If you enjoy stories about everyday people dealing with realistic problems, then you are sure to enjoy The Bentleys Buy a Buick. This is the type of book that sneaks up on you with the quiet goodness of the characters, the credible conflict, and a heartwarming ending reaffirming the staying power of love. Of course, that love works best when paired with excellent communication skills, as our couple rediscovers.

Erica is excited about her reentry into the workforce after a six year hiatus. Her son, now six years old, is in first grade. She and her husband, Tom have worked out a viable plan for afterschool care, allowing her to return to her former position as a Registered Health Information Technician. They plan to use her salary for household expenses, and put more money into her husband’s business, Bentley’s Classic Car Care. While Erica’s skills have declined, she knows that with a little time, she will be back up to speed. Fitting in with her diverse group of co-workers will require a little more effort. Not that they are a bad group, but there are definitely undercurrents of gossip and innuendo. Still, she’s glad to have adult company again.

Stopping to help Erica after her car broke down was one of the single most significant actions of Tom’s life. He can’t believe how lucky he is to be married to the woman of his dreams and having a family, especially after a childhood of being pulled from place to place by his addict mother. The downside of having his own business is dealing with his employees’ issues. Hector is a binge drinker, and takes off for weeks at a time; Gus is temperamental and at times lazy; and Cliff, his oldest friend, takes advantage of their friendship, trying both his patience and loyalty. Still, he is doing what he loves best and how many people get the chance to repair a classic like a 1956 Buick?

As Tom spends more time getting the Buick ready to sell, he is hit with employee problems, necessitating a lot of overtime which causes Erica to remember the conversation her co-workers had about clues to a cheating spouse. Not that Tom would, but why is he so secretive right now? Of course, she has her own small secret, too.

It is very refreshing to read a book where the heroine and hero have to deal with financial issues that most couples face. It is not that they are poor, but they are making sacrifices for their future and watching pennies. They decide that it makes more sense for Erica to take the bus to and from work, and have Tom pick up their son after school and keep him at the shop until Erica gets off work, thus eliminating the need for a second car and childcare. Their house, furniture, and car are all old. They have a charming game called future view, where they visualize themselves in the future, where their financial outlook is more healthy. It reminds them of their dreams, and keeps them on track. Don’t make the mistake of thinking that all this penny pinching is depressing because it is not. It is handled in a matter of fact way.

I loved the characters, especially Tom. While he falls in love and becomes a little obsessed with the Buick, he doesn’t lose sight of the big picture. And while Erica is close to perfect, her insecurities keep her real. She does something toward the end that I can’t imagine ever doing, but it is very humorous. Just thinking of the scene makes me laugh. Their son Quint is just plain appealing with his love of big words. My only minor complaint is that I found Erica’s mother stereotypical, and her scenes dragged a bit for me.

The author successfully integrates so many pertinent and current issues such as the harmful aspects of gossip, stay at home moms going back to work, loyalty conflicts between friends and family,and family dysfunction. If I had to come up with a one word description for this book, it would be delightful.

For me, Pamela Morsi has made the successful change from historicals to contemporary. I hope that there are many more in her future. This book will appeal to her many readers. If you haven’t tried one of her books, then I can definitely recommend this one as an introduction to this talented author.