Small Change [Paperback]

Sheila Roberts (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: March 30, 2010

Take a trip to the charming little town of Heart Lake, and meet three best friends who you’ll never forget…

Rachel, Jessica and Tiffany have money problems—major money problems. Tiffany’s whipped out the plastic one too many times, and now a mountain of debt is about to come crashing down on her.  Jessica’s husband lost his job—thrusting this longtime stay-at-home mom out into the cold, cruel workforce.  And Rachel’s divorce has transformed her from an upper-middle-class mom to a strapped-for-cash divorcee.  What are three best friends to do?

Get financially fit, that’s what!  Together, Rachel, Jessica and Tiffany start a financial support group called The Small Change Club—challenging each other to bring balance back to their checkbooks, and their lives.  Even though frugality is a lot harder than they ever imagined, these women are about to learn some very important lessons: that  small changes can make a big difference…and that some things in life, like good friends, are truly priceless. 

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The three friends in Roberts's (Angel Lane) light read are happily reminiscent of Sarah Strohmeyer's The Penny Pinchers Club. These Heart Lake, Wash., neighbors become divas living on a dime when harsh economic times hit. Still recovering from a miscarriage, Tiffany Turner is a shopaholic who becomes frantic when her out-of-control credit card spending prompts her husband, Brian, to leave her. Rachel Green is a struggling divorcée with two children who's just lost her teaching job and professes to not need a man until she meets Chad Alvarez. And stay at-home wife and former musician Jess, when informed by her banker husband that he might lose his job, wonders if she can be a rocker chick again. To cope, the Small Change Club members decide to simplify their lifestyles and take control of their future. Homing in on issues many readers can identify with, Roberts's women search for practical solutions to a common challenge with humor and froth. (Apr.)
Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

From Booklist

The economic downturn has affected everyone in some way, even the residents of sleepy Heart Lake. Rachel is a substitute teacher and newly divorced; she takes care of the kids while her ex-husband uses the child-support money to support his new wife. Jessica’s husband just got downsized from his banking job while her adult son, also recently laid off, has moved back in, causing massive arguments. Tiffany’s husband is hanging on to his job by a thread while she just can’t seem to stop herself from shopping and racking up thousands of dollars in credit-card debt. The three women realize that they need to get their finances under control and start saving. With each other’s guidance, the women begin to save money, pay off their debts, and build better relationships with their friends and their families. Roberts’ fans will enjoy returning to Heart Lake and its enthusiastic residents, and most fiction lovers will enjoy this feel-good approach to today’s uncertainties. --Hilary Hatton

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Product Details

• Paperback: 352 pages
• Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin; Original edition (March 30, 2010)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 031259447X
• ISBN-13: 978-0312594473
• Product Dimensions: 8.2 x 5.6 x 1 inches
• Shipping Weight: 11.2 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (9 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,068,308 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

It took Sheila Roberts a while to decide what she wanted to be when she grew up. Before becoming a published writer she did many things, including playing in a band and owning a singing telegram company. But in the end, she wound up doing what she loved to do most as a child: writing. Sheila has been published under different names in both fiction and non-fiction and seen her books translated into several different languages. Her novels have been selected for book clubs and optioned for film. She lives on a small lake in the Pacific Northwest and has three children and one long-suffering husband. When she's not playing with girlfriends or on the tennis court Sheila can be found writing about those things dear to women's hearts:family, friends, and chocolate.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars enjoyable suburban family drama, April 1, 2010

By 

Harriet Klausner - See all my reviews
(#1 Hall OF FAME REVIEWER)    (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Small Change (Paperback)

In Heart Lake, Washington, Brian Turner is anxious over money issues as he fears a lay-off due to the economy tanking. He has been tolerant of his wife Tiffany's recent spending as she suffered a miscarriage, but now calmly explains to her that she can no longer waste money on her "bargains". When Tiffany fails to cut back on her credit card use, he cannot take it any longer. He leaves his shopaholic spouse.

The Heart Lake Elementary School principal informs temporary fifth grade teacher Rachel Green that Ambika Sinj is coming back to work after being on maternity leave. Rachel was hoping for a permanent teaching position rather than subbing as the former means benefits for the divorcee and her two children since the rat Aaron dumped her and their money. No longer trusting in Prince Charming, she has another problem, Chad who wants her and the kids in his life.

Banker Michael Sharp informs his stay at home fortyish wife Jessica that though he remains employed his job has been centralized on Ohio though he has a local offer at less money. To supplement their income instead of moving to Ohio, Jess wonders if she could return to the music she gave up years ago to raise two kids, who now are adults; though one has returned to the nest.

The three neighbors form the Small Change Club to help each other cope with the impact of the downward spiraling economy by being a support group. Each seeks pragmatic solutions to financial woes.

This is an enjoyable look at the impact on three suburban families struggling with financial strain. The ensemble cast is powerful especially the three lead females who set out to make Small Change in their respective lifestyles in order to swim rather than sink in red ink. Readers will enjoy this fine tale as the heroines seek practical solutions to their woes.

Harriet Klausner

3.0 out of 5 stars Self Help with a spoonful of sugar, February 19, 2011

By 

Polly Poorhouse "Polly" (Sadville) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Small Change (Paperback)

Small Changes is really a self-help book thinly disguised as a novel. It follows three friends in financial straights: our heroine Rachel is reeling financially and emotionally from a divorce and is caught in the trap of trying to buy her children's affection; her friend, one-time rocker Jess has never had a job, and both her husband and son are facing unemployment; and pitiful Tiffany drowns her infertility sorrows by running up credit card bills on things she doesn't need and can't afford.

The women band together in a support group, getting wise about money and finding ways to increase their incomes and decrease their expenses. Of course, they live happily ever after and go on to build their emergency savings accounts in case a rainy day should strike again. The story is almost a morality play for financial control.

And it contains good tips, particularly for women who do not have to work full time. For them, the recipes for cordial and home-made jams to give as gifts instead of over spending on unwanted mall tschakas may make sense. Each of these women learn to transform their personal strengths into a way to make or save money.

For those who can't stomach a self-help book, this novel makes the advice easy to swallow.

DIsclosure: I received a free advance reader copy of this title.

5.0 out of 5 stars great book!, December 31, 2010

By 

mother to 2 - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Small Change (Paperback)

I had read about this book on the internet and decided to order it. I received it at a great price. It was used, but in great shape, which was fine with me. The book came in the mail only a few days later, which surprised me that I received it so quickly (nice surprise!). It was a good book and I read it in 2 evenings. I would definitely buy from this seller again.