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The Awful Mess
An alternate cover edition can be found here and here.
In this witty and suspenseful update of The Scarlet Letter, self-proclaimed "heathen" Mary Bellamy arrives in a small town and quickly gets caught up in the lives of an unhappily-married Episcopal priest and a handsome town cop. Soon she's facing a crushing job loss, a scandalous pregnancy, a painful secret, and a dangerous ex. Can Mary arrive at any kind of redemption ... or is this awful mess her last?
In this witty and suspenseful update of The Scarlet Letter, self-proclaimed "heathen" Mary Bellamy arrives in a small town and quickly gets caught up in the lives of an unhappily-married Episcopal priest and a handsome town cop. Soon she's facing a crushing job loss, a scandalous pregnancy, a painful secret, and a dangerous ex. Can Mary arrive at any kind of redemption ... or is this awful mess her last?
297 pages, Kindle Edition
First published June 9, 2013
389 people are currently reading
1065 people want to read
About the author
Sandra Hutchison
11 books84 followersBorn and raised in the Tampa Bay area, Sandra Hutchison survived her parents' move to the small town of Greenfield, Massachusetts and eventually stopped sulking about it, though it's possible she's still working it out in her fiction. She currently lives in upstate New York.
A former adjunct professor, high school English teacher, acquisitions editor, marketing manager, creative director, and freelance copywriter, Sandra founded Sheer Hubris Press in 2013 to put all those skills to work at the same time.
If you're trying to reach her, you must defeat your auto-correct and insist on HutchISon (not HutchINson!) to search or email her at sandrahutchison at sheerhubris.com.
Although commenting on Amazon reviews is apparently unseemly, she welcomes your honest feedback, and she will happily respond to most messages sent via email, here at Goodreads, or via Facebook or Twitter.
A former adjunct professor, high school English teacher, acquisitions editor, marketing manager, creative director, and freelance copywriter, Sandra founded Sheer Hubris Press in 2013 to put all those skills to work at the same time.
If you're trying to reach her, you must defeat your auto-correct and insist on HutchISon (not HutchINson!) to search or email her at sandrahutchison at sheerhubris.com.
Although commenting on Amazon reviews is apparently unseemly, she welcomes your honest feedback, and she will happily respond to most messages sent via email, here at Goodreads, or via Facebook or Twitter.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 72 reviews
March 17, 2015
All right, so let me set the stage.
First off, I am a writer of horror.
HOWEVER, lately I have been kicking around the notion of writing myself a romance novel.
Why?
Well, for starters I have to blame it on my wife. She keeps asking me just why does a fellow who has actually read THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY three times because he enjoyed it; who yells at his television when he doesn't think that unrequited lovers are moving fast enough - "KISS HER, YOU IDJIT. JUST TELL HER YOU LOVE HER!"; and who got choked up watching the romantic conclusion to the final episode of the fifth season of DOWNTON ABBEY.
So, I decided that if I was going to TRY to write a romance novel I had better start reading some of them as reference. Well, I have read a few so far and have a few more downloaded on my Kobo.
But let me tell you about THE AWFUL MESS.
I knew that this was a love story. It says so right on the front cover. But somehow as I started to read I began to wonder just what sort of a novel I was reading.
The one thing was for certain - I could not STOP reading it.
The book has a gentle gravitational pull that just draws you into the story. The protagonist has a charming and oddly compelling voice.
But is it a LOVE STORY?
AT first I began to worry that it was a Christian novel. Not that I have anything against Christian novels. Actually, I have written a couple myself - but I was looking for a contemporary romance and I wasn't particularly looking for a CHRISTIAN romance.
But there was a priest and a question of faith and even a semi-mad wife who might as well have been locked up Bronte-style in the attic.
BUT - as the author herself makes a point of noting - this is NOT particularly a Christian novel.
AUTHOR'S WARNING - (as cribbed from the Kindle posting for this novel - "This book contains some religious themes, but if you require piety and reverence in such matters, this is not the book for you. Skeptics, you will probably be able to cope."
