SilkyDreamGirl

Katie Coomers is 37. She's fat, her 4th husband has just left her with a mountain of debt, she's been fired and almost everyone from her mom to her best friend thinks it's all her fault. Katie is also smart, funny, and tougher than she realizes. Watching Katie pull herself together and fight for the good life she deserves is wonderful. Although it doesn't sound like it at first this is one of the funniest (not smiling funny but laugh out loud funny) books you will read all year. I can't believe this is Chris Burks's first book. It's just that good.

Why doesn't anyone care about Katie? Cris Burks has done an outstanding job of depicting the Katies of the world--women whose friends, husbands and other family members take for granted in the extreme. Katie's that reliable pair of shoes or ragged sweater that one loves enough to keep around but not enough to take care of or to mend. My favorite Katie-hater is Donna, Katie's 'best friend.' She constantly insults and hurts Katie under the guise of being frank for Katie's own good. I think that Donna and Mamma Jeffries, Katie's mother, really do love Katie, but they abuse her, simply because Katie's no good at playing the game of survival of the fittest. At least not in the beginning. I love it that Katie's boys, even her oldest son, are crazy about her. They know that she's a jewel, and treat her accordingly. The scene between Katie, her sister-in-law and the boys had me laughing so hard that I almost choked! I really do like everything about SilkyDreamGirl, and I can't wait for Cris Burks next offering.

What makes Katie Coomers unique? She survives all the tragedies in her life. This book is well-written. Ms. Burks transcended ethnicity to write about universal issues faced by women regardless of race, age, or any other label. I can't wait for her next book!

I got hyped about this novel before it came out that I went and bought a copy which just arrived the other day. And I wasn't disappointed either. I emphasized and been where Katie was. Now I don't know if I could do marry FOUR times like she did. That takes a lot of chutzpah! Yet, she went through some rough spots and did well in the end. And it is not all about weight and what not, it is all about what you feel on the inside that matters the most. This comes highly recommended by me for those of you who have been in similar circumstances and want a lift out of the negativity pit. Kudos to Ms Burks for her great first novel.

Things are quite sour in the life of Katie Jeffries Cannon Smith Robinson Croomers. At the family's Labor Day picnic, husband number four surprises her and the guests by announcing that he is leaving her, moving to California, and he expects for her to care for his sons until he can get himself together. A few days later, she shows up at her job as a call center supervisor and is fired for under performance. Katie has gained a lot of weight over the years and has to listen to her mother berate her about her weight and choices she has made in life and in men. Katie deals with her plight by cooking mouth-watering meals and baking fabulous, calorie-rich desserts, which she feeds to her sons and her wounded soul. People rave about her desserts and her friend Donna tries to get her to go into the catering business but Katie wants no part of going into business with Donna. In fact, Katie is happy just having her own personal pity party. Besides cooking, her other form of escape is the Internet chat rooms. She meets new friends who do not judge her and have a great influence on her. One special cyber friend is MastrThief who helps her believe in love again, then increases her loss of hope when her illusions about him are shattered. Katie, though, is persistent in not giving up on finding Mr. Right on-line. She meets and dates several gentlemen from the chat rooms. Some are nice and others leave something to be desired. This debut novel by Cris Burks is well written, witty, interesting and intriguing. The book is easy to read and the flashes back and forth in time are easy to follow. The characters are well developed and have a realness to them whereas a reader could easily relate to them. It seems as if the author had to have lived this experience in order to write this novel so vividly. This book is highly recommended.JeanetteAPOOO BookClub