About the
Book:
Priscilla
Slater goes to her 10-year high school reunion as a successful business woman.
Even though she got rid of her mousy brown hair, swapped out her discount store
wardrobe for designer clothes, and now has perfectly straight teeth, she can't
get past feeling like the ugly duckling. Her parents' disapproval for her choice
of careers—running a chain of hair salons—deepens her self-doubt. She
experiences self-discovery and learns that things aren't always as they seem.
During the
reunion, one woman passes out after starving herself for the event. The class
beauty queen appears to have more self-confidence than ever until her ex shows
up with his new wife. The reunion organizer has taken her responsibilities to a
whole new level that makes the Marines look like Boy Scouts, while her husband
drinks too much and makes a fool of himself. The man she always dreamed about
being with finally gives her some attention, but when she finds out more about
him, she realizes he's not worth her time. These realizations boost her
self-confidence, but now she has to deal with her best friend Tim's new feelings
for her.
My Review:
I enjoyed this book. It was written from the perspective of three different people, but I was able to follow along and not get lost. Each person has their own fears about the upcoming high school reunion. Debby does a really good job telling each persons story and they end up finding out a lot about themselves once the reunion is over. They also resolve some family issues they have. Great job Debby.
I received a complimentary copy of this book for my honest review.
About the
Author:
Debby Mayne has published more than 30 books
and novellas, 400 print short stories and articles, more than 1,000 web
articles, and a slew of devotions for women. She has also worked as
managing editor of a national health magazine, product information writer for
HSN, a creative writing instructor for Long Ridge Writers Group, and a copy
editor and proofreader for several book publishers. For the past eight years,
she has judged the Writers Digest Annual Competition, Short-Short
Contest, and Self-Published Book Competition. Three of Debby’s books have been
top ten favorites by the Heartsong Presents book club. Love Finds You in
Treasure Island, Florida received 4-1/2 stars from Romantic Times
Magazine, and was named a Top Pick for the month of July 2009.
Connect & Socialize with Debby!
Book
Excerpt:
Chapter One
(Priscilla Slater)
We are thrilled to announce
Piney Point High School’s
10 year reunion
on June 7, 2003, at
7:30 PM
in Piney Point High’s
Newly
renovated gymnasium.
Attire: Sunday best
RSVP: Laura Moss 601-555-1515
PS:
There will be a pre-party
At Shenanigans in Hattiesburg
Starting at about 5:00
PM.
Wow. Ten
years. As I read my high school reunion invitation a second time, I can’t help
but smile. Although I own one of the most successful businesses in my hometown
of Piney Point, Mississippi, I’ve lost track of most of the people I graduated
with.
Knowing the people I went
to high school with, this is going to be one crazy event—that is, if everyone
attends. I’m not surprised Laura added a pre-party to the invitation. Her
husband has never attended any social event before pre-partying his face
off—even in high school. Pete Moss graduated with the distinct honor of high
school lush, and as far as I know, he continues to hold that honor, which is
ironic since I don’t remember ever seeing Laura touching a drop of anything
stronger than her mama’s two-day old sweet tea.
Poor Laura.
I pin the invitation to
the bulletin board beside the fridge. And for extra measure, I jot the date on
my calendar. In pencil, just in case . . . well, in case something comes up.
As I kick off my
killer-high heels, I wonder if Maurice will be there. I sigh as I remember the
guy who, in my mind, almost became my boyfriend. I used to stand in front of my
bedroom mirror, practicing “looks.” I reflect back and realize things weren’t as
they seemed, but I still wonder if he’ll see me differently now that I’ve made
something of myself. Not that I’m trying to impress anyone.
And I sure haven’t
impressed my parents. Quite the opposite. Still, I’ve taken a small-town beauty
shop and turned it into a fabulous business—one of the most successful in Piney
Point. And I’m not ready to stop there. I already have three shops—the original,
which used to be called Dolly’s Cut ‘n Curl, one in Hattiesburg that formerly
held the title Goldy’s Locks, and the salon where my current office is located
in Jackson. In honor of the first, they are all called Prissy’s Cut ’n Curl,
although I’m seriously considering changing the name to something a little
trendier since I’m planning to expand. I mean, really, can you imagine anyone in
New York City telling her friends she gets her hair done at the Cut ‘n Curl?
