TALK OF THE TOWN

Author: Lisa Wingate ISBN: 9780764204906 2/2008 CONTEMPORARY Publisher: BETHANY HOUSE

The show American Megastar is the hottest thing on television but its associate producer, Mandalay Florentino, is worried. She's just arrived in the tiny town of Daily, Texas, to arrange a surprise "reunion concert" for hometown finalist Amber Amberson. Only it turns out everyone in town seems to know the secret. And paparazzi are arriving. Word from Hollywood is that Amber has disappeared with a "bad boy" actor. Can anything go right in this tumbleweed town? Imagene Doll loves her town of Daily, Texas, but things are lonely without her beloved husband. Life seems dull. At least until that fancy-dressed woman pulls into town, looking terrified and glamorous all at once. Soon life's not the least bit boring as Imagene and the rest of Daily find themselves at the center of a media maelstrom—with a young girl's future on the line.

RRAH's THOUGHTS AND PONDERINGS:

TALK OF THE TOWN by Lisa Wingate is a smart, intuitive read that highlights the best of small-town living. It drops us into the lives of some realistic, yet quirky, characters and lets the reader see that there is more heart in this small town than in many big cities. This is a feel-good story with a hint of the divine, one that is a pleasure to read.

Daily, Texas is like so many of those tiny little towns that are scattered across America. Everybody knows everyone else. Too, they know everybody's business. There are practically no secrets in a place like Daily, a fact Mandalay Florentino learns when she arrives there to produce a piece on Amber Anderson, the tiny town's newest almost-celebrity.

Mandalay is at a point in her life where she's questioning how things are going for her. While her job title sounds swell, it is less than glamorous. In fact, her job is hard work. She had envisioned herself uncovering all sorts of shady schemes and almost single-handedly saving the world by this point, but she's spotlighting Amber Anderson instead. Hardly what Mandalay had in mind. Too, she's engaged and planning to be a June bride, but that, too, has her unsettled. In short, she's due to re-evaluate her circumstances. Her trip to Daily brings that evaluation to the forefront.

TALK OF THE TOWN is a great read. It has a down-home flavor that is engaging and welcoming. I felt like a part of Daily the entire book through. I became involved with the characters, especially Cooper, who is a dream. Mandalay's best friend Paula is the type of friend every woman should have at least one of. And Daily, the town itself, is so interesting it feels like a character in its own right.

All in all, there's nothing not to love about this book! Fun, romantic and heartwarming, TALK OF THE TOWN is a pleasure trip!

Kay James