*Starred Review* Elmer's Jamie Lane is a big-time crooner--a bit like Frank Sinatra, a bit like Yanni. He's made millions, but he staggers from concert to concert joylessly. He's burned out. When his mother, afflicted both with Alzheimer's and emphysema, dies, Jamie cuts his locks, takes a name from a character in the film
Roman Holiday, and returns to his mother's hometown in Oregon. There he stays in a monastery and works at a bakery, and when informed of problems in the town that money can solve, he plays angel. He also falls in love with a young Christian teacher, Anne Stewart, who is slowly coming to her feet after a car crash left her with brain damage. But since Elmer's template is
Roman Holiday, eventually Jamie's secret is found out, and he must return to being famous. Or must he? Elmer offers a pretty fairy tale here but keeps the story honest enough that his characters generate real sympathy.
John MortCopyright © American Library Association. All rights reserved
Praise for
The Celebrity:
“I loved this book. I loved it, I loved it, I loved it. A beautiful story, built around characters that take up residence in your heart. Robert Elmer has become one of my favorite authors.”
–Patricia H. Rushford, author of The Angel Delaney Mysteries and The McAllister Files
“Robert Elmer invades the secret places of his characters’ public lives. He turns them inside out enough for us to find our own longings, questions, anger–selves–among the pages. And in doing so, he makes one thing blissfully clear in
The Celebrity: we can try to run away from our circumstances, but we cannot run away from a God who loves us. It is God’s desire to make us whole.”
–Charlene Ann Baumbich, author of the
Dearest Dorothy series
“As charming and delightful as a beloved black and white movie,
The Celebrity will make you yearn for simpler times and quieter days, and for those small towns that still hold true to the values so many of us adore. A lovely romantic story with a fun premise!”
–Rene Gutteridge, author of
The Splitting Storm, BOO, and
BOO WHO“The Celebrity is a tale of two lost souls who find connection and meaning in a small town. It is a story of hope, of looking beyond yourself for purpose. Here cynicism melts in the face of kindness. Anger fades in the act of giving. A worthy read. I highly recommend it.”
–Traci DePree, best-selling author of
A Can of Peas and
Dandelions in a Jelly Jar“Robert Elmer gives us what we love—a story with small town flavor brimming with characters we cheer for and a plot that doesn’t quit. Readers of
The Celebrity will have just one thing to say—‘More, please!’”
–Lois Richer, author of
Forgotten Justice“Robert Elmer’s new book,
The Celebrity, reminds us of the important things: that life isn’t always fair, that even Christians struggle, that God is in the second chance business, and above all, that grace comes from unexpected places. This is one sweetheart of a story. Way to go, Bob.”
–Thom Lemmons, author of
Jabez: A Novel, Sunday Clothes, and
King’s Ransom (with Jan Beazely)
“Prepare to burn the midnight oil!
The Celebrity has it all–characters so real I laughed, cried, and rejoiced with them; a storyline so honest it could have been taken straight out of today’s headlines; a small town so charming I want to move there. Anne and Jamie will live on in your heart long after the last page is turned.”
–Diane Noble, author of
The Last Storyteller and
Phoebe
“Bob Elmer’s
The Celebrity tackles difficult questions: What is success? How does one find it? Is it worth the trouble? Jamie becomes Everyman as he seeks the answers. But watch out for the twist at the end!”
–Lyn Cote, author of The Women of Ivy Manor Series
“Robert Elmer hits a home run with
The Celebrity. Like
The Duet, this is a ‘close the cover, give a contented sigh, and think about the characters for the rest of the day’ kind of book. I loved it!”
–Deborah Raney, author of
A Nest of Sparrows and
Playing by Heart “I jumped on this book, knowing Robert Elmer had never disappointed me with any of his previous work. The unusual heroine invaded my heart from the start. I rooted for
The Celebrity living incognito as he deals with his mother’s death. Add the monks who make fruitcake and the delightful quotes at the start of each chapter, and you have another winner from a gifted storyteller.”
–Donita K. Paul, award-winning author of
Dragonspell
“Robert Elmer has penned an enthralling tale of two people struggling to be ‘normal.’ One is fighting her way back from devastating personal loss, and the other simply wants to reclaim himself from the demands of fame and publicity. Elmer mixes in a monastery, a thief, and a donut-making machine to create a world you’ll hate to leave.”
–Janelle Clare Schneider, author
“A
celebration of life when two strangers–flawed and hurting–discover the welcoming embrace of a small town. Hope. Laughter. A second chance.”
–Doris Elaine Fell, author of
Betrayal in Paris and
The Trumpet at Twisp
