The Goddess of Fried Okra (Center Point Premier Fiction

by Jean Brashear

Six-foot redhead Eudora "Pea" O'Brien, convenience store professional, sets off from Austin with everything she owns in a beat-up car, searching, on the advice of a psychic, for the reincarnated soul of the sister who raised her. When Sister was alive was the last time Pea felt safe and whole, and now she yearns for family and a place to call home. She travels the back roads of Texas, alert for signs to lead her to Sister while passing the time reading roadside historical markers. Along the way, she rescues a starving kitten and a pregnant teenager, takes on a con man trying to go straight, and meets a gun dealer named Glory who introduces Pea to sword-wielding goddesses. Glory and her nemesis, Lorena, a grandmotherly cafe owner, and the "goddesses" become Pea's unlikely gurus as she seeks to master both swordplay and the art of perfect fried okra on her way to finding both her own strengths and her place in the world.

Genres: Fiction, Humor, Chick Lit, Southern, Contemporary, Ebooks, Romance

381 pages, Library Binding

First published March 17, 2010

About the author

A letter to Rod Stewart resulting in a Cinderella birthday for her daughter sowed the seeds of New York Times and USAToday bestselling author Jean Brashear's writing career. A lifelong avid reader, at the age of forty-five with no experience and no training, she decided to see if she could write a book. It was a wild leap that turned her whole life upside down, but she would tell you that though she's never been more terrified, she's never felt more exhilarated or more alive. She's an ardent proponent of not putting off your dreams until that elusive 'someday'—take that leap now.

Over fifty published novels later, the five-time RITA finalist and RTBookReviews Career Achievement Award winner has accumulated a whole passel of war stories to swap and loves nothing better than talking writing and books with readers and fellow writers.

And she'd still take that leap, war wounds and all.

Reviews

[Jennifer · Rating 1 out of 5]

Early Reviewer book. I can't even give it one star. A woman goes in search of her sister's reincarnation based on a recommendation from a psychic. Along the way she rescues; a kitten, a pregnant teen from an abusive boyfriend, picks up a con man who is hitchhiking, meets a woman who teaches her the use of the broadsword (?!), learns to cook in an old fashioned, small town diner, and finds peace. You should know that the finding peace and the total wrap up of all the various threads occurs in the last erm...5 pages or so of this 350 page book. The writing is choppy, the characters try too hard, and the story is just improbable. Parts of it could work on their own, but all together? Not so much.
This is the kind of book I would expect to find on a dime store shelf with a photo of a "Fabio" type hovering over a helpless yet buxom damsel. There's really no actual sex in this book, just talk of it, because this time the buxom damsel has sworn off men and attempts to not be helpless. Whatever.

[Jean Cogdell · Rating 3 out of 5]

I just downloaded this to my Kindle for free and was surprised how quickly I was into it. Since I live in and love Texas that was a big plus for this book. Then throw in adjectives like eccentric, vulnerable, and heroic well that was enough to get me started. The first 2 chapters enough to keep me going. I let you know what I think when I am finished.

[Helen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked that the book was set in central Texas, my stomping ground. But I was stopped by: “Pea is convinced she’ll find a sign leading her to the reincarnated soul of the sister…” I put the book down and walked away. Some of you may remember that my sister died this summer. I wasn’t ready to read this book.

The next day, I picked it back up and began to read.

There were a few times I cried and had to stop reading, but mostly I laughed and smiled and kept turning pages. Pea isn’t really trying to find her dead sister. She’s trying to find herself, to forgive herself for past mistakes, and to become the woman she is destined to be, the woman her sister would be proud of.

Pea is homeless and broke, yet she keeps picking up other souls who are as lost as she is. She pulls them into her life and takes responsibility for them. And when someone reaches out to her, she isn’t quite sure how to accept their help or their love. She’s on a journey that isn’t marked by miles, but by love.

And love is what defines us all.

I loved The Goddess of Fried Okra. I give it a Hel-Yeah!

[drey]

In this heartwarming tale of hope, Eudora "Pea" O'Brien is buried under her grief and guilt at her sister's death, and takes off on a road trip to find the reincarnation of her sister. She doesn't go very far when she rescues a young pregnant teenager from an abusive boyfriend, finds herself a kitten, and runs over a con artist... And then her car dies. Guess life has a way of interrupting plans, huh?

