#31 SEARCHING FOR PARADISE in Parker, PA by Kris Radish

Number of Book #31
Date Began and Finished 5/13- 5/18 2008
Genre - Women's Fiction
Year It Was Published - 2008
Publisher - Bantam
Number of Pages 343
hardcover
Reason for reading: Review for Love Romances And More
Rating 4/5 stars

Blurb or Synopsis: Addy and Lucky Lipton have been married for nearly 30 years. And neither can say they are really happy. Addy is going crazy, angry at all the junk Lucky has collected over the years and has put in the garage. She doesn't feel a connection to him at all, and is on the verge of kicking him out.

When Lucky wins a trip to Costa Rica and asks Addy to go with him, they are both secretly hoping that this may revive their sinking marriage. But that morning as they are about to head on out, Lucky hurts his back so badly that he is bedridden and needs Addy to help him with the most smallest of things. Addy is angry and frustrated, does not want to even deal with him anymore, can't even face him in the mornings, and decides
she needs to make a change in her life.

With the help of her best friend and sister Hell (short for Helen) and their friends known as the "Sweat-Hers", a group of gals that all work out together, Addy makes some changes in her life and makes demands upon her husband. But it's not only Addy that makes some changes. It looks like the entire town is in on the act!

While Addy goes on her crusade to make life a little more livable (a paradise in Parker), Lucky becomes closer to the next door neighbor Bob(#1 - the other neighbor on the other side is Bob #2), who has been divorced for some time and has gone through some drastic changes himself. With Bob's help, Lucky makes some of his own drastic changes, which will shock the hell out of the ladies of Parker, Pa, if not just Addy Lipton. The two begin to "talk", unlike any conversation held between two men who are not gay. They start cooking sessions, dress a lot nicer, and basically, Lucky becomes a new man. And while this is all going on, Addy is busy with her female friends, wanting desperately to start a new life, because she feels that no matter what Lucky says or does to win her back, she is done with him. She's ready to move on.

SEARCHING FOR PARADISE was my introduction to author Kris Radish, and I am hooked! Her writing style reminded me in part of one of my favorite authors, Lorna Landvik. Same type of quirky characters living in a small town, with that same feel that I get from Landvik novels. All the characters are fun and unique and likable. The pace of the book is fast; there is a lot of humor despite the downer theme of a marriage on the rocks. The subplots include Addy and Lucky's son and his search for his biological mother, a plot line that adds to Addy's stress while she deals with her failing marriage.

I can't say enough about SEARCHING FOR PARADISE, a very fun and enjoyable read that I think may end up on my list of top books for 2008.