I should warn you folks that this novel DOES have a couple of hot scenes. Heck, there are at least three entirely hot chapters.
Mind you, I am NOT talking about smut. These were hot love scenes partly on account of my not expecting them and partly on account of their totally believable "ordinary-ness".
And I know that "ordinary-ness" ISN'T really a word - but that's the wonderful thing about writing - you get to make up words whenever want to.
Funny thing was, I hadn't expected those hot scenes, even though the cover had a picture of a naked woman on it.
If memory serves me the first hot chapter was around chapter ten. It might have been nine or it might have been eleven - but I want to warn you readers to be ready for this chapter.
I wasn't.
I was on my way to work on a really cold and snowy morning when I came across that first hot chapter and after reading it discretely tucked in the shadows of my black pea coat I had to ask the fellow sitting beside me to give me a cigarette.
"But you can't smoke on the bus," that fellow said.
"I know that," I said. "I don't even actually smoke, but this chapter I just read was so hot I feel I ought to take up the practice."
So he took a look at my e-reader and read that chapter and then lit up two cigarettes - Paul Henreid style, for those folks who remember Bette Davis in NOW, VOYAGER - and we sat there and smoked.
Only then the bus driver pulled the bus over to the nearest snow drift and told me that we weren't allowed to smoke on the bus.
So I showed him the chapter.
He sat there and read it aloud to the rest of the passengers on the bus and then he started up the bus and drove us all to the nearest tobacco shop where he purchased a carton of cigarettes and treated EVERYONE on the bus to a smoke, even the lady with the purse puppy chihuahua - who displayed an odd preference for menthol cigarettes.
So make a note of that.
Sandra Hutchison causes cancer.
That cover kept on confusing me. I kept waiting through the whole book for that woman to get into the water - and it turned out that is exactly what the book is about.
I am not going to tell you anymore about this novel - except to say that if you are looking for a oddly compelling read you might want to try this one.
If you are looking for a romance - only you HATE reading romance novels - then you REALLY ought to take a look at this one.
In fact, don't just take a look at it.
Hit that order button and BUY IT NOW!
Yours in storytelling,
Steve Vernon
(author of over 40 e-books all available on Kobo)
First off, I am a writer of horror.
HOWEVER, lately I have been kicking around the notion of writing myself a romance novel.
Why?
Well, for starters I have to blame it on my wife. She keeps asking me just why does a fellow who has actually read THE BRIDGES OF MADISON COUNTY three times because he enjoyed it; who yells at his television when he doesn't think that unrequited lovers are moving fast enough - "KISS HER, YOU IDJIT. JUST TELL HER YOU LOVE HER!"; and who got choked up watching the romantic conclusion to the final episode of the fifth season of DOWNTON ABBEY.
So, I decided that if I was going to TRY to write a romance novel I had better start reading some of them as reference. Well, I have read a few so far and have a few more downloaded on my Kobo.
But let me tell you about THE AWFUL MESS.
I knew that this was a love story. It says so right on the front cover. But somehow as I started to read I began to wonder just what sort of a novel I was reading.
The one thing was for certain - I could not STOP reading it.
The book has a gentle gravitational pull that just draws you into the story. The protagonist has a charming and oddly compelling voice.
But is it a LOVE STORY?
AT first I began to worry that it was a Christian novel. Not that I have anything against Christian novels. Actually, I have written a couple myself - but I was looking for a contemporary romance and I wasn't particularly looking for a CHRISTIAN romance.
But there was a priest and a question of faith and even a semi-mad wife who might as well have been locked up Bronte-style in the attic.
BUT - as the author herself makes a point of noting - this is NOT particularly a Christian novel.
AUTHOR'S WARNING - (as cribbed from the Kindle posting for this novel - "This book contains some religious themes, but if you require piety and reverence in such matters, this is not the book for you. Skeptics, you will probably be able to cope."
