“Family Affair”
Debbie Macomber
I found “Family Affair” to be a cute story and at only one hundred and two pages (which includes the Homemade Treats for Your Cat recipe chapter) it was also a very quick read. One could almost read it completely through on a lunch hour and it would definitely provide a nice “pick me up” for anyone having a bad day.
The premise of “Family Affair” is this: Lacey Lancaster has just recently suffered through a painful divorce. Once the divorce has been finalized she uproots herself and moves to San Francisco, California intent on immersing herself in a job she can love, finding an apartment she will enjoy living in and sharing her new life with a beautiful Abyssinian kitten named Cleo. Lacey has decided to breed Cleo when she’s old enough and also plans to live “happily ever after” and she’s decided that she doesn’t need a man in order to do so.
Unfortunately she didn’t factor in her neighbor, Jack Walker, when she came up with her brilliant plan. Jack constantly disturbs Lacey’s peace and quiet at home. He argues seemingly day and night with his girlfriend, who he’s trying to convince to move in with him, and let’s not forget about his cat, named Dog, who is constantly chasing after Cleo. When Lacey finds out that Cleo is expecting, and that Jack’s mongrel that is responsible, she’s furious and understandably so. She’s even more irate when she sees Jack’s rather cavalier attitude about the entire situation.
Dealing with Cleo’s impending motherhood forces Lacey to be around Jack much more than she initially wants to be but, as time progresses, Lacey realizes that things are not as she thought they were. Jack’s “girlfriend” is really his sister and all of a sudden Lacey’s world is turned upside down as she learns the joy of “falling in love all over again.”
In summary I found “Family Affair” to be a cute read although it definitely falls into the “Romance” genre which I generally don’t read. Debbie Macomber is a talented writer and is able to convey this story in an interesting manner. “Family Affair” is a great book for anyone who loves reading romance and also a great birthday gift / socking stuffer depending on the time of the year.