Jean Brashear's The Goddess of Fried Okra is one of those books that pulls you in and doesn't let go until you're done. The story is eclectic--mentions of Conan the Barbarian sit alongside Isis and Odin's wolves. And the characters are endearing. You find yourself rooting for Pea to look up and realize that she's found something better than what she was searching for--she's found a home.

[Tanya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Pea O'Brien starts her quest to find her sister and finds herself. She is a wacky and whimsical portrait of a woman who wants what most women want. To feel powerful amid powerlessness, to care for, and to be cared for. She has quite an adventure along the way.

[Terri · Rating 2 out of 5]

When I first opened this book, I wasn't sure why it began with a description of Mount Bonnell, Texas. Turns out each chapter starts with the text from a Texas roadside marker because the heroine stops at every such marker she sees along the highway. Eudora O'Brien goes on the road after a psychic tells her 1) she would find her family if she opened her heart and 2) New Mexico might be in her future. Eudora is convinced that she'll find her reincarnated Sister by traveling to New Mexico. She doesn't believe in reincarnation herself, but her sister did, so off she goes in her cantankerous eleven-year-old Toyota ( not on the recall list.) Eudora, or Pea (short for Sweetpea) picks up a kitten at her first stop along the road and rescues a young girl from an abusive boyfriend at the next. The teenager happens to be pregnant and not happy to be rescued. The kitten does not appear to be Sister reincarnated, but the baby might turn out to be. The trio pick up a hitchhiking con man along the way to round out the entourage. That all happens in the first 25 pages.
Surprise! the car breaks down. Maybe it was recalled after all. Of course it costs more to fix it than the Blue Book value on it, so Pea goes to work at a restaurant in Jewel, Texas. Before the car is fixed, all kinda dadgum things happen, but you'll have to read it yourself to find out what.
I was totally put off by Eudora's unbelievable naivete and gullibility as well as the piling on of coincidental encounters. Things did settle down after they reached Jewel, and there were some "jewels" of Eudora wisdom to contemplate, such as: "You should never, ever assume life won't slap you upside the head with a surprise or two you'd just as soon have passed on." and "Nothing good ever comes of sitting still in troubled times." Not my cup of tea.

[Dbs959 · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is one of those "good ol' girl" books that is more cute dialect than story. But it was okay. There were things I liked. For example, Brashear does a pretty clear job of providing physical descriptions of the other characters in the book, but of Pea (Eudora), we only know that she is tall and gangly, has a bush of red hair (up and down) and quite "a rack". But then I decided that since the book is mostly written in first person (I'll explain mostly in a moment), maybe that Pea doesn't really describe herself is a metaphor for her lack of self-knowledge or low self-esteem. On the other hand, a few times Brashear adds the voice of Valentine, (who I suppose you would call the "hero"). But why? She kind of outlines his story and his character but she never fully fleshes him out and---well, no spoiler---but what exactly is his role in the book? Was he necessary? It felt like she just thought she should stick a love interest in there. The fulcrum of the plot is that Pea becomes enamored with the powerful warrior women of Robert Howard, the creator of Conan the Barbarian---you remember Dark Agnes and Red Sonja? With the help of fictional Agnes and Sonja, and the "real" support of Lorena, Alex, Glory and other strong women, Pea finds her voice and her inner strength. So, it was okay and pretty unlikely---who the heck becomes a great cook in a couple of weeks---oh, Pea does because she learns to "believe in herself"---but it was okay---a quick 2 hour read.

[Michelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

Equal parts road trip about running away, and wake up call about when it's worth staying, this quiet slice of found-family love gets me right in the feels. Pea (short for Sweetpea, because everyone here has a nickname) sets off from Austin toward New Mexico, questing after her dearly departed sister's dreams. Too big-hearted to let any other down-on-their-luck stray come to a bad end, she picks up a carful of wanderers on the way, and they all have to decide whether it's worth making a go of it when the car breaks down in a small town backwater. This is the sort of story that gets relegated to the easily dismissed doldrums of "chick lit" because it's not about a chosen one or an elite military operative, but Brashear's deft gift with character molds what sounds like a Lifetime move of the week into something genuine and real. But hey, if you like a little military operative thrown in there, we also have an ex-Marine training Pea for a swordfighting tournament, which is exactly as much quirky fun as that sounds.

