Rules for a Pretty Woman

By Suzette Francis

Book Overview

Rule #9: I will heed the warnings of my inner voice Dr. Lenita Mae Faulkner has come a long way from her dirt-poor beginningsin Madoosa County. All she's missing is a family. And with her nine-year live-in lover Ralph seemingly about to pop the question, it looks like she's about to get her wish -- a good thing, too, since Lenny's biological clock is ticking rapidly toward thirty-five. Rule #7: I will never again go fetch the beer But instead of proposing, Ralph skips out, empties their joint bank account, and runs off with another woman. And on top of that, a true family catastrophe is calling her back to tiny Madoosa -- the last place Lenny wants to be.Home again at the lowest point of her once-charmed life, Lenny is blastedby a forgotten piece of her past: a diary she kept in the fifth grade containing a list of rules she had created to live by. And in their simple, fervent honesty is the impetus for her to get out and start living again. Rule #3: I will follow my dreams Look out world, because Lenita Mae is coming on strong once more -- andthis time, it will be according to her own rules It won't always be pretty, and it won't be perfect . . . but it may just help her discover what real love is all about

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0060535423
• ISBN13: 9780060535421
• Release Date: September 2003
• Publisher: Avon Books
• Length: 308 Pages
• Weight: 1.10 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.3" x 8.0"

Customer Reviews

She's Come a Long Way Baby

Dr. Lenita Mae Faulkner is a woman that anyone would be proud to have a sister, daughter or lover. Unfortunately, the people in her life don't always realize that. Like Virginia Slims cigarettes, she's come a long way baby. From her meager beginnings in Madoosa County, where the smell of "putrefied cow dung" is part of the town's southern "charm", Lenita has committed to make something of herself. Unfortunately, a family emergency causes her to return to the place of her birth to make some choices regarding her mother. In her childhood home she comes across the diary that she cherished as a child. Coincidentally, reading through her diary she finds the Rules that she had written for her life many moons ago. It's those very same rules that give Lenita the drive she needs to pull out of her slump and grab life by the horns. Returning home from Madoosa armed with her diary and a new attitude she revamps herself as well as her rules to restore her faith in herself. Suzette Harrison has created a character that you have no choice but to love and admire. Lenita Mae is not your stereotypical, bitter, neck rolling, finger popping, revenge-seeking, loud talking angry sister. She is a sister with true character and a lady in every sense of the word. Enter her world and learn that every woman is "pretty" and we all should have "Rules" to live by.Angelique Pickett-Henderson

A Healing Handbook for Women Everywhere

Suzette Francis' Rules For A Pretty Woman is being acclaimed as the book every woman should read. An insightful and inspiring story, with romance thrown in for good measure, makes this debut more than a contemporary read. For nearly a decade, Lenny has shared herself, her home and money with live-in boyfriend, Ralph. One would think a proposal is forthcoming, right? Wrong. Ralph has plans and they do not include Lenny nor her ticking biological clock. Suffering from a broken heart Lenny heads home to Madoosa County, Georgia to visit her terminally ill mother. Instead of a trip welcomed with open arms and Sunday dinners Lenny is treated as a walking, talking ATM by her siblings reminding Lenny why she fled Madoosa County in the first place. When Lenny stumbles upon her childhood diary, the pages are filled with unkind words and pour additional salt into open wounds. Rather than wallow in self pity Lenny redefines herself by writing new rules for life and love. Some things are easier said than done as Lenny is faced with many temptations and discovers life is more than a list of dos and don'ts and some rules are meant to be broken.What I enjoyed most about this story was Lenny's three dimensional character. We experience Lenny as an overweight, insecure and sad young girl who lived in the limelight of her pretty, elder sister, Rosetta; Lenny's estranged relationship with her mother and the emotional healing which takes place; and lastly Lenny seeking validation, love and acceptance from men. Through Lenny we see how rearing plays an important role in decisions we make as adults, specifically in relationships with the opposite sex. I cannot say enough about Rules For A Pretty Woman other than it is an excellent journey to empowerment and Francis is a remarkable storyteller. I highly recommend, Rules For A Pretty Woman.Reviewed by Nicki LancasterAPOOO BookClub

GREAT FUN READ!!!!!

Once I started this book I could not put it down. The story is lovely, about a professional woman with a ticking biological clock and her struggle to find meaningful relationships in her life and happiness within herself. Written so beautifully it flows you will enjoy every moment you spend with Rules for a Pretty Woman. I can't wait for Suzette's next novel.

Coming Full Circle

Rules are like a two way street. They can either be followed or simply broken in the wind. Atlanta physician Lenny Faulkner is a clear example of this in Suzette Francis' RULES FOR A PRETTY WOMAN. After Lenny's boyfriend, Ralph leaves her for another woman and with a majority of her money, Lenny decides that enough is enough. After years of living by the rules of others, she takes matters into her own hands by devising her own rules for life. From the moment Lenny takes control, she begins a journey that not only helps her grow, but leads her to a season that brings her full circle, making her stronger than ever. Funny and compelling, Francis doesn't disappoint in her debut novel. With a solid plot and unforgettable, but honest characters, Francis is a brilliant storyteller offering a story that will keep readers constantly turning the pages. RULES FOR A PRETTY WOMAN is an excellent, captivating novel.. Expect great things from this new author; she is one to watch.Reviewed by Kanika A. WadeThe RAWSISTAZ Reviewers