In this warm, funny, thoroughly candid novel, acclaimed
author Cathy Lamb introduces an unforgettable heroine
who's half the woman she used to be, and about to find
herself for the first time...
Two years and 170 pounds
ago, Stevie Barrett was wheeled into an operating room for
surgery that most likely saved her life. Since that day, a
new Stevie has emerged, one who walks without wheezing,
plants a garden for self-therapy, and builds and paints
fantastical wooden chairs. At thirty-five, Stevie is the
one thing she never thought she'd be: thin.
But for
everything that's changed, some things remain the same.
Stevie's shyness refuses to melt away. She still can't
look her neighbors' gorgeous great-nephew in the eye. The
Portland law office where she works remains utterly
dysfunctional, as does her family?the aunt, uncle, and
cousins who took her in when she was a child. To top it
off, her once supportive best friend clearly resents her
weight loss.
By far the biggest challenge in Stevie's
new life lies in figuring out how to define her new self.
Collaborating with her cousins to plan her aunt and
uncle's problematic fortieth anniversary party, Stevie
starts to find some surprising answers?about who she is,
who she wants to be, and how the old Stevie evolved in the
first place. And with each revelation, she realizes the
most important part of her transformation may not be what
she's lost, but the courage and confidence she's
gathering, day by day.
As achingly honest as it is
witty, Such A Pretty Face is a richly insightful
novel of one woman's search for love, family, and
acceptance, of the pain we all carry?and the wonders that
can happen when we let it go at last.
The book sounds so interesting! I love stories about characters that are dealing with a massive change in their identity. (Jacqueline Cook 12:33pm August 5, 2010)
I've had the pleasure of reading this novel already and it was fabulous!
Cathy wrote: "We so often want change, but change doesn’t mean all will be well and dandy." So true! This novel explored this theme extremely well. (Marilyn Brant 2:16pm August 5, 2010)
All I can say is "Wow!!". I can't wait to see how everything fits into your story. (Robin McKay 3:04pm August 5, 2010)
I'm going to have to pick this book up - sounds too good not to read!! (Kelli Jo Calvert 3:57pm August 5, 2010)
I do beleive I'll be down loading this book today (Vickie Hightower 5:00pm August 5, 2010)
I am fascinated. I can't wait to read more. (Mary Preston 6:46pm August 5, 2010)
I agree about people wanting change and then in the process don't like so much where it gets them. However sometimes even I'm surprised. (Alyson Widen 7:05pm August 5, 2010)
Wow, that last paragraph throws a lot out there. I can't wait to see how it all fits together. Loosing a large amount of weight won't solve your problems. You are still you and unless you deal with the factors that resulted in the weight gain, you will have problems of some sort. The weight can still come back, it will just take a while. (Patricia Barraclough 9:00pm August 5, 2010)
There are so many reasons we gain weight, and so many less reasons we can lose it safely. Sadly, life is what happens when we are busy making other plans. This book sounds like it addresses a large number of 'hidden' issues for a lot of us. (Susan Driskill 9:39pm August 5, 2010)
This book certainly sounds different and interesting. Knowing someone who is fighting heavy weight, it sounds so real. The person I know had been a ballet dancer for years with a major troupe and then she married a man who lives to cook. My husband made the comment that she is now "two ballet dancers." She, too, has a beautiful face, but I know only two well what caused her weight gain, since I have had the pleasure of eating some of her husband's cooking. He is one heck of a cook and I am sure the fabulous meals he prepared were hard to resist. (Gladys Paradowski 9:58pm August 5, 2010)
You have so many elements to your book, and so many of them sound like this is a book not to be read on a stormy evening!! I am intrigued, and can't wait to read it!! The questions you put out there for your storyline do give one pause, and you have me hooked. I'm glad you have some background to back up your book!! (Peggy Roberson 10:57pm August 5, 2010)
Wow! Someone actually put Roller Derby in a probably classified as "Woman's Fiction"?!?!? Way to go!! I'll go looking for it just for that! Derby ROCKS!!
Later,
Lynn, aka "Boxy, The Box Officer, of the Mad Rollin' Dolls, Madison, Wisconsin. (Lynn Rettig 1:43am August 6, 2010)
Sorry, that should have read "in a BOOK classified as ..." I get a little excited when someone writes about derby where I least expect to see someone writing about derby.
Later,
Lynn (Lynn Rettig 1:45am August 6, 2010)
Your book sounds fascinating. Off to put it on my list to get right now. (Lisa Richards 7:27pm August 9, 2010)