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.
Jane Myers Perrine started writing while in grade school. Although her spelling was terrible — she blames that on dyslexia — her third-grade teacher predicted she’d be an author. Jane attended Kansas State University. Majoring in both English and Spanish, she read the best literature in both languages. After years as a Spanish teacher and minister, she began writing. Her novels include Regency settings and Western historicals as well as stories which take place in the beautiful Hill Country of Texas where she now resides. An award-winning author, she writes about a young minister, Adam Jordan, and his life in Butternut Creek, TX as well as humorous mysteries.
My Impressions:
I am a sucker for a small town book. You know, the kind that Jan Karon made famous. I sort of collect them — they reside in stacks on my TBR shelf. With a little bit of time between must-reads for reviews, I picked up The Welcome Committee of Butternut Creek. This book is the first in a 3-book series and has been out a few years. Its hometown flavor, quirky and endearing characters, and sometimes tough subject matter, made this a surprisingly good read. Surprising because I wasn’t expecting depth, but a fun bit of fluff. While it often made me chuckle, it also grabbed my heartstrings. I can recommend this one.
There is an ensemble cast in The Welcome Committee of Butternut Creek — the Widows (self-proclaimed helpers of the church and community), pastor Adam Jordan (newly minted seminary graduate), Sam (a wounded Marine), and Willow (a physical therapist). These characters interact as only those living in a small town can. Everyone knows your business and everyone cares. Struggles are real: finding a niche in a new community, dealing with PTSD, overcoming divorce, and raising grandkids. The small community of Butternut Creek is not a cliche, but a slice of real life. Although published by FaithWords, it does not have an overt spiritual message. Rather, many of the characters live out their faith in natural ways. Other characters are very worldly (sexual innuendo and drinking are their MO) and don’t have any time or patience for the God thing. Many have not come around to the ways of church at the end of the book, but a lot of progress has been made. There are 2 more books to tie up all the ends.
All in all a quick read with a great deal of depth.
Recommended.
Audience: adults.
To purchase this book, click HERE. (It is currently $2.23 for the paperback on Amazon!)
(I purchased this book. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)
Recent Comments