book review: favorable conditions

When a devoted mom finds her nest empty and her life dull, she decides to take direction of her life and finds a few unexpected surprises along the way in Kathleen Kole's Favorable Conditions.

Six months after her divorce is final from the husband who needed space to grow and one day after her youngest child leaves for college, Pat makes a big change in her life. She buys a used bookstore in her town and gives it a new look and name before reopening it. Although this project is more than enough in her mind, she also unexpectedly finds another chance at romance when she runs into a handsome stranger.

Ultimately, the story is about second — third, fourth, however many — chances and finding the courage to take control of your life no matter your age.

Fast-paced and entertaining, Favorable Conditions carries Kathleen's signature humor and charm. The book was fun, which made it easy for me to keep turning the pages. I also found myself consistently smiling or laughing out loud based on the characters antics — even from the get-go when our main character has a few too many mixed drinks and recreates a memorable movie scene.

From the main to secondary, Kathleen writes characters well. She gives them fun quirks, shows their relationships and genuinely makes them enjoyable to follow. Having the story take place in a close-knit community, and many scenes in Pat's bookstore, there is never any doubt of having someone fun walk through the doors. Even Pat's cat Whiskey is well-developed (and very much like my own Mr. Bingley who read the book with me). I especially liked Travis and Gerry, the cute dog-owning property-selling couple next door. Their banter and teasing was fun and definitely added realism to the story.

In this book, we also see cameos from characters featured in her other books (for example a certain couple from Breaking Even debuts an addition to their family in one scene). I love it when authors create a new world where we get to see how people from the past are fairing in the present — even if it's a quick stop in the book shop.

Kathleen consistently creates fun portraits of people, and I look forward to reading whatever stories she comes up with next.

Check back tomorrow to read my review with Kathleen.

Rating: 4.5 of 5

Author Bio:
Born in Edmonton AB, Kathleen began storytelling in grade school.  She has many fond memories of passing summer afternoons, out on the swings in her backyard, creating tales that entertained her neighborhood friends.

When she finally decided to venture from her backyard, Kathleen pursued a career in storytelling.  She graduated from college with a Diploma in Radio and Television Arts and traveled the path of freelance writing for numerous local newspapers.

Many years later, too many to talk about without seeming rude and nosey, Kathleen has channeled her imagination to the pages of her novels.  She hopes that you enjoy her tales and encourages you to feel free to read her stories on the swing set in your own backyard.

Kathleen has traveled from Edmonton, to a new backyard with a lovely mountain view. She spends time there with her beloved husband, adored son and silly dog. They let her tell them stories and always laugh in all of the correct places. She’s lucky, and she knows it.

Connect with Kathleen:
http://kathleenkole.com/
Facebook
Twitter

Buy the Book:
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Smashwords






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