I should warn you folks that this novel DOES have a couple of hot scenes. Heck, there are at least three entirely hot chapters.
Mind you, I am NOT talking about smut. These were hot love scenes partly on account of my not expecting them and partly on account of their totally believable "ordinary-ness".
And I know that "ordinary-ness" ISN'T really a word - but that's the wonderful thing about writing - you get to make up words whenever want to.
Funny thing was, I hadn't expected those hot scenes, even though the cover had a picture of a naked woman on it.
If memory serves me the first hot chapter was around chapter ten. It might have been nine or it might have been eleven - but I want to warn you readers to be ready for this chapter.
I wasn't.
I was on my way to work on a really cold and snowy morning when I came across that first hot chapter and after reading it discretely tucked in the shadows of my black pea coat I had to ask the fellow sitting beside me to give me a cigarette.
"But you can't smoke on the bus," that fellow said.
"I know that," I said. "I don't even actually smoke, but this chapter I just read was so hot I feel I ought to take up the practice."
So he took a look at my e-reader and read that chapter and then lit up two cigarettes - Paul Henreid style, for those folks who remember Bette Davis in NOW, VOYAGER - and we sat there and smoked.
Only then the bus driver pulled the bus over to the nearest snow drift and told me that we weren't allowed to smoke on the bus.
So I showed him the chapter.
He sat there and read it aloud to the rest of the passengers on the bus and then he started up the bus and drove us all to the nearest tobacco shop where he purchased a carton of cigarettes and treated EVERYONE on the bus to a smoke, even the lady with the purse puppy chihuahua - who displayed an odd preference for menthol cigarettes.
So make a note of that.
Sandra Hutchison causes cancer.
That cover kept on confusing me. I kept waiting through the whole book for that woman to get into the water - and it turned out that is exactly what the book is about.
I am not going to tell you anymore about this novel - except to say that if you are looking for a oddly compelling read you might want to try this one.
If you are looking for a romance - only you HATE reading romance novels - then you REALLY ought to take a look at this one.
In fact, don't just take a look at it.
Hit that order button and BUY IT NOW!
Yours in storytelling,
Steve Vernon
(author of over 40 e-books all available on Kobo)
September 16, 2013
I was pleasantly surprised by Sandra Hutchison's The Awful Mess. It's rare in today's Indie market to read a book this well-written and well-edited. While I don't usually read romances, Awful Mess is really more of a coming to middle age story. It belongs more in the women's literature or literary fiction genre than in romance.
From the first page, the writing captivated me, and so did the main character, Mary Bellamy, a recently-divorced editor who moves to a small town. She immediately gets involved with a married Episcopal priest. This plot development really challenged me. I don't like reading about adultery, and in less skillful hands, this could have ruined the story for me. Hutchison, however, handles it with alacrity and grace, showing the, shall we say, disadvantages of cheating when you're a single woman in a small town. Indeed, I found Mary extremely likable and sympathetic despite her mistake.
After all, we make mistakes. And life can play out a lot like The Awful Mess. People make mistakes, and they pick themselves back up and move on.
The pacing in this novel is excellent. The characterizations are complex. And as I mentioned, the writing is professional and nuanced. I'm very happy I read it.
E.L. Farris
AIA Reviewer
From the first page, the writing captivated me, and so did the main character, Mary Bellamy, a recently-divorced editor who moves to a small town. She immediately gets involved with a married Episcopal priest. This plot development really challenged me. I don't like reading about adultery, and in less skillful hands, this could have ruined the story for me. Hutchison, however, handles it with alacrity and grace, showing the, shall we say, disadvantages of cheating when you're a single woman in a small town. Indeed, I found Mary extremely likable and sympathetic despite her mistake.
After all, we make mistakes. And life can play out a lot like The Awful Mess. People make mistakes, and they pick themselves back up and move on.
The pacing in this novel is excellent. The characterizations are complex. And as I mentioned, the writing is professional and nuanced. I'm very happy I read it.
