T. Lynn Ocean Sweet Home Carolina

Sweet Home Carolina

T. Lynn Ocean

Dunne, May 2006, $23.95

ISBN: 0312343347

Shine Advertising and Public Relations senior accountant executive Jaxie Parker loves being single and working in Atlanta. Her focus is on her career with no interest beyond a casual date with the opposite sex. The firm's owner Aaron Ackworth assigns Jaxie to provide one month gratis PR work on his hometown's revitalization operation.

Reluctantly Jaxie journeys to decaying Rumton, South Carolina where the ocean is near, but nothing else is. Jaxie learns that the local hang out is the Chat 'N Chew where she meets elderly widower "Pompous" Pop, who allows her to stay in his place for free. Of course her roommate is Pop's best friend Bandit the raccoon. From her Atlanta agency Vice President of Market Research and a former town resident Justin Connor arrives to assist Jaxie who he is very attracted to even though she seems unavailable. At the same time developer Lester Smoak and Mayor Riley work a deal to build a casino until someone kills the public official with an ex-con as the prime suspect. Jaxie believes otherwise and with Justin's help tries to prove otherwise even as a hurricane is coming.

SWEET HOME CAROLINA is an interesting look at a town in trouble with the cavalry being sent by a successful former resident that in some way to the townies seem like invaders. The story line emphasis that it takes a village to nurture families, but it takes people doing the little things to nurture a village. Though Jaxie can act the snob with "little" things like her shoe selection, fans of sweet inspirational contemporary character studies will appreciate this upbeat cozy.

Harriet Klausner