Georgia Brown wants nothing more than a comfortable life with the love of her life, her husband and fledgling comedian, Marvin Brown. Except Marvin is unemployed and they, along with their young son, are living with his parents while she toils at a dead-end job, one that she loses when she uses company resources to try to help Marvin further his comedy career.

When Marvin hits the big time by winning a million dollar prize on a reality show, things appear to be looking up for the Browns. He gets her the house he always wanted for her, in an upscale neighborhood. His comedy career fizzles but he becomes a popular radio disc jockey and money is no longer an object.

Except that Georgia isn't enamored with the money or the things it can buy. She never was. She wants the love and respect of her man, and to live comfortably to be sure, but more importantly, she wants to know that her own life has purpose.

She gets her first sign of purpose when Marvin's teenage daughter, from a previous relationship, shows up to live with them. With her marriage is crumbling along with her self-respect, can Georgia find it within her "sweet" heart to welcome the girl into her home?

In SWEET GEORGIA BROWN, Cheryl Robinson has penned a tale that will be familiar to many a woman and particularly to mothers who lose sight of themselves and their own goals while taking care of the household, supporting their man, and raising their children. The story is both touching and feisty, not to mention funny, especially after Georgia begins to fight back against a meaningless life. I enjoyed the contemporary shout-outs, like radio personality Tom Joyner and the take on Last Comic Standing. Years from now these things might date the book but right now they add to the entertainment value. Also, it was nice to see a twist on the whole reality show thing, one in which the character wins but winning doesn't bring them what they expect, a reality check for anyone thinking that those shows are a ticket to success.

I thought this was Ms. Robinson's debut novel but discovered that she's published a contemporary romance series previously. SWEET GEORGIA BROWN inspires me to hunt down Ms. Robinson's catalog.