[Erin Clark · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book as part of the LibraryThing Early Reviewers program, and I'm so glad I did.

A couple of my favorite authors for Southern Lit are Fannie Flagg and Billie Letts, and I am now happy to add a third - Jean Brashear. I truly enjoyed this story of Pea (Eudora) striking out on her own in search of the soul of her reincarnated sister, but of course finding much more than that along the way. It's a funny, touching tale of a young woman afraid to put down roots for fear of being hurt again and how she overcomes this fear with the love of friends and a new 'family' that she collects on her travels. I just love the authors sense of humor and the way she can turn a simple sentence into something that makes me laugh out loud. I really, really enjoyed this book and I can honestly give it a two thumbs up. Highly recommended.

[Julie · Rating 5 out of 5]

One of the most moving and well written books about family I have read! Definitely 5 stars. About a woman named Pea who is on a car trip to try to find her reincarnated sister - and she has no idea what or where this might be. Along the way she picks up a few strays. A kitten, a pregnant teen, and a nice guy who happens to be a con artist.
When their car breaks down and is towed to the tiny town of Jewel, Texas, the story gets more and more involved; the different townspeople, and the good, bad and ugly of small town Texas.

This is the most heartfelt, heartwarming story you will find. It reminded me of the wonderful book "Where the Heart Is" by Billie Letts.

[Elliott · Rating 4 out of 5]

I happened to have the time to sit and just read this one pretty much right through today. I didn't always like all of the characters, but there were many moving moments and the characters were compelling. I thought the zaniness (Conan the Barbarian) was fun. sometimes the pacing was off (Eudora's week of waiting for a car part read more like a month). the message about how restorative our relationships can be, and how lovely it is when women support one another, had a lot of value. so glad I finally got around to reading this.

[Mikelle · Rating 4 out of 5]

As the book started out with a woman on a quest to find her reincarnated sister who picks up a stray cat, rescues a pregnant teen from an abusive boyfriend, and picks up a hitchhiking conman, I wasn't expecting to like it at all. Maybe it was my low expectations, but the narrator was funny, and I enjoyed this quick read.

[Judith Levis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've read 23 of Jean Brashear's books and she is the queen of kookie characters. She comes up with great story lines, impressive men and women and adds humor to her books. This book was highly unusual but there was a sweet message and hope at the end.

[Joyce · Rating 5 out of 5]

I found this book warm and strong for women. Maybe a bit Hallmark but there is nothing wrong with that. On to finish Kipling,,,,

[Jess · Rating 2 out of 5]

Read for book club. I really had to push through as it was simply not interesting and I did not care for the author's writing style.

[Clyde · Rating 3 out of 5]

good, esp. for YA....

[Kim · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute story about a women's travel across Texas trying to deal with the grief of losing her sister and the quirky people she meets along the way.

[Tanya Rippetoe]

I loved Pea and her band of strong women! Oh and...one con-man.

Tanya from Texas

[Laura Jean · Rating 5 out of 5]

Full of quirky colorful charming characters, I loved this story. It was just plain old comforting.

[Cassy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was actually really impressed with this book, much more than I thought that I would be. I mean, it starts out with a girl, Pea, going in search of her sister's reincarnated soul. It seemed like a pretty far-fetched premise to me. What I didn't expect was a really heart-wrenching and touching tale.

Pea, or Eudora as her full name is and is later called, has a lot of guilt on her shoulders, which is really what is driving all of this. She's grieving. She's so determinded to find the family that she's lost, she can't see that she isn't really coping with that lost. And, later in the book when she's about to leave Jewel, she questions her motives. She questions why she suddenly believes that her sister is going to be reincarnated when Pea never believed in any of that before. I liked that she didn't come to this realization until later because people do some crazy things when they're dealing with loss. Sometimes their thought process isn't entirely rational and I like that hers isn't. That's how it works sometimes. Grief works differently for everyone.

I also really like the small town that Pea runs into. Even though it's such a stereotypical small town (everyone knowing everyone else's business), I like it. As ridiculous as that may seem, the smaller the town, the more likely it is that everyone knows exactly what's going on in your like. While the town I spent the last few years in is not quite as small as Jewel, it isn't exactly a thriving metropolis and it has a lot of the same characteristics as Jewel does. Most people know each other, they've spent their lives there, they're aware of everything that is going on in the town and there are certain prejudices that they just can't seem to pull away from.

