Born Under a Lucky Moon

Jeannie Thompsons life has never been boring. Her family is filled with colorful, and often embarrassing, relatives who seem to be the victims of some of the oddest things; making them the talk of the little Michigan town where they live. It is 2006, and Jeannies longtime boyfriend is thinking of taking their relationship to the next level. Shes not sure they should rock the boat. Not only are they both busy in the entertainment industry, she knows how other boyfriends have felt about her less than normal family, and shes not sure Aidan will be any better. As Jeannies past and present collide, she must reconsider her life growing up near the Great Lakes of Michigan, and the career she carved out that has alienated her from her family. Debut author Dana Precious pulls together a stellar plot, quirky characters, the love/hate relationship we can have with our family/stomping grounds, and a romance to come up with a major winner. I loved everything about this book. Once I started it, I couldnt put it down. I read it in one day. Born Under A Lucky Moon is filled with laughs and tears, unexpected twists, family, and down home charm. Its about the Thompson family, but it could be about any family. Born Under A Lucky Moon is the perfect book to choose if you want a great read that is funny, yet moving.

Born Under a Lucky Moon by Dana Precious - a Goodreads First Read free giveaway book won on February 2nd, received on February 15th and previously made-aware-of through promotions on sheknows.com and womansday.com Born Under a Lucky Moon is a novel told in the first-person in a back and forth, then-and-now prose of the teenage and middle-age life of Jeannie Thompson. The main theme of the book is her boyfriend, Aidans, attempt to marry Jeannie and be introduced to her Midwestern, dysfunctional but very loving family (a bit like the Hepburns or the Marchs from Little Women, but somewhat more off-kilter) and is told in the style of Jeannie telling Aidan stories of her family to keep him at bay from the onslaught that is Them. The action and plot moves much in the style of the Thompson family - quickly and crisply. It had ended a little over the top, but given the context, it was to be expected and fairly apt. What I loved best were the aside/long-story-short stories about a family incident or a persons background, such as Jeannies great-grandparents. I also really connected with the familiar quips about Midwest life: regional product brands, the Michigan map as being the palm of your hand, radio stations, squirrels, wedding traditions, and outdoor recreation. As Tom, a Thompson family friend, quips, family is like a warm and comforting curse. And, in looking at this book, its a real and unabashed account of how careerwomen regard their families through memories both bitter and dear - no matter how you excuse or cope it away, your family is both the maker and cruelest judge of character.

This book captures all the joy and angst and zaniness of a large family and an even larger extended small town where everyone knows everyone, The contrasting settings of LA and its over the top movie folks with hometown Muskegon offers an excellent and very funny point counter point. I have found out that much of the story is true which offers an additional deliciousness to the tale.

I bought this book on the reccomendation of author Susan Phillips, and even tho I like her books very much,we evidently dont like to read the same kind of books.

Great summer read.

Born Under A Lucky Moon by Dana Precious was released on February 8th, 2011. I had the pleasure of reading it in order to write a review on [...] and immediately, I was hooked. I highly recommend it and heres the link to read my review. [...]

I wanted to become a part of this wonderfully crazy family. With all the twists and turns this is truly a journey you wont soon forget! It is a book that you will pick up and not put down until you have exhaled your last laugh, and cried your eyes dry.

Im in love with North Muskegon Michigan, and Ive never even been there. Reading this book makes the place seem like the coolest little lakeside town ever. The way this author weaves the fabric of life there is masterful. With the touch of a true Michigander, she plants us in the world of the solid midwestern citizen--the kind whose deadpan fortitude provides hilarious contrast to the main character, Jeannie, and her close but craziness-prone family.You can smell the damp, hot summer air and feel worn wood of the dock beneath your feet as you read about Jeannies summer at the shore back at home with her family, who are both her biggest problem and her greatest asset. The antics that surround them are so appallingly entertaining, they remind us to appreciate family life for all its ridiculous and beautiful imperfections. Worth the read for the Grandma scene alone.

Some of the things the characters do irritate me (they are too forgiving in my opinion, like when they do nothing about a neighbor who is a Peeping Tom) and you wish many of the characters would come to their senses. None of these irritations bothered me enough to make me dislike the book, though, and its probably because you know, eventually, that they will figure it out. I appreciate that the author was able to create a romance without writing in sex scenes. Im not a prude, but in general sex scenes in books make me cringe. The author also knows a lot about her settings and her main characters career because they are her own. Overall, this was a sweet story with likeable and relatable people. I was reminded of my own family several times and the book had a very satisfying ending, so I found it quite enjoyable. This is a solid book; I will recommend it to family and friends.

A small town girl deals with the insanity and drama of hollywood while juggling her own life. It was easy to relate to this book being from Michigan and it was fun to relive Michiganisms. Colorful characters and funny passages make it a quick fun summer read.