Everything you need to know about the characters is spelled out in an obvious manner, including their motives. The dialogue is often clunky and unnatural, with unnecessary scenes and conversations that are drawn out. At times, it made for a tedious read.

That said, Hammond, is masterful at creating likable characters in situations that pull at the heart strings. It's a very sentimental, tear jerking read. Hammond strikes a good balance, as I never felt like the emotions that she was trying to elicit from me were forced. The story is just so darn sweet, that it's easy to forgive it's sentimentality and flaws. 

This is a great read for animal lovers, as the story centers around an aging elephant named Hannah and the humans that love her and are struggling to make her life better. In addition to being an author,  Hammond was a media liaison for Keiko, the killer whale make famous by the Free Willy movies. Hammond's love and interest in animals is clear from reading this story and is probably a huge factor in what made it a compelling read. 

 It's a story about faith, humanity and intentions. Sometimes it's just nice to read a sweet, uplifting story about nice people, doing kind things

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