Ex-Cottagers in Love by J. M. Kearns

Ex-Cottagers In Love by J.M. Kearns

Fiction 380 pgs. Paperback

Key Porter Press (2008)

This is a first novel by an already best-selling author of non-fiction and it is an enjoyable one. Dave Moore, 40, is frustrated by the limits of his job as a paralegal at an L.A. firm and wonders whether his beautiful and insightful new girlfriend will be the end of his dream to write and record music or his best hope for the future. He takes her home to Canada to meet his family who've rented a cottage in the Muskoka region of Ontario. In fact, they spent all their summers in the family cottage that is now sold and everyone regrets the loss, no one more than his 13 year old nephew George and Dave himself who calls the island setting "the place he loved most in the world". Maggie's not an outdoors sort of woman, she doesn't understand their deep attachment to the memories of the old place and things do not go perfectly for the new couple, though Maggie does her best to make friends with everyone.

Back in L.A. he has major decisions to make about his job and his future with Maggie when his father in Canada has a stroke and adds to his worries. Darkly humorous, the story follows both the lighter moments and the sadder ones for Dave, and in a somewhat parallel story, young George and his grandfather back home. The story is more serious than the title first suggested to me and I'm glad of it. I liked these characters and hope that Kearns writes more fiction because he does it well. Four stars out of five. I recommend it.

J. M. Kearns has also written:

Why Mr. Right Can't Find You: The Surprising Answers that Will Change Your Life (January 2008)
Better Love Next Time: How the Relationship that Didn't Last Can Guide You to the One that Will (January 2009)

Key Porter Press
http://www.keyporter.com/BookDetail.aspx?ISBN=1554700000

J.M Kearns Home Page: http://www.jmkearns.com/

Thank you to Key Porter Books and Mini Book Expo for providing me with a review copy.

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