The Spindle Chair / Shellie Arnold / 300 pgs

The book was well-written and had a compelling story of a couple, Laurie and Pierce, who has to cope with a particularly hard miscarriage that almost took Laurie's life. Laurie becomes pregnant again, and her already distant husband, who is a pastor, becomes more distant as he deals with all the fear he has over the new pregnancy. Meanwhile, new memories of Pierce's life before he was adopted resurfaces, making an already tenuous relationship even more strained. So, the story is about some heavy marital issues, not so much about romance.

Nevertheless, it's a beautiful and hard story to read. I would recommend it with some tissues on hand.

Christmas Bliss/Mary Kay Andrews/294 pages/Christmas challenge

Weezie and BeBe are back in a fluffy Christmas tale. Weezie is getting married on Christmas Eve to Daniel, the chef at Guale. He is currently in New York working a guest chef at a trendy restaurant there, but he'll be back in time for the wedding. BeBe is nearly nine month's pregnant and trying to get a house ready for her and Harry to move into before the baby arrives. Weezie decides to go to New York and surprise Daniel. Will she be the one surprised? BeBe is surprised by news brought to her from a stranger. Will she be able to fix this problem before Harry finds out and the baby arrives?


I've never read MKA (as she calls herself.) I did hear her speak back last summer at the Spencer Road Branch Library. She was delightfully funny and slightly naughty. It would have been better to have more background on the two main characters, but the book was still what the doctor ordered after a hectic Christmas: mindless, happy fluff. I vaguely remember her describing her writing like a pina colada: easy to drink and leaving you wanting more.