Small Town Girl

by Linda Cunningham

[Cocktails and Books]

I wasn't sure if I was going to like this one based on the first chapter of the book, but I ended up really enjoying it despite not really liking Lauren all that much.

Lauren Smith grew up with hippie parents. She vowed she was going to move up in the world and have a better life. On the verge of marrying a very wealthy older gentleman Lauren seems to have it all. But her parents throw a little wrench in her plans when they deed over her grandmother's house to her as a wedding present. She doesn't want the old farm house in rural Vermont. She doesn't want to be reminded of where she came from. So instead of keeping it, she's dead set on selling it. Convinced by her best friend that she needs to deal with the house herself rather than passing if off to someone else, she heads to Vermont.

Once at the house, she discovers she has no hot water and calls for a plumber. When the plumber gets there she's taken aback by the Adonis with a pipe wrench. She feels an attraction to him that she's never felt before, but at the same time, he's rude and irritating. She doesn't hide her disdain for him, but when given the opportunity in town see seeks him out.

Caleb Cochran has done everything he could over the past five years to keep himself busy. Still dealing with the death of his young wife, he's never been interested in any woman other than the one he was married to. But the moment he lays his eyes on Lauren that all changes. The rub each other the wrong way immediately, but there is something about her that keeps drawing him back in. He knows she's engaged and he knows she's leaving but he can't help himself when it comes to her.

Lauren is very snotty and uppity in the beginning of this story I took an immediate dislike to her. But as the story moves along, you can see that she's starting to realize that what she thought was "making it" wasn't really what made her happy. By the end, you were pulling for Lauren and liked the changes you saw in her.

Caleb laid it all out there. He was a man who knew what he wanted and wasn't afraid to ask for it. Too bad, when he asked, what he wanted didn't want the same thing.

A very enjoyable story about a woman understanding that "making it" doesn't necessarily mean you have money, fancy cars and a ritzy address, but finding happiness within yourself.