LEAVING CAROLINA by Tamara Leigh

It's Monday again and time to blog about books. As I look at the calendar I've turned the page to November and sigh, wondering what happened to January through October! Seems like only yesterday I was putting away the Christmas decorations and here it is, almost time to take them out once again. Meanwhile, I'm enjoying reading some terrific books.

One of them is LEAVING CAROLINA. Let me start out by saying that RARELY do I read a book written in first person. They are generally the kind of book I pick up at the bookstore, read the first two pages and quickly set back onto the shelf. Had I done that with LEAVING CAROLINA I would have missed an entirely enjoyable and, at times, hilarious read. I'd hazard a guess, with the way the book ended, that Tamara Leigh is writing a series of books set in Pickwick, North Carolina and featuring the very unusual Pickwick Clan.

The Pickwick family has been known for four generations of miscreants, ner-d0-wellers, and down-right misfit relatives. Piper Wick is forced to return to her hometown to prevent her Uncle Obe from changing his will and airing all the family dirty laundry in public, including her own youthful indiscretion, which would ruin her chances of marrying the man of her dreams, Congressman Grant Spangler.

Upon her arrival Piper is forced to deal with a long-lost godson, her cousins, and her uncle's dotty attorney, all the while trying not to reveal her secrets and trying to save herself from sliding back into old habits and avoiding the pull of Pickwick.

LEAVING CAROLINA also gently reminds us that forgiveness is a gift from God and that truth matters above all. All in all this is a thoroughly enjoyable read.

More information on LEAVING CAROLINA can be found at the RANDOM HOUSE website. LEAVING CAROLINA is available at local booksellers as well as most online booksellers.

This book was provided for review by Waterbrook Multnomah Publishing Group.