Go ‘Somewhere Safe with Somebody Good’

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Once a Mitford book is started, the tension of the day seems to glide right off. Even with its hardships, Mitford is the best place to settle down. A quote from the book sums this up perfectly: “He turned away for a moment, smacked by the beauty of complete surprise.”

Some books are like an old friend. Sitting down and reading it, you reconnect with old places and old memories. Series are even better when thinking along these lines.

The Mitford series are those kinds of books. Father Tim, Cynthia, Dooley, Harley, Lace, Hoppy, Mule and all of the quirky town characters are old friends. For a quiet town, there is always something happening.

While the last book of the series was supposed to stay the last, author Jan Karon found that she could not leave Mitford easily, much to her readers’ delight.

“I was curious [about the characters] myself,” Karon said in a conversation with her publisher, according to The Richmond Times Dispatch. “What was going on in the lives of characters I had lived with for 20 years? I was occasionally homesick for the place.”

Therefore, on Sept. 2, the latest installment of the Mitford series was published. Father Tim is still retired-but can he stay that way for long? Sammy Barlowe proves to be tough to love- is he too far gone to save? A beloved couple are to have a baby- with serious risks.

Simple, common place, everyday and wonderful things always happen in Mitford, NC. Those looking for a slow, comfy read should settle into the Mitford series, and is that not the kind of series everyone wants to settle down to in the coming cold weather?

For fans of the other Mitford books, be forewarned: Mitford now has DVD players, Father Tim has a microwave, Dooley is in college and practically engaged. Even in Mitford nothing stays the same.

Though the book starts out rather slow (even for Mitford) the ideas and plot lines get stronger as the story progresses. Anyone who loves the rhythm and voice of the other Mitford books will quickly settle into this story as well.

The story ends with some loose ends, but this is on purpose: readers could safely assume there is to be another installment in the series, wrapping up the novel’s story line.

Such a book is recommended for readers who enjoy books such as L.M. Montgomery’s novels, Maud Hart Lovelace’s novels, and “The Guernsey Literary and Potato Peel Pie Society.”

To order the book, click here. To browse Karon’s website, click here.