E.L. Farris
AIA Reviewer
August 23, 2013
*This book was provided to me in exchange for an honest and unbiased review*
This was the sort of book that reminds me that I am completely unqualified to review literature. Sure, I know what I like and I know what moves me, but reviewing a book like this makes me feel inadequate. How can someone who can write this well, with such delicacy of sentiment and careful integration of personal and social commentary have any interest at all in what I can say about it?! Well anyway, here are my thoughts, for what they're worth!
I found this book absolutely brilliant! Mary was such a real character, flawed and human. Her personality was so delicately drawn out as we read about her escape from a destructive marriage, then finding her feet in a new life just to see it fall down around her. I loved Mary. She was a cynic and downhearted but a good person who found herself lonely and struggling to let others in to help her. This was her story and it was lovely to see her finally accepting the love all around her. Oh and her dry wit had me chuckling too. I'd like her as a friend actually, no nonsense and honest, but caring and mildly self-deprecating without losing her self worth.
Not just Mary, but the other characters too, were unique in their ordinariness. I've read too much recently where authors feel the need to paint their characters to be extraordinary. It's refreshing to read about characters that seem like they could actually exist, who I can actually relate to, and for once are closer to my own age! Yes at 31 I should perhaps stop reading NA romance but honestly I don't always feel like adult romance has enough intensity. I guess this book doesn't have that passion or intensity but what it does have is heart and soul and tenderness. Most importantly it has believability, in it's characters, settings, scenarios, reactions. You could imagine them being your sister, or friend, or neighbour, or yourself.
The book also offers a lot of commentary on family, marriage, religion etc. that is well cemented into the story and without being dogmatic in any way. I understand that it's based on an American classic but being English the reference escapes me. What I can say though is it reminds me very much of Iris Murdoch novels. There's the same small town focus and it reads like an existential novel, the main character slipping out of societal expectations and finding out how to live and love.
In summary, I was completely enchanted with these characters and their struggles. This is a real life love story not some ridiculous affair between a rock star and a super talented cupcake baker (or some such other cliche). Sure there were times where it was sad and the attitudes and actions of others were frustrating, but it had an ultimate message of love, of family, of community and of faith (in ones self that is, although the more religious of you may also find some food for thought here).
This was the sort of book that reminds me that I am completely unqualified to review literature. Sure, I know what I like and I know what moves me, but reviewing a book like this makes me feel inadequate. How can someone who can write this well, with such delicacy of sentiment and careful integration of personal and social commentary have any interest at all in what I can say about it?! Well anyway, here are my thoughts, for what they're worth!
I found this book absolutely brilliant! Mary was such a real character, flawed and human. Her personality was so delicately drawn out as we read about her escape from a destructive marriage, then finding her feet in a new life just to see it fall down around her. I loved Mary. She was a cynic and downhearted but a good person who found herself lonely and struggling to let others in to help her. This was her story and it was lovely to see her finally accepting the love all around her. Oh and her dry wit had me chuckling too. I'd like her as a friend actually, no nonsense and honest, but caring and mildly self-deprecating without losing her self worth.
Not just Mary, but the other characters too, were unique in their ordinariness. I've read too much recently where authors feel the need to paint their characters to be extraordinary. It's refreshing to read about characters that seem like they could actually exist, who I can actually relate to, and for once are closer to my own age! Yes at 31 I should perhaps stop reading NA romance but honestly I don't always feel like adult romance has enough intensity. I guess this book doesn't have that passion or intensity but what it does have is heart and soul and tenderness. Most importantly it has believability, in it's characters, settings, scenarios, reactions. You could imagine them being your sister, or friend, or neighbour, or yourself.
The book also offers a lot of commentary on family, marriage, religion etc. that is well cemented into the story and without being dogmatic in any way. I understand that it's based on an American classic but being English the reference escapes me. What I can say though is it reminds me very much of Iris Murdoch novels. There's the same small town focus and it reads like an existential novel, the main character slipping out of societal expectations and finding out how to live and love.
