Book Review: A Slight Change of Plan by Dee Ernst

Reviewer: Samantha

I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Summary:

Kate Everett is about to begin her “second act.” She’s been a widow for eight years and thinks it might be time to start looking for someone to share her life with again. She quits her high-pressure job for something that will allow her more leisure time. She gets rid of the huge family home and moves into a fabulous condo that’s smaller and easier to manage. She’s pretty much got the rest of her life figured out. All she has to do is sit back, relax, and let the pieces fall into place.

But her real life never gets the memo. First, her son moves back in with her—along with his girlfriend. Her dream job falls through, leaving her unemployed. Her mother, whom she hadn’t spoken to in years, can no longer live alone and has to move into her basement. And her only daughter is planning the smallest and simplest wedding in the history of all weddings, much to Kate’s dismay.

Kate thinks that she and Jake, her former college love who has reemerged on an online dating site, of all places, can build something real, and that maybe her happy ending is in front of her at last. But the arrival of Edward, her daughter’s future father-in-law, presents Kate with an unexpected choice.

It looks like real happiness may require a slight change of plan.

Review:

I know people say that if you don’t think you can relate to a main character, you might want to a pass on a book. This I don’t agree with. Some of my favorite books have featured mothers and women either much older or younger than me, and I’ve had a fine time reading their stories. A Slight Change of Plan falls into that category. Kate is fifty-five and a widow, with three grown children. I’m twenty-six, recently married, zero kids (unless you count my new puppy). But her story captivated me from the beginning and I eagerly read this book quite quickly. There are plenty of interesting sub-plots – from Kate dealing with her mother, her daughter getting married, her son having a baby – that each chapter felt action-packed, even when the main storyline wasn’t being discussed. A very well-written story, and I would recommend!

4.5 stars