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The Unfinished Mural
Eve Brandt has always enjoyed an uncluttered, simple life. She is a single mom, estranged from her father, and works at home designing a satirical comic strip that serves as a creative outlet for all of her pent up cynicism. She handles all crises with humor and puts off dealing with anything even slightly unpleasant in the hopes that it will all work out by itself.
But when her normally mild-mannered son starts getting in to trouble with the law, her hundred-year-old house starts crumbling around her, and her father manages to weasel his way back into her life, Eve must face the fact that things are about to get complicated. Add in a sexy handyman who wants to fix more than just her leaky roof, an unexpected visit from an old love, and a stalker who is not a big fan of her comic, and Eve’s neat little world starts to get messy.
But when her normally mild-mannered son starts getting in to trouble with the law, her hundred-year-old house starts crumbling around her, and her father manages to weasel his way back into her life, Eve must face the fact that things are about to get complicated. Add in a sexy handyman who wants to fix more than just her leaky roof, an unexpected visit from an old love, and a stalker who is not a big fan of her comic, and Eve’s neat little world starts to get messy.
283 pages, Paperback
First published April 20, 2012
1 person is currently reading
273 people want to read
About the author
Jennifer D'Angelo
11 books16 followersJennifer D’Angelo lives in Eastern Pennsylvania in a house filled with testosterone – a husband, teenage son and two boy cats. She started writing in high school when she penned a novella based on a very popular band from the eighties. While she has set aside her adolescent crush on Simon Le Bon, her imagination and love of all things fiction remain intact.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
July 20, 2016
In The Unfinished Mural by Jennifer D'Angelo, I can relate to Eve and the chaos that seems to be her life. Although I did not have the difficult job of raising my children without the help of a spouse, I remember the days in which they seemed quite bent on wounding me emotionally. Billy is the quintessential hero--and I love that he is there to help Eve hold it together. This book is really worth the read. I received this book in a Goodreads giveaway in return for an honest review.
September 22, 2013
Even though I was completed frustrated by Eve's never ending quest to avoid her own life, Billy had me at "hello." Loved it!
May 22, 2014
Disclaimer: I received a free copy of this book through a Goodreads giveaway.
It's hard to find a good romance that feels down to earth and believable, but I think The Unfinished Mural really does a good job of this. Rather than focus on the fluff of falling in love and being swept off your feet, it looked at the real life ups and downs of life, and focuses more on the connections that get us through that. A troubled teen, a single mom, a detached family and tense relationships, everything in this book felt real to me. It's nice to read a book that just feels transparent like this.
Eve isn't perfect, but she's likable. She's trying to raise a son who is almost as rebellious as she was in her youth, and she isn't entirely sure how to go about it. Her house is falling apart, but she's doing a job she enjoys, she has a supportive aunt but is detached from her father, and then there is the attractive handyman that wandered into her life. Nothing feels forced about these interactions though. Her aunt has her own problems, Eve tries to get through stressful situations with jokes instead of handling them, and she hasn't forgiven her father ever since she left her home when she was younger. It doesn't feel overdone like a soap opera, but has enough action and drama to keep you going like a great "slice of life" book should.
I like that Eve was an artist (I can't tell you how many books I've read recently where the main character is also a writer. They all seem destined to become best selling authors to live out the author's fantasies). Best of all, the profession [artist] was done in a believable way. Eve drew comics, and did some illustrations for children's books on the side. She got by, but like many artists, she wasn't exactly rolling in the riches. Since I am an artist, I could really relate to the small things like having a messy house and a super organized desk; all the small details showed the author wasn't just bs-ing their way through characterization. I also like that Eve tries to make light of bad situations. I'm one of those people that would probably be laughing at a funeral because I don't want to cry, and it's rare to see characters fit that role. Eve seems like the type of person who doesn't want to sit into the negativity, and just wants to pick herself up and move on. She is strong, independent, but it's also hard for her to let people in.
