Spring Fever
I am not sure if I discovered Mary Kay Andrews from perusing the shelves in my local library or if it was because of this 2003 AAR review. After reading her first book, which was funny and romantic, I was astonished that I had never heard of her before. After reading all of her backlist, I was then disappointed in a couple of new releases and Andrews dropped off my radar. Last year’s reviews here had me trying her books again with great success.
Annajane Hudgens has managed to keep her best friend, Pokey Bayless, for thirty years even if she did divorce Pokey’s brother Mason. With Mason getting re-married and Annajane’s engagement, it is finally time for some much needed closure. Mason and Annajane’s relationship stayed intertwined way too long after the divorce because both work at Quixie, the family owned business and town’s largest employer. And then there’s their love for Sophie, Mason’s daughter from a one night stand after he and Annajane separated.
Normally Annajane would be far away – maybe even packing for her move to Atlanta – instead of sitting in the pew of Church of the Good Shepherd watching her ex-husband remarry. But Sophie made her promise to attend, refusing to be the flower girl until Annajane agreed to come.
Dressed to the nines in her gorgeous vintage dress and sedated with a stiff drink of Quixie and bourbon, Annajane thinks she is prepared for this. However, Mason’s “deer in the headlights” look and desperate jaw twitching as Celia, his bride-to-be, walks down the aisle effectively shatters Annajane’s equilibrium along with her belief of being over him. Before she can do something foolish, Sophie becomes ill, decisively stopping the wedding. However, while Mason might not want to marry Celia, that doesn’t mean that Mason and Annajane have a chance of making it work again.
With the light breezy style of writing and deft characterization, my attention was engaged from the first chapter to the last. The strong friendship and history between the characters along with the backdrop of trying to save a regional business felt very appealing. Also, while some of the attributes of the characters might be exaggerated a tad, they still come across as real people, which makes a nice break from the quirky characters that tend to populate small town stories.
However, the book isn’t flawless. I found the conflict keeping Mason and Annajane apart weak. It’s one of those big misunderstandings that would have been easily resolved with a single conversation. Since their post-divorce relationship is surprisingly free of animosity, it is almost redundant. My biggest twinge of disquiet happens at the end with a surprising twist that allows one character to escape legal punishment and just leaves everything to karma.
While not as humorous as I remember her earlier books being, I am glad that I re-discovered Mary Kay Andrew’s books. This is a perfect beach read, if you enjoy a subtle romance, or if you don’t have a beach handy like me, then it is the perfect lazy afternoon read.
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I have a hard time changing up for spring.
One thing I have is a table runner in bright red – I will put in on a bed all in white – people think it’s a fancy bed sheet I have but for 10 bucks, it can be used on a mantle or on a shelf.
I do have seasonal (for lack of a better term) throw pillows. In fact, Bob said I wasn’t allowed to buy any more pillows. I tend to like them for a season and then I’m done.
Bright coloured towels in the bathroom – even little coloured soaps in the shape of birds eggs are cute to put out. I just took out my reindeer towels down although our white wreath is still hanging on the interior door.
I was at Home Depot today and they had Hydrangea bushes (huge) for like 16 dollars. That alone would do it ;)
Cindys
Jane, I like your ideas, and they shouldn’t cost that much.
Magdalen, I love forsythias, and had no idea you could get a bare branch to flower….will have to find someone with a bush!
Lee, swapping out some pictures is an interesting idea.
Thanks, everyone!
One good use of old calendars is to save particular pictures you like and frame those. If you have some old picture/diploma frames that you aren’t using, replace the picture/diploma with a spring-like picture or photo and stick that up on the wall. Or put those propped up on a fireplace, top of a bookshelf or on the kitchen counter.
Find a forsythia bush (yours, or a friend/neighbor — but someone generous & friendly because you’ll need permission), cut long stems/branches that are still bare. Put them in water and they should flower for you inside your house. (This rather assumes you’re someplace cold enough that forsythia hasn’t already bloomed, like here where I am!)
Well, I work at a shop that has been spring since mid-February. We sell things like ceramics, trays, knick-knacks, that sort of thing. So here are my suggestions:
-flowers, real or fake. my room was brightened considerably with a spray of artificial purple flowers (not certain of the variety, but certainly spring-like).
-spring placemats on your table. you can get some really pretty, colorful, and inexpensive placemats to brighten your table. (or a spring-y tablecloth, too)
-spring-colored candles, even if you don’t light them.
-spring-themed kitchen towels
Most of this involves buying things, which is too bad, but most of those things can be got for less than $10, I’d think. Good luck decorating!