Stranger in Paradise

This enjoyable romp will take you away from the real world and may even have you rolling on the floor with laughter.

Eileen Goudge never disappoints her readers. She delivers well-written, engrossing books about characters you come to feel are friends. STRANGER IN PARADISE offers all this and something more--an inside look at small-town California life--which is very different from life in L.A. or San Francisco. I especially enjoyed the bee keeping nuns and the descriptions of the lush countryside. Thanks, Eileen, for another great read. Can't wait until the next book in this series.

After becoming a devoted fan of Eileen Goudge with her first novel Garden of Lies. I could not wait to get started with her latest. Stranger in Paradise was a joy to read from beginning to end. I cannot wait for the 2nd book in this trilogy to come out. She took me to a place called Carson Springs and into the lives of Samantha Kiley and her two daughters. On the day of her daughter Alice's marriage to Wes, none are aware how much each of their lives will be changed by this event. Widowed for 2 years Sam finds love where she least expects and upsets both the community where she lives and the relationship she has with both her daughters. This leads them all down the path to growth and understanding. This story has it all. From family conflict, love and mysetry it grips from the beginning to the end in hopes that it all will come together and the end is no disappointment.

Carson Springs is the pictue-perfect setting for the cast of characters in this small-town story. Fourty-eight year old Samantha and her somewhat quirky, but likeable daughters will keep readers comfortably ensconsed in this book until the very end, where they will not be disappointed. Ms. Goudge creates unforgettable characters and images without going into a lot of unnecessary detail. This "summer read" will be wonderful all year long!

I was the lucky winner of a random drawing from Eileen's website, and my prize was an autographed copy of this book. I had it read before it was released for sale. Eileen did a great job of introducing all the characters, and bringing them to life. At times I was frustrated with one or more of them, then I was cheering them on. Stranger in Paradise has elements of romance, family conflict, familial love, mystery, and humor. I can't wait for the sequel. Great job, Eileen, and THANK YOU!!!