Book Review-Older Books 28

Pretty Woman, by Fern Michaels.  Published by Pocket Books, April 2005, 329 pages.

Rosie Gardner Bliss, built with her best friend Vicki Winters, a successful mail-order business out of local weeds.  They grew up together, and until recently, were able to say anything to each other.  They have made a considerable amount of money from the company and now both are very comfortable financially.  Rosie has always been overweight and often lacking in self-confidence.  When Kent Bliss, a gorgeous man pays her attention, she is overwhelmed, and shortly after getting involved with him a wedding date is set.  Vicki, who has recently seen said groom-to-be, in a compromising position, resolves to let her friend know, even though their relationship has recently been strained.  She goes to her house and soon leaves, to start her own journey as a paid companion, shut out from her best friend.

Three years later, Rosie has come to the conclusion that life is not a bed of roses, and that she has been mistreated by the man she once loved for long enough.  Her outspoken housekeeper, aides her in finding her strengths and overcoming years of self-indulgences in finding solace in food.  Rosie gets herself an attorney, a personal trainer, and new resolves to take the company to new levels.  Also, her best friend is back in town and making amends is just another set goal.  Her spouse is determined to get all he can from a woman he claims he never could stand, not sight nor smell.  He is under-handed and sneaky, and recently he has come to the conclusion that she has hidden a winning ticket that could set him up forever.  He will employ any means to get his share.

Jack Silver, her personal trainer will support her in new ways, and she learns to trust in herself and sets new goals that require all the confidence she can muster.

Fern Michaels has written many novels and her characters frequently have down-home values and core- beliefs that sustain them through times of trouble.  These characters have this and more.  This story is about how believing in one’s self can have life-altering effects, regardless of luck or winning tickets.