{WWRW} The Avalon Ladies Scrapbooking Society

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Sometimes, I just pick up books in the library because they're within easy reach and while I'm eager for a good story, my ability to peruse at leisure is severely hindered by the babies I'm trying to keep from pulling out all the books.

So, a recent grab and go was The Avalon Ladies Scrapbooking Society. I'm not a scrapbooker, but the cover was pretty (judging by the cover, I know, I know) and it was in the new book section.

When I cracked it open, the first sentence I read was, "The goat was Connie's idea."  Ummm....who's Connie, did I miss something?  I usually like a little more lead up and character development than the bomb-drop approach. 

Once I got used to the author's style of starting a story somewhere near the middle and then filling back in, I started to get pulled in to the various vignettes.  Throughout the book, the reader moves between story lines of different characters who all, somehow, are tied into the scrapbooking club. 

For a busy person who is going to be setting the book down a lot, it can be a little confusing to keep everyone straight and to catch a few of the subtle ways that people are drawn together, but the book does develop a rich story line.  As the characters' lives are knit together through the course of the book, I found myself wondering what was going to happen with the adoption, how the society leader would work through her health problems, and how the lonely, sad widow would come out the other side of her grief and betrayal.  The book delves into individuals who have suffered infidelity, experienced poverty or loss of parents, have failing health and a variety of other true-to-life stories pieced together.  A few of the story lines seemed overly-contrived, but all-in-all, a decent story.

The ending might a little saccharine for some, but I do love when the good in individuals triumphs.  I never really made my peace with the home-wrecker, but I liked reading a book set in my area of the country, although it really could have been any small town. 

Now, check out what else Jessica is up to :)