Friday, August 16, 2013

Welcome to Last Chance

Title: WELCOME TO LAST CHANCE
Author: Cathleen Armstrong
Publisher: Revell
August 2013
ISBN: 978-0800722463
Genre: Contemporary romance

The red warning light on her car dashboard drove Lainie Davis to seek help in the tiny town of Last Chance, New Mexico. But as she encounters the people who make Last Chance their home, it's her heart that is flashing bright red warning lights. These people are entirely too nice, too accommodating, and too interested in her personal life for Lainie's comfort--especially since she's on the run and hoping to slip away unnoticed.

Yet in spite of herself, Lainie finds that she is increasingly drawn in to the dramas of small town life. An old church lady who always has room for a stranger. A handsome bartender with a secret life. A single mom running her diner and worrying over her teenage son. Could Lainie actually make a life in this little hick town? Or will the past catch up to her even here in the middle of nowhere?

WELCOME TO LAST CHANCE is Ms. Armstrong’s debut novel and the first in the A Place to Call Home series. It is very well written, but there is no “wow factor.” Nothing that makes you want to keep reading. Lainie is angry. Kicked out when she was fourteen, a hard life, lots of bad choices, she’s running from an abusive drug dealing boyfriend, with a backpack full of drugs. When her car breaks down in front of a bar in last chance, we’re introduced to our hero. A bartender. Okay, as a very conservative Christian my brows shot up. Then when she asked for a beer, I double checked to make sure this was published by Revell.

Okay, there are a lot of good church ladies (some not so good) that are prepared to love the sin right out of a person, so this turned out to be a good read. I learned a lot from the waitress with a rebellious son who responded with love and a firm hand. What a woman.


And Ray. Well, I would’ve liked to have gotten deeper into his character, but what I read, what I saw, I liked. I will read more by Ms. Armstrong. 4 stars. $13.99. 288 pages

1 comment:

Judy said...

Thanks for your review Laura. This sounds like a book I would love to read.

Blessings!
Judy B

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