Besides, I hate being called Prissy.
I’ll never forget Mother’s
reaction when she found out I’d dropped out of my first semester of college and
enrolled at the Pretty and Proud School of Cosmetology. You’d have thought I
announced I wanted to pledge Phi Mu or something. No offense to anyone in Phi
Mu. It’s just that Mother was a Chi Omega, and that makes me a legacy, which
carries even more clout than being Miss Piney Point, something I never was.
Mother would have had a fit if I’d even suggested entering a beauty contest. So
when I met some of the Chi Omegas at Ole Miss, I was surprised by how many of
them were beauty queens—something Mother never mentioned.
My parents are
academics and they’re proud of it. Mother is a professor of English, and Dad is
the head of the history department at the Piney Point Community College, but
you’d think they were tenured professors at an Ivy League school the way they
carry on.
I missed lunch today and
my stomach’s grumbling. But when the noise turns to hissing, I relent and pull a
Lean Cuisine from the freezer. I know how to cook, but it seems rather pointless
to do that for one. I also know that one Lean Cuisine isn’t enough, so while it
heats in the microwave, I grab a bag of salad and dump the contents into a bowl.
Then I chop a tomato, grab a few olives, and pour a tablespoon of ranch dressing
on top. I step back and study the salad before I squirt another tablespoon or
two. The salad’s full of fiber and the Lean Cuisine is low-fat, so I figure that
balances out the extra calories.
Just as I’m about to
sit down and enjoy dinner, the phone rings. It has to be Mother, I think. She’s
the only one who ever calls my house phone. I hesitate, but my daughterly duties
overcome me. What if she needs something? I’d never be able to live with the
guilt if I didn’t answer an important call from the woman who gave birth to me
after twenty hours of labor—or so she tells folks when they ask why I’m an only
child.
“Did you get your
invitation yet?” she asks without letting me finish my hello. “Are you
planning on going?”
Leave it to Mother to know
about the reunion before me. “Yes . . . well, probably.”
“There’s really no point,
Priscilla. After all, it’s all about showing off all your accomplishments, and
it’s not like you’ve made all that much of your life.”
I bite my tongue, as I
always have. I want to let Mother know how I really feel, but talking back has
never gotten me anywhere with her, so I somehow manage to keep my yap shut. She
takes that as encouragement to keep going.
“That silly-frilly
little job of yours will get old one of these days, and then what will you
do?”
Pretty Is As
Pretty Does Tour Page:
Luke Beiler has loved Elisabeth Schrock for as long as he can remember and is looking forward to the day they both join the church so they can marry. Elisabeth, however, chafes under the church rules and flees to the Englisch world leaving Luke heart broken.When an accident leaves Brianna Mitchell with amnesia, she feels helplessly lost. What will happen when she is mistaken for Elisabeth Schrock and taken home to Paradise, Pennsylvania?
J.E.B. Spredemann resides in central California and currently writes Christian fiction. Joanna's Struggle, in the Amish Girls Series, is the first of several books written by the author. The Amish Girls Series was primarily penned for teen girls, but has been enjoyed by readers of all ages. Lovers of the ever-popular Amish fiction genre are sure to enjoy these books as well, even though they are geared toward a younger audience. The characters in the stories will soon become endeared to your heart, especially the mischievous Jonathan Fisher. We hope and pray that our books will touch your life and be a blessing to you, as they have been to us! 
About A Big Year for Lily: 
About Rosemary Cottage: Amy came to Rosemary Cottage to grieve, to heal, maybe even find love. But there's a deadly undertow of secrets around Hope Island . . .
Meet Colleen: Best-selling author Colleen Coble's novels have won or finaled in awards ranging from the Best Books of Indiana, ACFW Book of the Year, RWA's RITA, the Holt Medallion, the Daphne du Maurier, National Readers' Choice, and the Booksellers Best. She has nearly 2 million books in print and writes romantic mysteries because she loves to see justice prevail. Colleen is CEO of American Christian Fiction Writers and is a member of Romance Writers of America. She lives with her husband Dave in Indiana.
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