Pea seems to run into every hopeless case in Texas on her journey, which gets a little tedious. Especially because I don't always see the point in all of the people and creatures that she runs into. Val I felt was supposed to be her love interest but his story just... dropped off, which I was really annoyed by. I mean, I liked that the story didn't get side tracked by Val and him getting gooey eyed over Pea but part of the great thing about this book is that everyone has their own journey they have to take, that they have to deal with and they have to accomplish. We never really get to see the end of Val's journey and that really bothers me. Also, I'm not completely sure the role that Alex plays in this book. I mean, she's there, it's interesting to see her grow and become the person she does but she doesn't quite have the effect on Pea's life that say, Glory and Lorena do.

Brashear also tended to start forgetting characters towards the end. I understood the need to focus on Pea, but we started to see Alex less and less and Val almost not at all (and then he left so it really WAS not at all.) Also, she picked up a cat, Isis, and I really liked her interactions with the animal but the cat was barely given a passing mention towards then end when in the beginning Isis had such an important role.

I loved Lorena. She was this great character who was tough yet gentle at the same time. Pea loved her because she was such a sweet woman. She loved her because Lorena believed in Pea, believed in her strength and believed in her abilities despite Pea doubting herself. And Glory was much the same way (another character you can't help but love despite her gruff exterior.)

There were even things about Pea that made me relate so well to her. She adored reading and considered her books more family and friend than any person. She was also six foot tall, something you don't see often in a female protagonist. Usually they're petite, so, as a girl who only falls an inch below Pea, I really loved that she was so tall and pretty comfortable in her own body.

Overall, it was a heart-warming tale that really surprised me. It was well written and was just a feel good tale.

[Gina (My Precious Blog) · Rating 3 out of 5]

The Goddess of Fried Okra
by Jean Brashear
My Rating -------> 3 out of 5 Stars * * *

"Sometimes you just have to take the leap and see where the road leads."

Summary: After the death of Eudora "Sweet Pea's" older sister, she is left feeling guilty, empty and lost. Her mother died when she was eight. She calls her father "Casper" for good reason. So, without any living family remaining in her life, longing for something more "Pea" sells everything, quits her job and decides to go searching for her sister who held a strong belief in reincarnation. Absent any real plan, "Pea" sets out alone, in a beat up old car all with only her last meager paycheck to live off, to travel across the state of Texas. In no time at all, she finds her car full of more than just her personal belongings, but when the old beater breaks down in the middle of the rural town of Jewel, Texas she's faced with some unexpected challenges. Slowly, its becoming evident there is a whole lot more here to "fix" than just her car.


Insight: The story takes place mostly in the small town of Jewel, Texas. Using Texas Roadside Markers at the beginning of most chapters, the author ties them neatly to Eudora's journey. The heroine of the novel, Eudora or "Pea" as she was affectionately nicknamed by her older sister, is a very likable character with a kind heart. She holds the desire to help out whoever/whatever she comes in contact with: con-men, estranged sisters and even a pregnant "Goth" teenager. As "Pea" is taught how to manage a local cafe to earn money for the car repairs, she ultimately learns a whole lot more than just "home" cooking. The novel explores the strength/power of womanhood, family and the sense of belonging.


Recommendation: I recommend this book to predominately female readers who enjoy "chick lit". Its a novel about women, friendships and finding courage to stand on your own. Young adults or children would not appreciate the mature themes this book explores. The story is a journey, as it unfolds it takes the reader on a quite a ride, so if your in the mood to be entertained do give it a try.

More on my blog: http://thecallawayfam.blogspot.com/20...

[Betty · Rating 5 out of 5]

"While the reader is traveling with this delightful group of misfits, the days will seem brighter...."

The Goddess of Fried Okra
Jean Brashear

Reviewed by Betty Cox
May 31, 2010


Eudora "Sweet pea" O'Brien was eight and her sister sixteen, when their mother died. Sister fought to keep custody of "Pea" and never let the younger child down. Whenever their mother had a problem, the obvious answer was to pack up the old car and skedaddle outta where ever they were to someplace they had never been.

It was Pea's turn to take care of sister, and that didn't work out well because Sister had no chance against the rapid moving cancer. But, Sister celebrated the death to come so she might have a "do over" -- along the lines of being reincarnated. It takes Pea ten months to start her search for Sister's do-over, but she sells everything except a beat up old car and starts her journey to . . where ever.

