TWISTED CREEK

Author: Jodi Thomas ISBN: 9780425220818 4/2008 CONTEMPORARY Publisher: BERKLEY

Bad luck's been biting at Allie Daniel's heels all her life, so when she inherits a tiny cafe in a small Texas lake community she is sure there must be a catch. But Allie brings her grandmother along, and the cafe gives Nana a chance to do what she loves best—cook. As Allie settles in and tries to make the best of what surely must be a mistake in an old man's will, the people of the lake drop by. Lonely folk discover there's always a table available, with down-home food to warm the soul. An old maid, a shy young man, and a drifter who races the moon across the lake slowly become the family Allie never had. When trouble comes, Allie finds she's not alone anymore—and that sometimes, the only cure for bad luck is the courage to love.

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

TWISTED CREEK by Jodi Thomas is a tale of life, love, family and dreams—all lost, and found. I loved this story from the beginning, loved the first-person telling of the journey that brought Allie Daniels to a point in her life where she was faced with a decision—one that she knew could either turn out to be the best one of her life or yet another in a long string of unhappy ones. Fortunately, finding the courage to claim the café she’s been willed (by accident, she’s certain) sets her and her grandmother on a path that is, if nothing else, more colorful than most.

The café, lake and the inhabitants of Twisted Creek all make this story sing. The way this author uses words, painting images as vivid as any of Allie’s art, bring every bit of description solidly to life. Phrases stick in the reader’s mind long after the story has been read, bringing the details to life again.

Relationships in TWISTED CREEK take on weight. Allie and Nana feel love and respect that makes the reader’s heart swell, it’s that realistic and well written. Luke and Allie, and their deepening romance, are emotionally satisfying. This is a story that makes me believe that Allie and Nana have definitely come home when they claim the TWISTED CREEK legacy. I was glad to be privy to their homecoming, and would love to see what happens next for these characters who have stolen my heart.

Kay James