Dearest Dorothy, Who Would Have Ever Thought?

Dearest Dorothy #4

by Charlene Ann Baumbich

Charlene Ann Baumbich has won a loyal following of readers with the first three booksin the Dearest Dorothy series, featuring the amusing and touching adventures of the townspeople of Partonville. Now Charlene Baumbich uses her wonderful gift of storytelling to celebrate the simple pleasures of life in this heartwarming and hilarious story. The fourth book in the series finds the residents of Partonville preparing for a festive Thanksgiving dinner at the local church. Amid assigning duties and preparing recipes, everyone tries to ignore bossy acting mayor Gladys McKern. Meanwhile, Jessica Joy struggles with an unexpected turn of events, Katie Durbin considers another real estate project, and Dearest Dorothy doles out advice and love in equal amounts to everyone. Author Charlene Ann Baumbich is the author of the previous three books in the Partonville series. A popular speaker, journalist, and author, for several years she has lectured to women's groups and retreats. Baumbich is also an award-winning journalist whose work has appeared in the Chicago Tribune, Today's Christian Woman, and numerous other publications. She is the author of six nonfiction books of humor and inspiration.

Genres: Fiction, Christian Fiction, Christian, Humor

406 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2004

About the author

Author, Speaker, Humorist. Seventeen books under her belt (including the Dearest Dorothy series and the Snowglobe Connections series), Charlene is still going strong, finding writing (including grocery lists and brainstorming sessions and eCards to her grandgirlies) more enjoyable than ever. Visit her website at www.charleneannbaumbich.com for more information."

It's awesome when my fictional characters bless me. Like Evelyn in FINDING OUR WAY HOME is fond of saying, "Grace, Amen."

Reviews

[Cheryl]

this series are all rather dull, good to read when you can’t concentrate on a story. The people in Partonville are planning a town Thanksgiving dinner, Katie wants to open a mini mall in the square, Jessica is overworked with the hotel and finds out she is pregnant when her baby is only 5 months old and Dorothy continues to amaze with her antics.

[Tara]

A good way to sum this book up is "holiday and family drama". And Dorothy is there to help smooth things over for all families involved in their own dramas. She helps those who are down, for all to see the beauty there is in the simple things, and to give thanks as a whole to our God. This is a good book to laugh at those silly family problems that cause myself to reflect on my own family's silly problems that we tend to think are bigger than life itself. Dorothy helps her neighbors and myself to realize how precious life is and what a blessing families can do for our souls. And the best thing we can do is give thanks for everyone and every moment with those we love.

[Shelley]

Fourth in the series, this was, in my opinion, the best one, even though I can't give it any higher than a 2 like I've done for all the previous. Looking back in my reviews of books 1 - 3, I didn't particularly care for them, so I'm not sure if reading the three before, maybe the fourth one grew on me as I'm more used to the fuddy duddy characters in the series?

This story takes place in a small town in Illinois called Partonville, where everyone knows one another and gossip is rampant. Most of the residents are retired. The main character is 87 year old Dorothy who is feisty, sharp as a whip, and always someone to count on.

Random comment: At Jessie's bunco game, I had to look up what "bridge mix" is. I've never heard of it.

What Katie is up to in this book, it's not difficult to figure out where #5's story will be about. She's bought a big building and plans to have folks have little shops in it.... tea shop, a craft shop, etc. How Katie thinks it's going to work, is unrealistic in a small town. Who is going to own all these little shops? And where are all the people going to come from to shop and keep them afloat? I feel it's going to be a disaster.

I couldn't help but notice, this story was quite similar to the previous book: Dearest Dorothy, Help! I've Lost Myself. The main focus in that book was leading up too and everyone was preparing for the Pumpkin Festival. Book #4 it's Thanksgiving Festival.

I personally feel the descriptions of the stories on the back of these books are smarter than the actual stories. This one is:

Location: A circle-the square town in the northern part of southern Illinois.

Population: about to increase.

Wildest Recent Events:

*Nellie Ruth McGregor starts a new fashion trend (by accident).
*Arthur Lander's's (not on the back, but me asking, is that such a thing as two 's behind a name???) La-Z-Boy runs away from home.
*Colton Craig, the Big Wheel developer, makes his move for Crooked Creek Farm (just when the City Slicker is sick of it).
*Johnny Mathis's (not that one) "vision" comes to life.
*Old memories spark new euchre wars.
*A woman remembers she is one.

The Glue: Dearest Dorothy, who spunk and prayers continue to hold everyone together.

A Town With a View: Lavish black farmlands sprawling to the west; development closing in on the east

Town Temperament: Wavers between heated, absurd, out-dated cutting edge, hope-filled, and Just Right.

Considering I only had 1-4 and there are 3 more in this series, I may or may not continue on buying them if I come across anymore in my shopping in second hand book stores.

[Ro]

It's almost Thanksgiving. Arthur and Jessie Landers are awaiting a two week visit from his cousin Herm and wife Vera. Nellie Ruth McGregor and Edward Showalter have started a romance. No romance for Katie though, which I had hoped. Katie sends her 16 year old to visit his father, letting him take her expensive Lexus. This is the one part of the book I thought was dumb. Who in their right mind would let a 16 year old drive himself 100 plus miles to visit his father? And this is still at a time when a lot of people didn't have cell phones yet!

