In The Land of Second Chances

by George Shaffner


This book makes me regret picking up a random book and reading it. That's usually how I choose my reading material- I just grab and read the synopsis. Most often, if the synopsis catches my attention, I'll enjoy the book. This book... not so much. It was a very quick read, and for that I am grateful to the author. But his style of writing leaves a lot to be desired. He writes in this rambling prose that at times, seems to contain run-on sentences and dropped ideas, without actually HAVING run on sentences. It really read as if it was written by a junior high age kid. The characters were void of any depth, and I really had a hard time placing them in the story. The woman who is telling the story is supposed to be older, with grown adult children and grandchildren, yet her tone was that of a twenty-something. The characters were just poorly developed. The whole story was very predictable, and to be honest, I am angry with myself for trudging through and reading the whole thing. Even more shocking is the fact that this is part of a trilogy, which makes me wonder if just anyone can proclaim themselves an author these days.

In short, don't read this book. The story COULD be good if it were original, sadly, it was reminiscent of The First Wives Club with The Music Man thrown in for good measure. Just take my advice, put the book down, and back away.