Finished 6-26-10, rating 3.5/5, fiction, pub. 2010

Book 2 of the Happiness Key trilogy (Book 1)

Tracy owns a development in Florida that has small cottages for rent.  It it all she had left after her ex-husband went to jail and the government took every other asset they had.  She is just starting a new relationship when her ex is released from jail and shows up in town.  She shares a close friendship with the other women in the development.  Wanda, an outspoken waitress, loses her job and decides to start her own business making pies.  Janya wants to have a baby with her husband, but he is avoiding her to her great shame and frustration.  Alice and her granddaughter Olivia are a big draw to the newest resident, Dana and her daughter Lizzie.  Dana is secretive and the other women believe she may be on the run from the law.

These woman have an enviable bond.  They are obviously very different, in age, relationship, religion, and culture, and yet they all love and support each other.  This would be a good lesson for us all!  Not only are they the best of friends, but they are all neighbors.  I wish I could pick up all of my best friends and move them on my street.  What fun we would have. 

The driving forces of the book is the secret that Dana is keeping and the real reason CJ, Tracy’s ex, is back in town.  These storylines were what kept me interested.  I liked the women themselves too, but wish I had read the first book in the trilogy.  It wasn’t hard to keep everyone straight, but I may have been more engaged in the story if I knew where each of them was coming from.  I think because of that the first half of the book dragged a bit for me.  By the second half I was into it and more interested in what would happen.  This is why I don’t usually read series or trilogies out of order.

This was a fun read about the friendship women share.

The author sent me this book.  In case you missed it I did interview Emilie last year, here, and she was a delight 🙂