Creature Comforts
By: Trisha Ashley
Rating: 5 of 5
“Creature Comforts” is the first book I have read by Trisha Ashley. It was so enjoyable that it will certainly not be the last. I love to find new (to me) authors who have the ability to make a story come to life. That is how I felt about this book – as if I were glancing into a slice of life of a few good friends and their families who live in the small town of Halfhidden.
The book is a little bit romance, literary fiction, and mystery all rolled into one. Our main protagonist is Izzy – the rest of the story revolves around her. Izzy is back home to start a new clothing business that she has dreamed of and planned for years. She was also involved in a fatal car accident years before and, while she was held at fault, has no memory of what occurred. She is at a cross roads in her romantic life as she confronts whether or not she is still in love with the man she has been engaged to for years.
While all of the issues are serious and are dealt with seriously in the story, the author shows a deft hand in mixing comic moments as well as every day feel good times to balance the story. The plot is straightforward and doesn’t have immense surprises that might baffle me as a reader. I am given the story of this young woman as well as that of her rather zany family and supportive friends and the questions I have are answered by the end of the book.
The book also deals with other serious issues such as mental abuse, child neglect, animal cruelty, and drug and alcohol addiction. What is interesting is that as I read along, I knew that these were being discussed but they didn’t overwhelm me. Again, it is that slice of life feeling. These things go on and we deal with them on a personal level and that is exactly what happens in the book. There are characters who are obviously not people you would want to spend time with and the author is able to resolve Izzy’s dealings with those people in a way that makes sense and is acceptable to me as a reader. She also brings in loving friends, family, and relationships that strengthen Izzy even as she has to work to “sort out” a few of them (notably Debo of Debo’s Desperate Dogs.)
Izzy presses forward to discover her true feelings, her true past, and her true life path. She ends up a character that I would like to know and have as a friend. I am hoping that there will be some follow-on stories that tell us more about these “people” I have come to know in reading this book.
I recommend this book to anyone who enjoys reading a feel good book, a romance, or even a light mystery. I look forward to reading more book by this author in the future. I received a copy of this book from the publisher, Avon (HarperCollins Publishers) via Netgalley.
“Creature Comforts” is the first book I have read by Trisha Ashley. It was so enjoyable that it will certainly not be the last. I love to find new (to me) authors who have the ability to make a story come to life. That is how I felt about this book – as if I were glancing into a slice of life of a few good friends and their families who live in the small town of Halfhidden.