Act Two

By Kimberly Stuart

Book Overview

New Yorker Sadie Maddox is the toast of the classical-music world-and a bit of a diva. But lately her CD sales are sagging, not to mention parts of her anatomy. Maybe it's time for a change. So when her agent suggests a professorship at a small liberal-arts college, Sadie decides to give it a go. Besides, she needs the money. But the college is in rural Iowa. Sadie's colleagues are intimidated, her students aren't impressed, and she has to live far too close to farm animals. When Sadie meets Mac, a veterinarian, she assumes they have nothing in common-he is, after all, a country-music fan-and she's counting the days until she moves back to New York. Yet, when Sadie is forced to spend time with Mac, she likes him. Her students really need her. And this quiet Midwest community begins to grow on her. When the semester ends, Sadie packs up and decamps for the city that never sleeps...and finds she can't either. Will she find the courage and grace she needs to embrace her Act Two?

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0692646949
• ISBN13: 9780692646946
• Release Date: February 2016
• Publisher: Blom Books
• Length: 238 Pages
• Weight: 1.32 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.5" x 5.5" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

a new author to love

Glad I branched out and tried adding a new author to my Christian fiction library. Kimberly Stuart has a refreshing voice, great humor, and considerable character development skills. I especially liked that the saccharine factor was nearly nonexistent. Many in the genre write safe and "nice" dialogue for everyone, when in reality, a little admonition and correction/rebuke is necessary! You go, girl!

A pleasure to find,

This book was fun and entertaining. Being from Iowa, I related to the feelings and subtle references to the rural mid-west living. I got a few raised eyebrows while reading it on the plane because I laughed out loud several times, but you can't help it.

If you want to laugh..

try this one out. It's just a funny story about a lady you'll try hard not to like, in situations you can't help but chuckle at. Perfect escapism for serious time. There isn't page in the book that doesn't have sarcasm, wisecracking or outright hilarity.

Classic tale with fresh, sassy details. A great read!

This book is your classic fish-out-of-water story. Thanks to a little career desperation and a religious experience, a classical music diva from Manhattan accepts a one-time, one-semester job as a college voice professor in Iowa. Things get worse when she arrives to find she'll be living in the attic of an old house on a pig farm. Oh, and did I mention it's filled with kids? And that her daily chauffeur is an opinionated country music fan? Not exactly what she had in mind when her agent arranged this gig. What ensues is a delightful tale and a journey of discovering what's really most important. While this type of story has been done a thousand times, Ms. Stuart fills her novel with fresh, sassy characters and authentic details. A love of high society, fashion and cuisine meets practicality and downhome families in a plucky collision of real life in different cultures. It's fantastic. In fact, it's the most enjoyable book I've read all month! I highly recommend it. This Midwestern farmgirl turned NYC suburbanite has already mailed a copy to her Kentucky mama, sure it's going to be a hit with her too.

tra la la

Rarely does this singer get to read a novel which lilts along in my own language. Okay. So I don't sing opera(!) but I do love music. So, reading this novel in first person (even though the heroine was a bit snobbish--hey, that only makes her transformation more fun to observe--) was a delight! But even if you aren't a singer or musician, you'll still love this story. And first-person? Bring it on. Not an easy choice in POV, but Kimberly makes it work. I laughed out loud too many times to count. If you're looking for a quirky and quick read, a fun and yet poignant story, don't miss this one!