Saturday, August 11, 2007

Starting Out Sideways by Mary E. Mitchell


Starting Out Sideways by Mary E. Mitchell

St. Martin’s Press, May 2007

Roseanna Plow figures she has a pretty good life. She lives on Long Island in a small apartment with her husband, she has a good career as a job counsellor for the developmentally challenged and she’s close to her mother. In proximity, that is. Her mother is only slightly meddling and, while she dresses like Donna Reed, she sounds like a drill seargant.

It turns out that Roseanna’s husband isn’t so wonderful and he’s decided to move in with her best friend. Her mother’s way of fixing things is to set Roseanna up with the manager of the local grocery store. Ham, who’s real name is Mickey Hamilton, used to be a butcher and, to Roseanna, he’s a little dull, even if he does have a cute butt.

Roseanna strives to find her way back to normal, all the while dealing with her soon-to-be ex-husband and her ex-best friend buying a house, her clients dealing with life’s challenges in their own special ways, a new punk-looking best friend who’s only twenty-five and parents who aren’t who she thinks they are.

This is a touching and, often, hilarious look at life for an every day average woman who finds out she isn’t so average after all. While Roseanna finds out that things aren’t always what they seem the reader is reminded that blessing can be found everywhere, even in the smallest of things or moments.

I truly enjoyed this book. It was the perfect read to curl up under the covers with on the, unfortunately, rainy days we have had of late. It would be just as perfect on the beach. It was refreshing to read about a woman who had a normal job and life, who wasn’t trying to come up with crazy schemes but just wanted to continue on with her life and be happy. Written in contemporary chick-lit still Starting Out Sidways, is poignant and funny. A truly delightful find.

I give it 4.5 kisses, Review for Romance Divas

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posted by Michelle @ 10:48 p.m. Comments: 6