Before being on the road very long Pea already has an entourage of maybes. She found a new born kitten -- Sister? A young pregnant run-away -- Sister coming back as a newborn? And, Pea literally runs over a good looking con-man. Well, they all can't be sister.

While the reader is traveling with this delightful group of misfits, the days will seem brighter, your funny bone more susceptible, and you will more than likely keep a silly grin plastered on your face. But, don't forget to have the tissues nearby because this funny story is very poignant with life's lessons being taught hourly. Mama used to make up tales about the historical markers on Texas highways and byways, and Pea continues this custom, much to the amusement and sometimes irritation of her fellow travelers.

Jean Brashear has been a long time favorite of mine, but THE GODDESS OF FRIED OKRA brings her skills and sense of humor to a new and elevated level of pure entertainment. And, just where does the title come from? Well, that is another story, within this story, of course.

Betty Cox, Reviewer

[J. York · Rating 4 out of 5]

I still can't sort our my feelings about this book. I enjoyed reading it. I'm glad I read it. I'd recommend it to others. Yet I was slightly disappointed in it.

Maybe it's just that this book has so many things I liked, such interesting characters, such quirky themes, such colorful subject-matter, that it could have been a classic, and it wasn't that. It felt like the author went for a solid base hit, and achieved that unquestionably.

But this book could have been much more. I find myself wondering if I might have rather read an ambitious failure by this author, than merely a solid middle-of-the-road book. Would could have been another "Fried Green Tomatoes at the Whistle Stop Cafe" (a book I loved) comes across merely as that book's more timid cousin.

There are enough things crammed in here for a dozen books, a mystical quest, themes of grief and regret, warrior woman (both literal and figurative), old conflicts turned to poison, a lovable rogue, the power of cooking to heal and restore, the meaning of motherhood, and on and on. But the follow-through on most of these seems weaker than it could have been. And what starts out seeming to be a road-movie-quest quickly gets stalled and stays in one place for the rest of the book.

But as I said, it's a good read, specially if you enjoy eccentric characters in southern themes and settings. Jean Brashear is an excellent writer, and I hope we'll see more (and maybe more ambitious) material like this from her in the future.

[Ken · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is one of those charming “road” novels, folks. Grieving over the loss of her big sister and believing that her sister will be reincarnated, Eudora Pea O’Brien decides to leave Texas and head to New Mexico where she believes her sister will be reborn.

One the way, Eudora picks up strays around every bend until her car is full and finally breaks down in the tiny town of Jewel after a night with Glory, the eccentric (and possibly repressed lesbian) owner of a gun shop on the outskirts of town.

The strays are:

Isis (Cat rescued from crummy convenience store)

Alex (Pregnant, goth teen-ager rescued from a truck stop)

Valentine (Good-looking, womanizing con artist that’s trying to go straight. Pretends that Eudora has struck him with her car in order to get a free ride out of town)


In Jewel, while she waits several weeks for a part to come in so her old car can be fixed, Eudora takes a job at the local diner to pay for the part. The kindly, grandmotherly owner feels sorry for them and lets them move into her old RV parked in the backyard. The strays soon get involved with the town folks and get a taste of small town life, love, hate, bigotry, hard work and just what it means to be a family after a devastating fire nearly destroys them all at the end of the book.

I liked this book. A nice, light read and author Jean Brashear should be very proud to call this book her own.

[Jennifer Osterman · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book - I mean, what has better promise for a story than a kitten and a broadsword? The premise is intriguing, but the characters are hard to know. The heroine comes across as puerile, naive, obsessed and directionless. She does eventually find direction, and she overcomes some of her helplessness, but by the time she does, it is too late. She is certain that her sister's spirit will be reborn, and she is on a search for her - convinced that she is either a kitten or the unborn child of an abused teen. Valentine, a con man, really has no personality and has a predictable part to play in the story as a bad-boy-gone-straight. The later characters of the married couple that live together but don't speak and the broadsword-wielding gun shop owner are amusing caricatures, but too oddball to feel real. The chapter headings are all Texas historical markers, which is an interesting addition to the story, and I wonder if they are actual markers or just fabricated to help set the scene. The author had a great plot idea, but for me, the execution of the story just fell short. It felt a little like a Stephanie Plum novel without the mystery, the steamy love triangle or the hamster.

