The Cottage On Juniper Ridge-Sheila Roberts

The Cottage On Juniper Ridge Sheila Roberts Mira, Feb 25 2014, $7.99 ISBN: 9780778314547 In Seattle, Jen Heath feels overwhelmed with no time for herself between her job as office slave at Emerald City Promotions and selling Soft Glow Candles to pay her credit card debt, car payments and mortgage. When she reads Muriel Sterling’s Simplicity, Jen decides to heed the self-help book advice by simplifying her life. Jen leaves Seattle and moves to Sterling’s hometown Icicle Falls. The newcomer quickly makes friends especially after joining the book club and finally to her amazement finds time for her family. She becomes a role model to the other Icicles and her wired sister Toni seeking to simplify their existence in order to enjoy life with loved ones a little more. The fourth Life in Icicle Falls contemporary (see Better Than Chocolate, What She Wants and Merry Ex-Mas) is a warm character study with the profound message of the not so simple ridding oneself of clutter in order to appreciate life; as there are no do-overs. The cast is solid but it is at the end of her rope Jen diving head first into the snow to accept “Life moves pretty fast; If you don't stop and look around once in a while, you could miss it” (Ferris Bueller’s Day Off) who makes for a fun tale. Harriet Klausner