56744

56744

Will not re-read. Liberal content .... gay couple that church accepted as Christians continuing in that lifestyle; couple living couple, etc. Threw away 8/30/13.

I am quickly becoming a fan of Melody Carlson. I have read this book and a teen book she has written and have already made a wish list of her books to be placed on my shelves at school.

In "Limelight" I found a book that could make my emotions ride the rollercoaster. It is the story of Claudette Fiore, an 82 year old former actress. After her husband passes away she finds that his accountant was paying himself instead of their taxes. The IRS does not look favorably on this and has therefore seized most of her assets, including her beautiful home in Beverly Hills. She sees everything as lost and hopeless and attempts suicide. Her step-son flies in to save the day. As a set designer he is used to making lists and working the lists to make magic happen. He sets Claudette down and the process begins. It is then she tells him she owns a home in Silverton, California. He thinks that is terrific. Even when she tells him about how poor she was growing up, he sees the silver lining in all of it. He drives her back to Silverton and turns her mother's former house into something she can feel comfortable and cozy in. She had always had servants around to do everything for her and without that help she as helpless as a baby. With the help of friends she had left behind when she fled Silverton, she manages to survive and actually thrive.

I loved Claudette. She was a snob at the beginning of the book. She trampled on people all of the time and her character made me angry. Then when I saw her situation I felt bad for her because I figured she wasn't going to make it. The problems she has after moving in to her house just cracked me up. The fact she didn't know how to go shopping for the simplest of items just blew me away. Her attempt at doing laundry made me roll on the floor. I knew by the time I had finished the book and I was laughing and crying that I would have to recommend this book to all of my friends. It was a real pleasure to read and review this book. ( )

Claudette Fiore was used to making men's heads turn. Married to Gavin Fiore, a Hollywood director, Claudette enjoyed the good life, expensive foreign vacations, 500 thread Egyptian sheet cotton sheets and a handful of servants to attend to her needs.

Suddenly at the age of 82, the glamorous life of Hollywood comes crashing down on Claudette as she is forced to learn the tasks of life, many of us perform routinely on a daily basis. As a widow, Claudette finds herself almost penniless due to her accountant's swindling.

What is a diva to do? Move back to her hometown in Northern California where she swore she would never return to.

Limelight is a quick, witty and enjoyable read. As an 82 year old Claudette does not have many endearing qualities. Used to being pampered she has difficulty adjusting to the lifestyles of the not so rich. Having spent most of her life in Hollywood Claudette is overly self conscious about her looks. By the end of the book, I found myself liking Claudette. Life in a small town makes her realize that at the end of the day all that is really important are the people that you surround yourself with.

The book has an assortment of quirky characters, Claudette's gay step-son-who works magic with her new home. His enthusiasm and appreciation of life is contagious. Bea, her nosy overly friendly neighbor has no fashion sense but will not be deterred by Claudette's snobbery. In her first week in town, Claudette meets the senior liaison lady, a fan of imitation handbags, an art dealer and a clerk from the hardware store.

Author Carlson, weaves together a fun story of life in a smaller town. She brings to life everyday events that we can all relate to, locking yourself out of your house and overflowing toilets. At times the book had me laughing out loud reminiscing about my own bad luck situations. The book also made me wonder what my life would be like at eighty-two.