In summary, I was completely enchanted with these characters and their struggles. This is a real life love story not some ridiculous affair between a rock star and a super talented cupcake baker (or some such other cliche). Sure there were times where it was sad and the attitudes and actions of others were frustrating, but it had an ultimate message of love, of family, of community and of faith (in ones self that is, although the more religious of you may also find some food for thought here).
October 5, 2013
4 1/2 stars.
This was a surprising book. It's a modern twist on The Scarlet Letter, and, as such, it deals with adultery, infidelity, and out-of-wedlock pregnancy, faith, hypocrisy, redemption, as well as newer social themes. It's very well written and edited, which quickly stood out to me, and held me captive. The writing flows and the plot moves quickly, with protagonists that are flawed and real, yet likeable, and secondary characters that fulfill their supportive role. I read it through and couldn't put it down.
Mary, the protagonist, is starting over after a divorce and a little lost. In her attempt to find herself, and in trying to fit in a small town, she manages to get herself in an even bigger mess than before. The three men in her life—Roger, Arthur, and Winslow— are very different characters from each other and to what they bring to the story, as well as to Mary's life. I really liked the way her relationship with one of them developed to a satisfying romantic end.
This isn't a traditional romance, and it's not a Christian book. It's a book about Christians (and a lot of them, from Catholics, to Episcopalians, Unitarians, etc; but no Mormons though :D), about their mistakes, their faith, and their growth. I really liked this 'melting pot' of different religions, it added a very interesting aspect to the story.
Be warned that there are a couple of bedroom scenes and a few F-words. The good thing is, in poking around the author's blog, I found out that she also has a PG-13 version on Amazon, without the sex scenes and the swearing:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DHX0I9K
[The author says that there are a few formatting issues, typos, etc, in this version. She also says that there isn't enough interest in this version and that it will eventually 'die' on Amazon, so get it while you can.]
Strong characters, compelling theme, and superior skill in writing make it one book that I recommend, and I'll be keeping an eye out for more from this author.
This was a surprising book. It's a modern twist on The Scarlet Letter, and, as such, it deals with adultery, infidelity, and out-of-wedlock pregnancy, faith, hypocrisy, redemption, as well as newer social themes. It's very well written and edited, which quickly stood out to me, and held me captive. The writing flows and the plot moves quickly, with protagonists that are flawed and real, yet likeable, and secondary characters that fulfill their supportive role. I read it through and couldn't put it down.
Mary, the protagonist, is starting over after a divorce and a little lost. In her attempt to find herself, and in trying to fit in a small town, she manages to get herself in an even bigger mess than before. The three men in her life—Roger, Arthur, and Winslow— are very different characters from each other and to what they bring to the story, as well as to Mary's life. I really liked the way her relationship with one of them developed to a satisfying romantic end.
This isn't a traditional romance, and it's not a Christian book. It's a book about Christians (and a lot of them, from Catholics, to Episcopalians, Unitarians, etc; but no Mormons though :D), about their mistakes, their faith, and their growth. I really liked this 'melting pot' of different religions, it added a very interesting aspect to the story.
Be warned that there are a couple of bedroom scenes and a few F-words. The good thing is, in poking around the author's blog, I found out that she also has a PG-13 version on Amazon, without the sex scenes and the swearing:
http://www.amazon.com/dp/B00DHX0I9K
[The author says that there are a few formatting issues, typos, etc, in this version. She also says that there isn't enough interest in this version and that it will eventually 'die' on Amazon, so get it while you can.]
Strong characters, compelling theme, and superior skill in writing make it one book that I recommend, and I'll be keeping an eye out for more from this author.
July 23, 2013
A young divorcee moves to the middle of nowhere with a vague idea towards starting a boring new life full of cats and gardening. This book is the story of how she gets pretty much the opposite. It's the perfect summer read for those of us who prefer a little chew in our love stories.
