Everything But a Husband

Married young to a much older, dominating man, thirty-one year old widow, Galen Granata is lacking in self-esteem and confidence. Now, after her grandmother's recent death leaves Galen with a substantial inheritance, is she ready to spread her wings? An invitation to spend the holidays with an old friend of her mother's will test Galen's mettle. Del Farentino, widower and father of a young hearing-challenged daughter, is struggling to make ends meet with his construction company. On an especially busy day just before Thanksgiving, Del finds himself coerced into gathering a friend of a friend from the airport. The woman proves to be far from a seasoned traveler and a tad stand-offish. Del finds himself intrigued by Galen Granata in spite of his vow to concentrate on his fledgling business and providing for his daughter. Can he penetrate the wall that Galen has built around her heart? Does he want the heartache that true love inevitably seems to bring?Karen Templeton pens a warm-hearted, emotional character-driven story of confronting and letting go of the past in order to embrace the future. EVERYTHING BUT A HUSBAND is both humorous and dramatic, revisiting characters from Karen's other Spruce Lake books and creating new ones to wend their way into reader's hearts. Dialogue is perfect, with all the little pauses, wit and quirky anecdotes you expect between real people. Karen's talent lies in her ability to create ordinary people , put them in ordinary circumstances, and create an extraordinary tale.Well meaning friends and family all combine to bring Del and Galen together in spite of themselves. Del is Karen's strongest hero to date, Galen her most sympathetic heroine. I highly recommend EVERYTHING BUT A HUSBAND for a fast-paced, witty, truly romantic tale.