Paperback – ebook, audible, hard cover

March 3, 2020

by Melody Carlson (Author)

Paperback: 352 pages

Publisher: Revell

ISBN-13: 978-0800737238

Home is the place to heal, right?

At least, that's what Dillon Michaels is hoping as she leaves her disappointing career and nonstarter love life behind to help her grieving and aging grandfather on his small Oregon farm. The only problem? Her eccentric mother beat her there and has taken over Dillon's old room. After a few nights sleeping on a sagging sofa, Dillon is ready to give up, until she receives an unlikely gift--her grandfather's run-down vintage camp trailer, which she quickly resolves to restore with the help of Jordan Atwood, the handsome owner of the local hardware store.

But just when things are finally beginning to run smoothly, Dillon's noncommittal ex-boyfriend shows up with roses . . . and a ring.

Full of quirky characters, family drama, and sweet romance, The Happy Camper will have you scouring Craigslist for your own diamond-in-the-rough camper to restore and haunting your local hardware store for a handy guy to help your dreams come true.

My thoughts (LVH): THE HAPPY CAMPER is a whimsical tale by prolific author Melody Carlson and almost enough to make this non-camper want a camper. But unlike Dillion in the story, I don't have a small fortune to spend on restoring and decorating a vintage camper.

I'm not sure how I feel about the story. Dillion and her mother hardly try to get along. Margo (Mom) is lazy while Dillion is superwoman able to deep clean an entire farmhouse in a single morning and spend the afternoon cleaning a green house and planting a garden. And then both Dillion and Jordan are immature, pitting other people into the relationship triangle and then sulking... and then resolving it way too fast. Not to mention, the story is told, not shown.

Still, Ms. Carlson is a fan-favorite with avid collectors of her books. And with camping season approaching, this would be just the book to put you in the mood--or to enjoy it from the safety of home.

I was given a copy free. All opinions are my own.