RaveThe Star TribuneIt’s not a weight-loss memoir or a miracle fitness book but instead an achingly honest window into the lives of those who, quite literally, don’t fit ... [Tomlinson\'s] a gifted and witty storyteller, whether writing about the South, music, journalism, sports, or of course, food. He describes it, particularly junk food, in all its empty-calorie drive-through addictiveness, with such raw and disarming detail that you blush with him in his failures and like him all the more for sharing them. When he dives into his family history with food, all deep-fried or heavy with sugar, there’s no ancestral blame for his own habits, just devotion to the people he adores—and, sadly, shame and hatred for himself. His words about his wife overflow with love and appreciation, along with regret for the state of his own health and a desire to do better. Even though this isn’t a rah-rah diet book, I’m cheering for the author.
Mary Adkins
PositiveThe Star TribuneIt’s a risk to write a hilarious novel about grief and regret. It’s a bigger risk to tell the story solely through virtual communication. Mary Adkins succeeds on both fronts ... a story of flawed people who have connected under the worst of circumstances. It’s a quick, worthwhile read.
Sarah McCoy
PositiveMinneapolis Star Tribune\"Sarah McCoy (with humility and research, both spelled out in her endnotes) invites us back to Avonlea, to imagine a different girl\'s story, one of wrenching loss, abolitionist work, and romantic discord ... The novel is an imaginative gift to fans of the [Anne Shirley], with nothing outlandish to alienate those who loved them. Should readers quibble with each other over whether the characters created by Montgomery match those by McCoy, I suspect they would enjoy a lively book-club chat...\
