♥♥♥♥♥ Well Worth the Read ♥♥♥♥♥
Can you imagine being forty-five, your last child has moved on to college and the time is ripe for you to blaze a new trail into your future? Pat Keegan can. Well, except for the tiny detail that all her preconceived notions about how that future was going to shape up are completely out the window.
Pat was under the impression that once her child rearing years were complete she and her husband would walk hand in hand toward a rose colored future. Fat chance. Before their daughter had even been accepted by a College, he was blathering about needing space to rediscover himself and made quick strides to the nearest exit.
Suddenly, Pat is divorced, rattling around her large house and asking the empty rooms, “What now?” She knows she has to carve out new dreams – after all, forty-five is a far cry from the end of the line – But how?
Join Pat as she jumps feet first back into the world outside her door, takes on a new business venture, is pursued by a much younger man and has to muddle her way through more emotions than she knew she had – all to finally attain her goal of rediscovering who she is and what she wants from the next phase of her life.
~*~*~*~*~ The Review ~*~*~*~*~
I can’t say I can totally relate to Pat Keegan. She’s forty-five, newly single, and now an empty-nester. I’m well on my way to the mid-forties, but I have 11-year-old. (Yes, we started late, and yes, we’re still married.) But there are parts of Pat that hit home for me in so many other ways. She’s lost a little bit of her confidence along the road of life. Not from anything major happening (though her life at the start of the book is in upheaval), but just life itself, bringing about changes. And she’s trying her best to tread water and figure out where she stands in this brave new world. But when her ex moves back in and Pat just allows it, I’m thinking, “what are you doing?” and then I realize, I’d do the same thing. But what I loved about Pat is that she pulls herself up by her boot straps and carries on. Favorable Conditions is a story about making your way in the world, even if you can’t see the path you should take. I laughed with Pat, cringed at times, and cried as well.
The only thing I wish was different about the book, is more of a sense of location. What the realtors say is correct–location, location, location! And why? It makes a difference in how we perceive the people in the stories. I’m reading and thinking, “their speech is stilted. Very formal. I don’t anyone who talks like this.” Not that what they were saying was wrong, just phrased differently than I’m used to. I read a little more and thought, “I would understand their speech patterns if they were English.” And then I read that the author is Canadian. Ahhhh…now that makes sense. Unfortunately the Yanks have an arrogance that tells them “every book written is set in America unless otherwise specified.” Sad, but true. And the rest of the story clicks in place for me.
Overall, Favorable Conditions is a great story about life and second chances and finding out who you are, since you lost yourself along the way. And I think we can all relate to that.
~*~*~*~*~ Author Bio ~*~*~*~*~
Born in Edmonton AB, Kathleen began storytelling in grade school. She has many fond memories of passing summer afternoons, out on the swings in her backyard, creating tales that entertained her neighborhood friends.
When she finally decided to venture from her backyard, Kathleen pursued a career in storytelling. She graduated from college with a Diploma in Radio and Television Arts and traveled the path of freelance writing for numerous local newspapers.
Many years later, too many to talk about without seeming rude and nosey, Kathleen has channeled her imagination to the pages of her novels. She hopes that you enjoy her tales and encourages you to feel free to read her stories on the swing set in your own backyard.
Kathleen has traveled from Edmonton, to a new backyard with a lovely mountain view. She spends time there with her beloved husband, adored son and silly dog. They let her tell them stories and always laugh in all of the correct places. She’s lucky, and she knows it.
~*~*~*~*~ Connect with Kathleen ~*~*~*~*~
http://kathleenkole.com/
Facebook
Twitter
~*~*~*~*~ Buy the Book ~*~*~*~*~
Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Smashwords
Everyone who leaves a comment on Kathleen’s tour page will be entered to win a $10 Amazon gift card! If you purchase your copy of Favorable Conditions before March 26 and send your receipt to Samantha (at) ChickLitPlus (dot) com, you will get five bonus entries!
http://www.clpblogtours.com/2012/01/favorable-conditions-by-kathleen-kole.html
amie louellen 