The story of Kate Cadogan's life could be any woman's story. She had a fairly easy childhood, albeit with a nutty mother and a bland father. She became the typical teen, interested in sex, but scared of it as well. She went to university, met a man, got married, had kids, and now she's in her forties, and wondering what happened to her life.

COVER THE BUTTER by Carrie Kabak is a poignant look at an English girl's life that is at times humorous, at times heart-wrenching, but always true and down-to-earth, a rare find in today's jungle of women's fiction.

Kate has lived by other people's rules most of her life. Her mother ruled the roost with an iron fist, and continued to attempt to do son on into Kate's adult life. Using guilt, accusations and down-right meanness to bully her daughter, dear ol' mom is a study in psychosis. But to Kate, it's her mum, and she does her best to gain her love, even when it's like beating her head against a brick wall.

But when Kate's marriage dissolves and her grown son doesn't seem to need her anymore, Kate takes her life back into her own hands, and begins to pursue the life she most would have adored to have by moving to the Provence region of France to open her own bed and breakfast hotel.

COVER THE BUTTER is a novel of courage with a little sassy audacity thrown in for good measure. Kadak's writing style is clever and funny and will keep readers entertained throughout the entire story.

By the way, the title of the book, "Cover The Butter," comes from a saying Kate's mother uses at the end of each meal when the cigarettes are brought out and family problems are dealt with.