Most romance books feel really "swoony" to me. The guy is perfect, she's swept off her feet, he is instantly attracted to how unbelievably beautiful she is (or will become, if she is the ugly duckling turned swan sort). Yet The Unfinished Mural didn't lead with any of that silliness. Sure, Billy is good looking, but he has his moments when he has a temper or he gets tired of Eve's BS and walks away. Her son is rebellious, but he still has his moments when you see the kid he used to be. The characters all have layers that are meaningful, and you get to know everyone by the end of the story.
There is some back story, but it was spaced out well and didn't drag the story down. I'm a fan of splitting things up a bit to make the reading easier. The drama with the letters from the "fan" was interesting enough to keep me reading without drowning the rest of the story.
Overall, I felt this was a really well balanced book I am glad I get to have on my shelf.
It's hard to find a good romance that feels down to earth and believable, but I think The Unfinished Mural really does a good job of this. Rather than focus on the fluff of falling in love and being swept off your feet, it looked at the real life ups and downs of life, and focuses more on the connections that get us through that. A troubled teen, a single mom, a detached family and tense relationships, everything in this book felt real to me. It's nice to read a book that just feels transparent like this.
Eve isn't perfect, but she's likable. She's trying to raise a son who is almost as rebellious as she was in her youth, and she isn't entirely sure how to go about it. Her house is falling apart, but she's doing a job she enjoys, she has a supportive aunt but is detached from her father, and then there is the attractive handyman that wandered into her life. Nothing feels forced about these interactions though. Her aunt has her own problems, Eve tries to get through stressful situations with jokes instead of handling them, and she hasn't forgiven her father ever since she left her home when she was younger. It doesn't feel overdone like a soap opera, but has enough action and drama to keep you going like a great "slice of life" book should.
I like that Eve was an artist (I can't tell you how many books I've read recently where the main character is also a writer. They all seem destined to become best selling authors to live out the author's fantasies). Best of all, the profession [artist] was done in a believable way. Eve drew comics, and did some illustrations for children's books on the side. She got by, but like many artists, she wasn't exactly rolling in the riches. Since I am an artist, I could really relate to the small things like having a messy house and a super organized desk; all the small details showed the author wasn't just bs-ing their way through characterization. I also like that Eve tries to make light of bad situations. I'm one of those people that would probably be laughing at a funeral because I don't want to cry, and it's rare to see characters fit that role. Eve seems like the type of person who doesn't want to sit into the negativity, and just wants to pick herself up and move on. She is strong, independent, but it's also hard for her to let people in.
Most romance books feel really "swoony" to me. The guy is perfect, she's swept off her feet, he is instantly attracted to how unbelievably beautiful she is (or will become, if she is the ugly duckling turned swan sort). Yet The Unfinished Mural didn't lead with any of that silliness. Sure, Billy is good looking, but he has his moments when he has a temper or he gets tired of Eve's BS and walks away. Her son is rebellious, but he still has his moments when you see the kid he used to be. The characters all have layers that are meaningful, and you get to know everyone by the end of the story.
There is some back story, but it was spaced out well and didn't drag the story down. I'm a fan of splitting things up a bit to make the reading easier. The drama with the letters from the "fan" was interesting enough to keep me reading without drowning the rest of the story.
Overall, I felt this was a really well balanced book I am glad I get to have on my shelf.
September 14, 2014
Loved it...
Eve is a very messed up 30 year old woman. An unwed mother at 16, father a widowed pastor from whom she is estranged, when she meets the hero. How this complicated woman makes her life work is great reading.
Eve is a very messed up 30 year old woman. An unwed mother at 16, father a widowed pastor from whom she is estranged, when she meets the hero. How this complicated woman makes her life work is great reading.
January 18, 2017
Fantastic read
This was a really wonderful book. I enjoyed it immensely. Have tissues near by. Also plan to read late into the night. I don't find many authors that make me loose sleep but Jennifer did with this story. Really enjoyed.
This was a really wonderful book. I enjoyed it immensely. Have tissues near by. Also plan to read late into the night. I don't find many authors that make me loose sleep but Jennifer did with this story. Really enjoyed.
March 29, 2014
Couldn't put it down! Was completely addicted to eve and her drama. I recieved this book through goodreads
December 31, 2014
Enjoyable read. Nothing earth-shattering or wildly insightful, but still interesting.
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews