Review: Almost Perfect by Susan Mallery.

Back in high school, Liz Sutton was the girl from the wrong side of the tracks. Then she’d stolen the heart of the most popular boy in town, and their secret romance helped her through the worst of times. Until Ethan Hendrix betrayed her and everything they’d ever meant to each other. Devastated and pregnant, Liz left Fool’s Gold, California-forever, she thought…

Now Liz must return to town and face the man who doesn’t know of their son’s existence. And this time she won’t have the option of making a quick getaway. Ethan and Liz can’t deny their passionate attraction, even after all these years. But will their desire be enough to spark a second chance at love?

This book was a delight to read. Fools Gold, a small town, with people who know everything and anything about you and your past, but is still yet a charming place. A town that takes care of their own people. Well for Liz Sutton, the town’s people back in the day, did not really take care of their own. She grew up in a home where her mother was the town’s slut and she was being smacked around and forced to raise herself. She had a brother, Roy Sutton, who moved away when she was 12 years old. When he left, she felt so alone.

She falls in love with the most popular boy in school, Ethan Hendrix. He knew there were rumors being spread around the school about Liz being a slut just like her mother, but he got to know her and fell in love with her for her and didn’t pay any attention to the rumors. Liz was known as the girl from the other side of the tracks, but she was smart and beautiful. Although Ethan loved Liz, he couldn’t reveal to any of his friends that they were together and told Liz to keep it a secret. She was young and thought it was romantic. Until one day at work she over heard Ethan’s friends ask if he was with Liz and he told his friends, no I wouldn’t be interested in someone like her. She was so hurt, grabbed a milkshake poured it on his head and left work and never went back.

Eleven years later, Liz Sutton, is a reputable author of murder books and has made a good life for herself in San Francisco with her son, Tyler who is 11 years old. Yea I know, you can imagine who the father is. Unfortunately, Ethan has no idea he has a son. She is forced to go back to Fools Gold, a town she has hated in her youth. Her brother (Roy) has 2 daughters and are left alone in their old house. Their father is in prison and his wife left the girls with $100 to raise themselves. It’s been 2 months and the oldest daughter, Melissa Sutton (14 yrs old) emails her aunt whom she’s never met and asks for help. Without hesitation, Liz packs up her and her son’s things and they take a road trip to Fools Gold. A trip that was planned for a few weeks soon turns into a long stay.

Does Liz tell Ethan he has an 11 year old son? Does the town accept Liz’s return? Do the rumors stop circulating about Liz being a slut? Does the town embrace her fame with books or shut her out as an outcast due to her past? Lots of questions can be answered if you read the book.

I really enjoyed this book because so much was going on. Besides the main characters Liz and Ethan, other things were going on in the book which just kept me reading more and more. I love it when a book has that effect on me. I love Fools Gold and the people who now are trying to protect their own and be there for their town’s people. A good read and I plan to read Susan Mallery’s other books and I’m sure I’ll enjoy them all.

"The Night She Got Lucky"

This book was an okay read. I liked that it was about a woman-40 years of age with a set of teen age boy twins. In the beginning, I must admit that I was kind of turned off by a few things that I was reading but in the end it was an okay read.

Geneveve, auburn hair, tall, slender and 40 yrs old was married to her college sweetheart Larry who is now a Urologist. Their marriage did not last due to his love for younger females and fast cars. So they split up. He did a doozie on Ginger as she is referred to in the book due to her stunning resemblance of Ginger on Gilligans Island. He really made her feel like she needed a face lift and a new body and a younger look. Her self esteem went shooting out the door.

Then as fate would have it she meets young, and attractive Lucio better known as Lucky in the book. Well he's not that young, he's 38 which is great ha! He bumps into her at her friends wedding and it was an odd way to meet someone. Her dress was size 4 but she was actually a size 6, but she squeezed into the dress regardless. As she came out of Mrs. Needlemans room, she fainted from her dress squeezing the living bajezzies out of her and Lucky caught her before the fall and took her to her room, laid her on the bed and gave her a peck on her cheek. She wakes up and screams as if he did something terrible to her, when indeed he didn't. The story was a good read because things unfold in the end. Lucky was known as a famous photographer traveling the world to capture beautiful pictures and at the same time seeing and leaving beautiful women. A heart breaker in other words.

Ginger and Lucky get together but the ending has a nice twist which made this book an okay read for me. Find out what twists happen to Ginger and Lucky.

"BEAUTY AND THE BEAST"

The musical Beauty and the Beast was great! I went with my cousin Mike to the Pantages Theater in Hollywood. We sat in the back but the seats were still considered Orchestra Seats. The music was great and before the curtains opened there was a big image of the rose on the curtains. There were lots of kids there with their Beauty and the Beast costumes ready to watch the musical like the rest of us. The seats are normal size and because I'm not really normal sized I had to move around a bit haha. I thought the characters did a great job of portraying the actual Disney characters. Lafu was short and funny, Gaston was tall and muscular and Belle was petite and beautiful. The Beast was big and hairy and in the end was a handsome prince. It was a great a production and the music was absolutely wonderful. The music and singers sounded exactly like the Disney movie.

If you haven't seen the musical, it is great to take the children to watch. I would definitely recommend the musical to anyone. A good time with family and friends.

"WICKED"

WICKED-What a great musical! I had a blast watching this. I went to see WICKED in March 2011 with my cousin Mike at the Orange County Performing Arts Center and we had Orchestra Seats smack in the middle Row G. Talk about best seats in the house, total terrific view! It was my first time in that theater and I was just ecstatic to be sitting there actually waiting to watch WICKED! An unbelievable night.

My cousin Mike kind of spoils me and takes me on all his little adventures and they are so worth the money he spent on those seats. The main characters were amazing, the singing was incredible and the music will absolutely unforgettable. I really enjoyed the musical and the whole plot of WICKED. I totally have a different view towards the Wicked Witch of the West. She was the good witch in WICKED and it was nice to know that the good witch and the witch of wicked were friends at one point in time. One of my favorites songs was, "Because I knew you, I have been changed for good." The musical was funny, serious but most of all the Music was absolutely mind blowing. Very talented individuals dancing on stage, singing while dancing can be a challenge but definitel professionals during this perfomance. A definite must see for those of you undecided, you gotta see it because you will not be disappointed!