Big Stone Gap (Big Stone Gap, #1) in Crazy Challenge Connection

Oct 08, 2009 Book Concierge rated it really liked it

Shelves: series, movie, contemporary-fiction, family, audio, library, concierge, virginia

I see shades of the early Barbara Kingsolver books here.
Ave Maria is 35, a pharmacist in a small Virginia mountain town, the "town spinster." The book follows her life for a year. Her mother's been dead for a year, her Dad dead for 10. But Ave discovers that her "father" really wasn't, the story builds from there. It's a warm, friendly book - reminiscent of Lorna Landvik and Fannie Flagg. I will definitely read more of her works.

Re-read on audio: Nov 27, 2012 ...more

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Aug 12, 2012 Barbara ★ rated it liked it

Shelves: chick-lit, x-set-in-usa-virginia, read-2016

I don't understand why I torture myself with books like this. I have to remember - if a book comes with discussion questions, pass it up.

Not a bad book (if you like this kinda thing) just boring. ...more

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Jul 15, 2020 Rachel N. rated it liked it

Shelves: romance, play-book-tag, virginia, read-in-2020, pbt-vote-challenge, appalachia

Ave Maria Mulligan is 35, a spinster and her mother has just died. Ave Maria runs the local drug store along with being in the rescue squad and directing the town play but she still feels unsatisfied. Her mother leaves Ave Maria a note concerning a secret about her birth which helps change her life. I liked the many characters in the town and Ave Maria. There's just something about the writing style that I didn't entirely like. One character constantly refers to her spouse as "my husband" instea ...more

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Mar 27, 2013 Sue rated it liked it

Shelves: series, chick-lit, late-20th-century, southern

3.5 stars. I liked the main character. Ave Maria has a repressed way of looking at life that changes throughout the book as her life becomes more complicated, she receives marriage proposals, learns secrets about her deceased parents, and just sort of melts. She has an honest voice and is surrounded by a quirky cast that loves to talk about her and give her advice. Although there isn't any described sex scenes, there is alot of talk about sex and its advantages. Ave Maria has a friend who is con ...more

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Mar 14, 2008 Tiffany rated it really liked it

Shelves: 2008

I listened to this book and thought it was very entertaining. I liked the characters and their development. It was an easy book to listen to and follow along with.

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