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WEEKEND EDITION, JUNE 28-29, 2008
BOOKREVIEW BY DANE ROBERT SWANSON
‘Truffles by the Sea’
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Julie Carobini • Bethany House SUMMER IS HERE AND YOU ARE looking for a book to read down by the beach as you soak in those rays. You are not looking for anything heavy. Just something that is light and has a good story. “Truffles by the Sea” offers just that type of experience for the ladies. Chick lit once again provides diversion. We start off our summer review series with a story of Gaby, who as the book opens, has lost her flower shop and must start again. Her apartment has burned down and now she is renting a third floor loft with a view. “From my vantage point, I can see the open arch of the harbor mouth, where the seawater flows in and out.” She has a best friend who is trying to match her up with an eligible bachelor, Max, while at the same time Gaby is finding interest in her landlord. Our main character has vowed not to be gullible again. “I, Gaby Flores, will be gullible no more. There, I said it. And I mean it this time, my friend. No more believing the unbelievable. No more living like a patsy. No more dating guys from the dark side.” She vows: “No longer will this tongue be getting Gaby-girl in trouble. I just want to live my life, and do it well.” Problems are plenty. She has to keep her flower business open even if at the moment she has a cash flow problem. Her book keeper has told her, “Your business is bleeding faster than a hemophiliac.” Her business is behind in rent and may be closed. Then she has to handle a lawsuit. One of her customers wants to take the business away from her as a settlement of assets. At the same time she has to juggle two men in her life, one, her landlord, and the other, her mechanic; the one her best friend is trying to match her up with. The problem is that she is falling in love with
her landlord, Jake, who is paying a bit too much attention to her as a tenet. She has been told Jake is not the marrying type. At the same time Max is courting her. This work is certainly not heavy reading. The characters move the story along at a nice pace. It is told in the first person. Even though Gaby is not a Pollyanna type she still views her situation through optimistic eyes. But her weakness is that she doesn’t ask for help even when it is offered. Author Julie Carobini is known for her stories of family, the sea and God’s work in the life of those around her. She is based in Southern California and is presently writing women’s fiction for the young at heart. She lives with her husband and three children. I would recommend this book for a delightful summer read. Summer is here. Time to relax and read those books that you have been meaning to read for a long time. Let DANE ROBERT SWANSON direct you to some good reads this summer. Contact him at smdp_review@yahoo.com and start a conversation.
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