I received a free review copy of this book from Netgalley.com

[Laura Cushing · Rating 4 out of 5]

Picked this up when it was offered free for on Kindle Fire, and I'm glad I did!

An engaging and quirky story - Pea (Eudora, by birth) is looking for her sister's reincarnation. Her road trip to find Sister's new life has her picking up strays - a cute kitten she names Isis, a pregnant teen named Alex, and a con-man named Valentine.

When her car breaks down in Jewel, Texas - Pea and her group find a town they could conceivably call home. But does Pea want to give up her search? Can Valentine go straight? And what kind of life can Alex make for her baby?

There's a little too much pushiness in the presentation of one of the book's theme - the strength of the feminine. Pea learns swordwork from a town oddball named Glory, and there's some stuff about 'goddesses' and Dark Agnes that's just a bit contrived.

But for the most part, the characters and plot are engaging enough that you'll forgive it that.

Unfortunately, this seems to be the only mainstream book the author's written so far- the rest of her work is in the romance field. Here's hoping that she writes another book like this again someday.

[Ruth · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wanted to like this book more than I did. I thought there were going to be more fantasy elements in the story - I mean, there is a broadsword on the cover - but what it ended up being is a solid story of southern-fried chick-lit, with a little bit of Conan sword swinging for flavor.

The main character, Eudora, goes on a road trip for the reincarnation of her dead sister and ends up picking up a menageries of cast offs that she develops relationships with. I found the supporting characters more interesting in many circumstances than Eudora, and thought she demonstrated a naivete all out of keeping with the school of hard knocks she grew up in. While it was an enjoyable read, I'm glad I didn't pay anything for this one - Kindle lending library - because I don't think I will ever re-read it.

There's some nice lines in there about personal strength and dealing with grief and taking responsibility for your own life, but I found all the plot lines were tied up a little too quickly and a little too neatly at the end, which left this feeling more like the fairy tale that I had expected than the spiritual self-help book it felt like.

[Deb · Rating 4 out of 5]

Eudora "Pea" O'Brien is on the road, searching for the reincarnated soul of her sister. She's an ex-cocktail waitress and ex-night shift convenience store clerk. She's full of grief, broke, and has a heart larger than life. She decides to head towards New Mexico since her sister often talked about the Pueblo Indians in her beat up junker. At a gas station she rescues a pregnant teenage girl, Alex, from an abusive boyfriend, and shortly after that, runs into (literally) con man Valentine, who joins the road trip. This motley trio is stranded in a tiny west when Pea's car breaks down. Memorable characters abound - from sword-fighting Glory, a crotchety pariah living alone in a geodesic dome, with her two fierce Dobermans, to Ray and Lorena, an elderly couple who haven't spoken for months. This book made me laugh and cry, and I really liked it!

[Maria · Rating 5 out of 5]

Read this last summer. I laughed and cried. I laughed as I cried. Orphaned at eight, raised by a sister not much older, who, in turn leaves her, Pea O'Brien sets off on a quest to find Sister's reincarnated soul. Driving across Texas to New Mexico (she's sure that's the sort of place Sister would come back to, in her new life), she adopts a stray kitten and stray people with an openness of heart that is central to her character.

The book is peppered with quotations from roadside markers. Her mama used to make up wild stories to match the road signs. Are these real road signs? I don't know, not being any where near Texas. But they are quite interesting, such as the Leanderthal Lady, a prehistoric skeleton found by a road crew.

Does she reach New Mexico? Does she find her sister's reincarnation? I let you discover that.

[Susan Espourteille · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a delightful read. It touched me in unexpected ways, and helped me reflect on the strong women in my life, both alive and departed. This book is about the power of love, the crushing pain of abandonment both real and perceived, and the struggle to find a place in this big world. I don't want to talk much about the storyline, though it's cleverly constructed and compelling; the road trip aspect draws the reader right along on Eudora's journey, wondering right along with her where the next road will lead. But what struck me most about this book was the interior journey of every single character; by the end I cared about every last one of them. The ending might seem contrived or too pat to some, but I feel it leaves just enough room for several possibilities, and all of them were acceptable to me. Give this sweet little book a chance; it just might win your heart as it did mine.