Monday, May 21, 2007

Joyce Livingston's Invasion of the Widows Club ~ Reviewed


Invasion of the Widows Club
By Joyce Livingston
Published by Barbour Publishing
ISBN 978-1-59789-508-8

Nashville widows form a club, banding together for mutual support ... but will the group end before it even gets started?

Valentine Denay, a widow of several years, has found a new love in Robert Chase, but her feet—and her heart—seem to be rooted in the past. Will she ever find a way to move forward in love and life? Robert is a patient man, but will he ever get his Valentine to say "I do," or will they both miss this second chance at happiness?

When Diamond Jansen moves into Valentine's Nashville neighborhood, she's readily accepted into the Widow's Club. But soon peculiar events prompt Val to suspect all is not what it seems. Will Val solve the mystery before there's one less member of the club?

I loved Livingston's first book, The Widow's Club, so I was anxiously awaiting this one and didn't read the back cover before I dove in. The mystery and light suspense caught me by surprise—pleasantly so.

Val's nemesis from high school, Barbie Baxter, is back in force and up to her usual shenanigans. The secondary characters, Val's cul-de-sac friends, Reva and Sally, are also back, coping with the trials of widowhood and single-parenting. Their subplots enhance the main plot seamlessly.

The spiritual thread is well developed and happens naturally without intruding on the story, although I found Val to be a tad more forgiving than I might have been in the same situation. What situation, you might ask? Well, you'll have to pick up a copy and read it for yourself. No spoilers here.

The Invasion of the Widows Club is a fun read—perfect for an afternoon in the hammock with a tall glass of cold lemonade. Perchance is there a third Widow's Club in the future? I hope so. I haven't seen enough of Valentine and her friends.


Reviewed by Ane Mulligan

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