Driving Lessons is reminiscent of Jan Karon’s Mitford series. It’s about a small town where most of the residents know each other, no one is overtly mean, and there’s a great sense of community. Most of all, there are lessons to be learned.

Charlene Darnell’s husband, Joey, calls one evening and tells her he will not be returning home. Ever. With three kids and no job, Charlene has to figure out what to do now.

This story could easily have been entitled “Life Lessons.” While Charlene came across as a little weak and a lot whiny at first, once she got past her immediate reactions to her situation she was a much more likable character. After imagining what I would do if my husband left me after 20-something years of marriage, I cut her a little slack. Some of us imagine that when we get to our mid-40s, we’ll know who we are. Charlene’s an illustration that sometimes you have to rediscover yourself later in life. She had always been everyone else’s caretaker; now she has to figure out how to take care of herself.

There are many viewpoints in this book, another reason that Life Lessons might have been an appropriate title. Everyone has something to learn. Joey has to come to terms with himself. Charlene’s oldest son, Larry Joe, has reached a crossroads as he turns 18. Mason MacCoy, who has loved Charlene since he met her, has to take his chance with her. And Charlene’s brother and father must make peace with each other.

There are some terrific scenes in the beauty shop where Charlene goes to work as a nail technician. The friendships she develops with her co-workers and the purpose her job gives her round her out nicely. Other favorite scenes included Charlene’s dad and her mother’s ghost. These were very sweet – her mother must have been a wise woman. Typical signs of small town life included a competition between Charlene’s father and his neighbor, and another neighbor who spied on everyone and stole her dad’s roses to figure out why they bloomed so well.

I did have a few quibbles, the main one being the dialogue. Regional dialect can blend in and enhance a story, but in this case, it became something I had to interpret, which removed me from the narrative flow. Although the author is from Oklahoma, where Driving Lessons takes place, the dialect, while undoubtedly accurate, proved a distraction.

The review format doesn’t allow room to mention all of the little things that added to the atmosphere and my enjoyment of this book. But trust me; they’re there. For a novel with a slow pace, the author manages to draw in the reader. Matlock excels with descriptions, particularly at mealtime. I got hungry a few times just reading about the dinners Charlene prepared.

This is my first novel by Curtiss Ann Matlock, and I’m interested in reading any of her future books. If this is also your first book by Matlock, be aware that Lost Highways is about Charlene’s sister Rainey.