Welcome To Last Chance by Hope Ramsay Forever Blog Tour

Mass Market Paperback: 368 pages
Publisher: Forever; 1 edition (March 1, 2011)
Language: English
ISBN-10: 0446576093
ISBN-13: 978-0446576093
Click here to purchase the book from Amazon.com.




Synopsis from the publisher:

Dear Reader,

Yes, our town is way off the beaten path, but strange, wonderful miracles happen a lot around here.
I've owned the Cut 'n' Curl beauty shop for years, and I've seen folks come for a visit, then stay for a lifetime. Take Jane-that pretty firecracker of a girl who just arrived in town. I would swear she's running from something. She came with only five dollars in her pocket but she's worked real hard to make a fresh start. She's turned my son Clay's life upside down without even realizing it.
And thank goodness for that! Ever since Clay left his country western band, he's played everything too safe. He needs to take a chance on Jane. Besides, the more he tries to keep his distance, the more he'll realize that he and Jane are singing the same tune.
But I should quit ramblin' and go check on Millie's permanent wave. Next time you're in Last Chance, be sure to swing by. We've got hot rollers, free coffee, and the best gossip in town.
See you real soon,
Ruby Rhodes

My take on this story:
When Mary Smith finds herself on the run from her shyster boyfriend, she winds up in Last Chance with nothing but five dollars to her name and the clothes on her back. When she finds herself having a one night stand at the Peach Blossom Motor Court with a man she doesn't know, she wants to change. The man turns out to be Clay Rhodes, and when he catches Mary snooping thru his wallet he thinks she is trying to steal from him, but she is only trying to learn his name. He decides to snoop thru her purse and finds out that Mary isn't Mary at all but actually  Wanda Jane Coblentz from WV. When Clay tries to give Jane money and send her on her way, she decides she wants to stay in Last Chance, and soon her luck starts to change when Clay's mom gives her a job at the Cut -n-Curl which includes free housing. The town seems to accept Jane but with her past looming over her will she find happiness in Last Chance?

The author pulls you into this story of small town life effortlessly. It was easy to envision Mary/Jane down on her luck, running for the second time in her life, a woman who often didn't think things thru, but was determined to change, it was refreshing to see her grow and change throughout the story. It was easy to root for Clay and Jane, they were like able characters who were perfect together.

The quirkiness of the secondary characters really added charm to the story, from the 80 something year old Miriam Randall who is considered the town matchmaker to Lillian Bray the town gossip, who seemed to know everything about everybody. I found the cover of the book quite inviting as well, it reminded me of a few small towns in my own community.
Fans of romance will enjoy reading this story, but anyone who likes reading about small town life should pick up this book and take a trip to Last Chance!

about the author:

Hope Ramsay was born in New York and grew up on the North Shore of Long Island, but every summer Momma would pack her off under the care of Aunt Annie to go visiting with relatives in the midlands of South Carolina. Her extended family includes its share of colorful aunts and uncles, as well as cousins by the dozens, who provide the fodder for the characters you'll find in Last Chance, South Carolina. Hope earned a BA in Political Science from the University of Buffalo, and has had various jobs working as a Congressional aide, a lobbyist, a public relations consultant, and a meeting planner. She's a two-time finalist in the Golden Heart, and is married to a good ol' Georgia boy who resembles every single one of her heroes. She has two grown children and a couple of demanding lap cats. She lives in Fairfax, Virginia where you can often find her on the back deck, picking on her thirty-five-year-old Martin guitar.