Fall in love with this cozy story about two people from different worlds. Franny Martin is an Oklahoma farm girl who's preparing to spend the holidays alone...again. Then Charlie Landau shows up one day, all wealth and polish, and offers to buy Franny's farm. Franny has no money to speak of, but she is clever and spirited, and she's more than happy to sell the farm and move to the city. As Sinatra croons from the radio and Christmas descends upon her charming farm, Franny teaches Charlie the curious and sometimes comical ways of country life. In the process, they unearth some discoveries of the heart--that sometimes love comes when you're least ready for it. Will the holidays bring their most impossible dreams within reach?
Goodreads Summary
I love all the feelings that Christmas evokes, so the title and the cover
illustration made me excited about starting the book. I was disappointed
that the story didn’t have as much Christmas as I expected. Also - since
their quick friendship and romance takes place on Franny Martin’s Oklahoma
farm, more scenes between Franny and Charlie Landau might have added humor
to the story. It’s silly, but I also like to “learn” something from a
story…and I don’t know anything about farming or livestock. It would have
been great to hear more. Then too, Charlie’s family circumstances seemed
too much – the money, the brother’s problems, his mother just a memory,
his father such an impossibly demanding, controlling jerk…who changes so
abruptly in the end.
Now that my criticisms are out of the way, here are the story’s strengths
for me. I liked Franny; she talks to God, loves her hogs, loves music,
and hums Christmas Sinatra. It doesn’t make sense to admire fictional
characters, but so many - like Higman’s Franny – are forgiving, are
willing to see that really mean, crabby people might act that way for a
reason that we need to forgive and understand. Nearly impossible for me.
Also, I didn’t get much of a farming lesson, but Higman does supply a
history lesson. Franny sees the stoned radio station employee, other
memories of the sixties…and worse, the prejudice that exists in the big
city and in her small town. I was shocked to see Jim Crow still happening
in the 1960s!? Franny’s action on the tractor to defeat the prejudice is
great! When Noma befriends Franny, I loved Noma’s character: patience,
strength, and wisdom. The final justice that Charlie and Franny are able
to get for her adopted Uncle George made me cheer.
Three and a Half Stars
*Reviewed by Colleen*
Find this book:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
The Book Depository
This product or book may have been distributed for review, this in no way affects my opinions or reviews.
Posts
0 comments:
Post a Comment