What I loved best about The Awful Mess was its exploration of faith. I read this book the same week I read Jane Eyre, and I couldn't help seeing so many similarities! Both books are deeply concerned with Christianity, with "good" Christians and "bad" Christians, and among the best aspects of both books are the portraits of the "bad" Christian characters. Arthur Tennant works ridiculously well as a stand-in for St. John Rivers, they're both scary in the exact same way and for the same reasons. Sharon would make a wonderful Mr. Brocklehurst. Mary Bellamy, in spite of all her protestations of heathenness (spoiler: she isn't at all), is as deeply concerned about being good and honorable as the iconoclastically devout Jane Eyre. It was a very interesting experience to read both books together, and to see so many parallels.
But of course The Awful Mess is overall a very different book. (The hero isn't hiding a crazy wife in his attic, for one.) Mary Bellamy is alternately sarcastically witty and endearingly woebegone. She's also a little too nice to be true: for instance, on the rare occasions that she constructs elaborate revenge fantasies in her head for (I promise you) utterly deserving victims (abusive ex, shockingly nosy neighbor), she immediately chastises herself for the harmless indulgence. She's basically one sex change operation away from turning into Mr. Rogers. It's almost annoying... *almost*. Every time I wanted to be exasperated with her, she made a funny and redeemed herself. It also helped that she was so thoroughly reasonable. She does not suffer from plot-itis at all; all her choices and reactions were true to character, she made no sudden moves and slept with no men that I could not see the appeal of. Definitely a character worthy of carrying a book on her shoulders.
Once I got behind the main character it was easy to like the book. Like Mary, the other characters and the plot itself are all unforced, reasonable, and flow true to natural-seeming course. Nothing's too pat, not even one character (Bert) who I thought for sure was written to fulfil the "pat" quota but even he stops delivering free food when, well, when there isn't anything in it for him. A gratifying subset of endings remain messy, and the neat endings feel very much EARNED (the book isn't called "an awful mess" for nothing).
So: interesting themes, deft storytelling, and a confident voice make this book a really good read. I could not put it down once I started - I was walking around making coffee and going to the loo with my ebook reader in one hand. I'm looking forward to reading a lot more from this author.
What I loved best about The Awful Mess was its exploration of faith. I read this book the same week I read Jane Eyre, and I couldn't help seeing so many similarities! Both books are deeply concerned with Christianity, with "good" Christians and "bad" Christians, and among the best aspects of both books are the portraits of the "bad" Christian characters. Arthur Tennant works ridiculously well as a stand-in for St. John Rivers, they're both scary in the exact same way and for the same reasons. Sharon would make a wonderful Mr. Brocklehurst. Mary Bellamy, in spite of all her protestations of heathenness (spoiler: she isn't at all), is as deeply concerned about being good and honorable as the iconoclastically devout Jane Eyre. It was a very interesting experience to read both books together, and to see so many parallels.
But of course The Awful Mess is overall a very different book. (The hero isn't hiding a crazy wife in his attic, for one.) Mary Bellamy is alternately sarcastically witty and endearingly woebegone. She's also a little too nice to be true: for instance, on the rare occasions that she constructs elaborate revenge fantasies in her head for (I promise you) utterly deserving victims (abusive ex, shockingly nosy neighbor), she immediately chastises herself for the harmless indulgence. She's basically one sex change operation away from turning into Mr. Rogers. It's almost annoying... *almost*. Every time I wanted to be exasperated with her, she made a funny and redeemed herself. It also helped that she was so thoroughly reasonable. She does not suffer from plot-itis at all; all her choices and reactions were true to character, she made no sudden moves and slept with no men that I could not see the appeal of. Definitely a character worthy of carrying a book on her shoulders.
Once I got behind the main character it was easy to like the book. Like Mary, the other characters and the plot itself are all unforced, reasonable, and flow true to natural-seeming course. Nothing's too pat, not even one character (Bert) who I thought for sure was written to fulfil the "pat" quota but even he stops delivering free food when, well, when there isn't anything in it for him. A gratifying subset of endings remain messy, and the neat endings feel very much EARNED (the book isn't called "an awful mess" for nothing).
