A heart-warming, entertaining read: My review of "The Welcome Committee of Butternut Creek" by Janes Myers Perrine

Come meet the lovable, well-meaning, and hilarious residents of Butternut Creek in my preview and review of Perrine's latest novel, below...

Publisher: FaithWords (April 3, 2012)

ABOUT THE BOOK...

Upon his arrival, Butternut Creek Christian Church's newly-minted minister is met by a welcome committee led by Miss Birdie and her friend Mercedes, a.k.a. "the Widows." Their first order of business, to educate him on how things should be done, quickly gives way to a campaign to find him a wife.

When their matchmaking efforts fizzle, the Widows turn to another new bachelor. Amputee and Afghan vet Sam simply wants to be left alone-- a desire that's as good as a red flag to the Widows! Soon they're scheming to pair him up with Willow, his beautiful physical therapist, a divorced mother of two who is afraid of commitment, Perrine's small-town tale is a big-time triumph of gentle humor, fast-paced plot, and wonderfully engaging characters.

MY REVIEW

If you are looking for a book with quirky characters, ones who will soon have you laughing, then look no further than The Welcome Committee of Butternut Creek! I found this first installment of the 3-part series to be absolutely hilarious, leaving me smiling one minute and laughing out loud the next. The character of Miss Birdie is priceless in her earnestness and her no-nonense attitude, and the interactions between Miss Birdie and the young pastor Adam were highly amusing, while providing for some points to consider about how us layfolk treat their pastors! The novel is well-written, and despite featuring a character-driven plot, it held my interest well except while reading through a few chapters in the middle where I found the plot bogged down a bit. Overall, however, I found this to be a highly enjoyable and satisfying read. I come away having been encouraged to live out my faith in action and deed, much like these admirable characters did, whether by bringing food to the needy like "The Widows" do, or opening my home to those with no place to lay their head (although perhaps I'll leave the part about the match-making up to The Widows!).

I grew to truly care about these characters with their misguided but well-intended ways, and I am looking forward to revisiting the town of Butternut Creek when the next book hits the shelves! I give this book a solid recommendation and award it 4 out of 5 stars.

Book was provided courtesy of the publisher for the purposes of this unbiased review.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

A Missouri native, Jane Myers Perrine earned her B.A. from Kansas State University and her M.Ed. in Spanish from the University of Louisville. She was a finalist in the Regency category of the Golden Heart Awards, and her short pieces have appeared in the Houston Chronicle and Woman's World magazine. A high-school Spanish teacher as well as an ordained minister, she currently lives in Texas with her husband, who is the minister of a local Christian church.

Find out more at the author's website: http://www.janemyersperrine.com/main.html

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