Customer Reviews

Good Things

5 star:		(43)
4 star:		(12)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Deidre McIntosh loves her hectic and full city life--and within a few days, everything that defines her is gone. She is forced to reevaluate her life and decide what truly matters--in essence, she must live her motto (and the name of her show): "Live Simple, and Simply Live!"

When life gives Deidre lemons, she not only makes lemonade, she also makes Lemon Chiffon Cake. She does so many things with style and relish, she seems unlikely to be phased by problems.

But starting over is a huge challenge. Luckily a few key elements fall into place: she meets Kevin, who offers her a place to stay and the possibility of a new relationship. And she meets Lindsey, who shows her a different yardstick by which to measure her success, and that they each can learn and benefit from the other.

Deidre discovers that living simply means that you can also live richly by surrounding yourself with what you love and need. She also learns to value all the good things in her life, including the wonderful food that she whips up (recipes are at the back of the book).

Mia King's first novel is fun, contemporary, and full of energy. Good Things ends at a point where the characters are looking forward to a new phase of their lives, leaving you hungering for the next course.

Reviewed by Marie Fellenstein Hale, author of The Childbirth Kit

Mia King's book had a good story line/plot and the recipes were really great. However, I don't think the characters, outside of Deidre's roommate and his lover, were fully developed. I think Deidre and her love interest had very little development. The lack of development didn't make me root for them and their relationship seemed implausible. Some of the story lines (such as the Marla vs. Deidre thing and the diner) needed to be fleshed out more. Mia King has the talent to write an intriguing and captivating story and I think she will blossom with her second book.

In Seattle, TV show host of the successful Live Simple, forty years old Deidre McIntosh feels on top of the world. Her show is on a five year run that looks like it will continue indefinitely and she shares a terrific apartment with a close friend. On top of that her investment portfolio is blooming.

Her world crumbles rather quickly as her show is canceled, her investments tank, and her friend moves in with his gay lover. She had no job, no money and no place to live as she can no longer live in her current abode. She meets Kevin Johnson, who offers her his vacation home in rustic Jacob's Point. Thinking this will buy her time to regroup, she travels to the backwater town. Though feeling like a fish out of water, Deidre brings in income by selling gourmet goods to Lindsey Miller, owner of a local eating spot. After a few months of hiatus, Deirdre has a plan to get back on the air in Seattle, but that means leaving behind friends particularly Kevin, who is beginning to own her heart.

Deirdre is a combination energizer bunny-Pollyanna as she believes she will be back on top of the game shortly. The story line focuses on her I will return; but the second time around she has a new dilemma, Kevin. During her five-year stay at the top, she had no personal life and assumes that is the norm. Will she pick career or love in spite of Kevin insisting she can have both, Deidre thinks otherwise. Though perhaps too sweet, GOOD THINGS is a fun contemporary romance that fans who enjoy a lighthearted fare will appreciate.

Harriet Klausner

Deidre McIntosh is the next Martha Stewart, or at least that's what she thinks. Unfortunately, her local Seattle station doesn't agree and cancels her television show, which sends her life into a tailspin. Now Deidre must stop teaching her audience how to "Live Simply" and take her own advice. Deidre herself must learn not only how to live, but to take a chance on love.

Mia King's debut novel, GOOD THINGS , is filled with easily identifiable characters. Deidre McIntosh is an imperfect heroine who finds that the search for the perfect life will only lead to disappointment. She must learn to discover beauty and satisfaction from what life gives her and, in doing so, learn to trust herself.

King pens vivid descriptions of a bustling Seattle and beautiful images of rural Washington State. These two contrasting settings sparkle. However, while beautifully written, the book's lighthearted plot is a little too predictable. Coincidently, every part of Deidre's world crashes around her in a matter of a week, and her unwillingness to fight to put her life back together lasts too long. Deidre is a character who reacts to life's trials instead of taking the offensive and enacting change. This sometimes makes it hard to sympathize with her. In contrast to Deidre, the owner of the local diner is very well-drawn and demonstrates King's flare for simple, but complex characters.

All in all, GOOD THINGS will give the reader a satisfying happy ending and some great recipes to experiment with once the final page is turned.

I enjoyed the book very much. Ms. King kept the book moving. Only one teeny problem. The 'romance' scenes were too much! Sometimes the less said, the better. Of course, I read it but I thought they were too detailed. (more like 4.5 stars out of 5)

Fun book! Dierdre-lifestyle guru ala Martha Stewart but younger, cuter, and funnier and not nearly as adept at the stock market-is one of those heroines that makes you wish you knew her in real life. Everything is moving along in her life pretty well, until it falls apart, of course, and Dierdre finds out if her skills making light flaky dough will pull her through when things get really tough. Loved seeing this one through to the end, and smiled the whole way. Gives chick-lit a little respect back!

My husband had gone fishing for 4 glorious days. It's cold and pouring down rain. All the elements I needed to be able to get lost in a couple of books that I had bought just for this occasion! One of those books just happened to be 'Good Things' and, indeed, lost I got in Jacob's Point and Lake Wish. I could not put this book down and I certainly did NOT want this book to end. Besides Deidre and Kevin, I fell in love with the characters of Lindsey (a steadfast and no-nonsense friend), William and Alain (who are a hoot) and Mrs. Everett (the most mysterious character in the book). I love the folklore and magic of Lake Wish. I am really hoping that Mia King will consider doing a series of Jacob's Point books and delve deeper into the other characters as well (with guest appearances by Deidre and Kevin, of course). I have bookmarked her website and will be watching for whatever she may publish next!

ps...I loved the quotes at the beginning of each chapter!
pss...I was delighted when I turned the last page and there were all of the recipes from the book ~ especially the Fresh Salmon and Penne Salad with creamy, light Dill Dressing....yum!!!

Thank you Mia King!!!

Deidre McIntosh's life is wonderful. As the star of Live Simple, a Martha Stewart type show, she has charmed Seattle for five years Then, her show is axed, her long-time roommate finds love and moves out, and she's evicted. Being told that it is an opportunity is just making her ill. The one piece of good luck she has comes in the form of a handsome, kind stranger, Kevin, who offers her a getaway at his cabin in Jacob's Point, Washington where she can combine housesitting for him with getting her thoughts together. When she sees the wreck of a cabin, however, she is not sure how much of a break Kevin was offering her. She does make some new friends and is able to devise a few ideas, but as Deidre is soon to learn, ideas are not the same as putting them into action. Kevin is not all he seems, either. The journey of a thousand miles across Deidre's soul is only just beginning.

**** The title is quite accurrate, as this story is a very good thing. Deidre is a heroine to whom it is easy to relate and whose story is one that can offer hope to anyone facing struggles. She, as are all her "castmates", is flawed and will often make you want to roll your eyes or yell at her, just as you would want to if you could see yourself from the viewpoint of an outside observer. The included recipes are intriguing enough to make a noncook want to go into the kitchen, as a bonus. ****

This is the book that you cannot put down. You will fall in love with all the characters, laugh out loud at the charming twists and turns in the storyline, and feel satisfied as Mia King brings the book to a delightful ending. If you love romantic comedy, cozy cabins, warm meals, true friendships and true love; you will treasure this book.

This book is the tops for this genre! It is the perfect book to pick up and read on the plane, in a train, on the beach ... anywhere you want to have a good time. It is full of twists and turns you don't expect, with the right amount of romance. It's a well written story that you don't want to put down, and in the end, you find it satisfying and looking forward to Mia King's next novel!