Showing posts with label Cathleen Armstrong. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Cathleen Armstrong. Show all posts

Saturday, January 25, 2014

Review: Welcome to Last Chance by Cathleen Armstrong

My rating: 3 stars

Synopsis from Goodreads.com

The red warning light on her car dashboard drove Lainie Davis to seek help in the tiny town of Last Chance, New Mexico. But as she encounters the people who make Last Chance their home, it’s her heart that is flashing bright red warning lights. These people are entirely too nice, too accommodating, and too interested in her personal life for Lainie’s comfort-especially since she’s on the run and hoping to slip away unnoticed.
Yet in spite of herself, Lainie finds that she is increasingly drawn in to the dramas of small town life. An old church lady who always has room for a stranger. A handsome bartender with a secret life. A single mom running her diner and worrying over her teenage son. Could Lainie actually make a life in this little hick town? Or will the past catch up to her even here in the middle of nowhere?


My Review

This book has a great supporting cast. I enjoyed the townspeople and their personalities. The author struck a good balance between quirky and realistic. The main character seemed disconnected to me, like she held herself aloof, which was part of her personality, but it affected my ability to connect or relate to her. Her emotions were withheld not only from the other characters but from the reader as well. The relationship she had with Ray seemed a matter of convenience- their reasons for being together or caring for each other were not developed or communicated. There was some character growth, but it was very subtle. The ending was too abrupt for me, and the epilogue didn't make up for the lack of resolution.

(ARC provided via Netgalley for unbiased review)