So: interesting themes, deft storytelling, and a confident voice make this book a really good read. I could not put it down once I started - I was walking around making coffee and going to the loo with my ebook reader in one hand. I'm looking forward to reading a lot more from this author.
July 24, 2013
The author, Sandy Hutchison (screen name: Alelou), is the Queen of fanfic for a TV show you have probably never heard of. Her stories rack up 10s of thousands of hits within weeks of being posted. She writes romance that is thoughtful, fast paced, addictive, and often uncomfortably real. This book is no exception. In chapter 1, Mary swears off men, moves out into the middle of nowhere, and buys a cat. This is the last boring chapter in a 41-chapter book. The promised awful mess (a love story) quickly unfolds. :D Since this is the early 2000s, and chatting on the Internet has not become a thing, Mary has a bleak and lonely existence that consists of work and gardening. Into the void, step a range of interesting characters eager to "friend" her, if only to help with the gardening. Yeah, right!!!
The book is a real page turner. My real life was on hold till I finished it. The character of Mary is a little too prim and proper for my tastes, but I do totally empathize with her plight. It is interesting to follow a perfectly ordinary, good human being into an awful mess--the point being: it can happen to anyone. The other characters are wonderful (including the ones that are wonderfully horrible), always defying Mary's attempts to stereotype them and guess their next move.
A theme of the book seems to be religion, or rather various degrees of faith and unbelief. The main character is an atheist, or a "heathen," as she herself likes to put it, maybe to distance herself from her small town neighbors. But the neighbors surprise her by expressing their own various positions on the spectrum of belief and continuing to be friendly. Any engaged atheist (I am an atheist) is going to want to jump into this book a few times and shout, "NOOOOO!!!! WRONG!!!" as Mary fumbles the ball for our team. However, this book is not really about the competition between atheism and Christianity. In the long run of history, even if one side of this controversy were to win a huge majority, individuals will always be spread out along a spectrum between religion and unbelief. So the question is how we can all get along despite these differences? This book shows that religion need not be a huge obstacle in human relationships. Relationships are real and God may or may not be . . . so what would you do?
The book is a real page turner. My real life was on hold till I finished it. The character of Mary is a little too prim and proper for my tastes, but I do totally empathize with her plight. It is interesting to follow a perfectly ordinary, good human being into an awful mess--the point being: it can happen to anyone. The other characters are wonderful (including the ones that are wonderfully horrible), always defying Mary's attempts to stereotype them and guess their next move.
A theme of the book seems to be religion, or rather various degrees of faith and unbelief. The main character is an atheist, or a "heathen," as she herself likes to put it, maybe to distance herself from her small town neighbors. But the neighbors surprise her by expressing their own various positions on the spectrum of belief and continuing to be friendly. Any engaged atheist (I am an atheist) is going to want to jump into this book a few times and shout, "NOOOOO!!!! WRONG!!!" as Mary fumbles the ball for our team. However, this book is not really about the competition between atheism and Christianity. In the long run of history, even if one side of this controversy were to win a huge majority, individuals will always be spread out along a spectrum between religion and unbelief. So the question is how we can all get along despite these differences? This book shows that religion need not be a huge obstacle in human relationships. Relationships are real and God may or may not be . . . so what would you do?
October 9, 2013
I really enjoyed this book. It's not a normal romantic novel. I really enjoyed the story line. It's nothing like I read before. It was an easy going nice read... I got to about 85% & I was glued. A nice wee twist had me ignoring everything around me until I finished this little gem:)
Received from author in return for an honest review.
Received from author in return for an honest review.
October 25, 2013
This book is a must read....I was really hoping that she would've ended up with the priest......