Jessica and Paul are expecting. Josh and Shelby are dating. There's some nonsense between Arthur and Lester where Arthur thinks Lester is in love with Jessie. Katie decides to buy up property, including a building right in town. And there's a huge Thanksgiving meal being planned at the church.
On to the next book!

[Bobbie N]

In this fourth of the series, all of Partonville is planning for Thanksgiving, and, realizing how many people will be alone, the Methodist and Catholic churches join forces to provide a Thanksgiving feast for anyone who wants to come. Jessie and Arthur, in the meantime, are hosting Arthur's brother and sister-in-law, who they haven't seen for years - not only for Thanksgiving, but for two weeks leading up to it - and Jessie's ready to pull her hair out just thinking about it.

[Gwen]

Another enjoyable visit with Dorothy. Baumbich gives us a view of small town living that is so enjoyable at today's world of multi-tasking and "hurry-up" living. I try to pace my reading for "heavy" and "relaxing" reading. This is "relaxing" and entertaining. Readers will recognize a few of their neighbors and possibly their kind within the pages. A most enjoyable series.

[Colleen]

Normally a sucker for small-town stories, I found myself spacing out on the last several chapters of this book. I loved the curmudgeonly couple Arthur and Jessie, and only hung on until the finish to see what happened to them. The “what” was rather cliche, but it ties up the loose ends for me. This isn’t a horrible book; but I wouldn’t count on it keeping you awake.

[Tonya]

Enjoying the story and daydreaming of what it would be like to celebrate Thanksgiving with a community of friends. Especially in a time of COVID when we will be lucky to celebrate with extended family online. I am thoroughly invested in the town of Partonville and all its characters and can’t wait to see what happens next.

[Tonsie]

I now have a connection with this town and Dorothy. Her faith in God is never ending. I love her. There are 2 more books in this series, now I can’t wait to see what all my friend in Pardon me ville are up to.

[Cynthia Egbert]

This series is dragging a bit for me but I will see it through to the end. I find that I am still rooting for the characters and especially for this town. And it is always nice to have a God-centered novel to read when one's life is in chaos.

[Cheryl]

I purchased the entire Dearest Dorothy series and am reading it from beginning to end. This is book number 4, and I am really enjoying these quaint, down to earth, stories about Partonville and the citizens who live there.

[♏ Gina☽]

Book #4 in the Dearest Dorothy series. Please see my reivew of Book #1 (Dearest Dorothy, Are We There Yet?) for info.

[Cheryl]

Such relaxing, humorous reads.

[Jamie Yates]

This is a nice little series of books. They are fun, light, and funny pool reading.

[Virma]

This installment in the series had so much going on but also left a lot more to go. Had a few more laugh out loud moments than the last book. Looking forward to the next book in the series.

[Carol]

A fun light read about a small town and the people in it.

[Elizabeth Meadows]

This is such a sweet series! This one is set at Thanksgiving.

[Phyllis]

Another fun visit to a great little town filled with interesting characters. Great "light" read.

[Michelle]

I love the characters, the small town relationships and activities, and the resolutions to conflicts in these stories, all without any bad language or "spice"!!

[Julie Phillips]

Small town living

A sweet story about friends and neighbors taking care of one another. Through good and bad, God is always there making things right.

[January]

Another Partonville Hallmark classic. Enjoyed the expansion into the lives of other characters in the town.

[Ann Butler]

So cute. Love this series.

[Danni]

Funny

[Sheila McCarthy]

This was a very cute read. Darling family things going on and setting is good too. Very family and christian oriented. Good read!

[Kathleen Meacham]

Another good one - this series is delightful.

[Tim]

How much I enjoyed this book

This is another really great book from Charlene Anne Baumbich. I thoroughly enjoyed rereading this book (I already read the whole book series written to date,and so enjoyed them that I decided to read them again). Right now this is my favorite book series EVER. I HIGHLY suggest this book series to anyone who is looking for a good Christian book with some really good laughs in it. Charlene Anne Baumbich has been said to be coming out with a new book at some point and I ABSOLITELY can not wait!!! If there were a 100 star rating that is exactly what I would rate it! This book series is AMAZING!!!

[Denise]

I can't help but like the Dearest Dorothy books. Dorothy is the kind of grandmother or friend we'd all like to have. And, the rest of the town's characters are very entertaining. I especially like Dorothy's prayers and explanation of God working in her life and the lives of others. This book chronicles Dorothy's attempts to set up Thanksgiving dinner for those in the town who don't have anywhere else to go for the holiday. Very heartwarming and recommended reading for those who like small hometown stories.

[Kme_17]

A sweet book that was very easy to just get totally lost in. The writer is very good at making this small town very real to me. She also handles the tricky thing of having many characters and the POV shifting frequently. It never comes out as hard to follow. The problem is some of the characters are very likeable and others you want to wring their necks even if it seems like you should root for them. All in all a very enjoyable book.

[Arlene Shulman/Lichtman]

A cute story about a small town, Partonville, behind the times. The story centers around a group of women planning a Thanksgiving Dinner at their Church. A "big city" realtor moves to town with ideas of developing land and making a windfall. She gets involved with the town folks and starts questioning her motives. This is Book Four of a series.

[Margaret]

I like each of these more than the last. I have listened to them on audio books and been thoroughly entertained and challenged as well. Deep faith without judgement of those around her characterizes Dearest Dorothy and makes them special.