CW: Stillbirth
Small Town Rumors is about exactly that…our main character Jennie Sue returns from New York to her hometown in Texas after her husband leaves her for another woman and attempting to evade the FBI because of the diamond trade? I’m not totally sure on that one…but just know, he’s an awful human being, who gets no development other than he’s terrible. Jennie Sue’s mother only sees a woman who hasn’t been keeping up with her hair, nails and weight and actively harasses her about all these things–even though Jennie Sue’s mom knows that she’s been through a harrowing ordeal. Not only was her husband a d-bag for leaving her, he leaves her when she’s pregnant because he doesn’t want the child. Alone in New York City, Jennie Sue delivers a baby girl, who was stillborn.
All of these events instead of breaking Jennie Sue, reinforce for her that she doesn’t want the socialite lifestyle that her mother has and that she never wants to be dependent on a man again. And with that, our heroine begins striking out on her own, sending messages of positivity and happiness like a grown up Pollyanna. She starts hanging out with the local farmer Rick, who has his own scars (physical ones from being an Army Ranger) and his sister Cricket, who has always been envious of Jennie Sue and has always thought that she was stuck up. You know they’re going to become friends…right?
Sometimes I just need a book that isn’t going to make me think that much and I don’t mean that in a pejorative way. I liked this book. I wish the author would use contractions in her dialogue but the story was sweet and the developed characters were well written and interesting. There was a shocking event that I didn’t see coming that really kicked the end of the book into high gear and actually brought a few tears to my eyes. To be fair, I was also feeling mighty hormonal when I was reading the book, I’m not sure I’d have that experience if I read it this week. But anyways, it was a blanket of positivity, cozy with friendship, love and second chances–and I liked it very much.