January 31, 2017
Having read some of the critical reviews I was a bit apprehensive. But good writing in the sample finally won me over – and I am glad to report that the book was quite enjoyable. I sympathized with the main heroine, Mary, and her story is told rather beautifully. Sandra Hutchison has a distinct voice as an author and the writing is consistent. Some of the reviewers have praised the editing and I wholeheartedly agree. I've had my share of badly edited Kindle books; it could've been all the more disconcerting as the heroine is an editor. English is not my mother tongue but sometimes even I cannot finish reading a book due to too poor proof-reading or editing. Thankfully not in this case.
Some reviewers criticized the amount of religious content in the novel. As one of the protagonists is a priest it was perhaps unavoidable. Yet I felt it was tastefully done, not preaching at all (well, may be on the part of Bert), more like normal philosophical struggles of an adult in the wake of some life-changing events.
The novel is not too sweet, not too heart-breaking, even not too messy, but just right. I hope you would enjoy it too.
Some reviewers criticized the amount of religious content in the novel. As one of the protagonists is a priest it was perhaps unavoidable. Yet I felt it was tastefully done, not preaching at all (well, may be on the part of Bert), more like normal philosophical struggles of an adult in the wake of some life-changing events.
The novel is not too sweet, not too heart-breaking, even not too messy, but just right. I hope you would enjoy it too.
July 10, 2017
It would be easy to describe this book as erotic romance, but that would unduly dismiss it as schlocky, hokey fluff. Although it's not devoid of fluff, there's something about Hutchison's writing style that is evocative and moving. And by moving, I don't mean it got me horny. I mean parts of it had me laughing out loud and crying for the depth of feeling (no pun intended) she managed to deftly express with an economy of words.
I've only read a few previous romance novels, just as an exercise to read outside my comfort zone. I really hated them - silly, stilted, boring, intellectually bereft and emotionally dishonest things. While some of this story fell along predictable lines early on, I couldn't put it down, and by the end I found it to be a mix of humor, wisdom, and beautiful descriptions along with the fairly tame eroticism. Sandra Hutchison is a unique voice, writing almost a unique genre of her own.
I've only read a few previous romance novels, just as an exercise to read outside my comfort zone. I really hated them - silly, stilted, boring, intellectually bereft and emotionally dishonest things. While some of this story fell along predictable lines early on, I couldn't put it down, and by the end I found it to be a mix of humor, wisdom, and beautiful descriptions along with the fairly tame eroticism. Sandra Hutchison is a unique voice, writing almost a unique genre of her own.
March 17, 2022
A different kind of love story
A newly divorced woman moves to a new town. Still hurting from her ex-husband 's infidelity and coming child, she finds herself dealing with a nosy neighbor, an Episcopal priest, a handsome police officer, and the prospect of a lost job.
What more can she add to this? P!enty, and that is what causes the awful mess of her life. Will she survive living in Lawson with all the rumors flying around? Can she find a job and love again, or will her ex cause untold misery for her? Is it possible for her to have a happily ever after?
A resilient main character who is easy to root for, and a few unsavory characters, too.
A newly divorced woman moves to a new town. Still hurting from her ex-husband 's infidelity and coming child, she finds herself dealing with a nosy neighbor, an Episcopal priest, a handsome police officer, and the prospect of a lost job.
What more can she add to this? P!enty, and that is what causes the awful mess of her life. Will she survive living in Lawson with all the rumors flying around? Can she find a job and love again, or will her ex cause untold misery for her? Is it possible for her to have a happily ever after?
A resilient main character who is easy to root for, and a few unsavory characters, too.
March 18, 2022
Mary Bellamy is newly divorced and in a new town, Lawson. She wants peace and quiet so that she can get on with her life and work (and a cat), but what she gets is a reputation that may not be deserved. One nosy neighbor, a married Episcopal priest, a handsome police officer, an ex-husband, and more all add up to an awful mess (and maybe everything she always wanted including a new love).
May 18, 2018
Very pleasantly surprised by this book. In-depth character development - so much so, I felt like I really knew these people ! I found myself eager to get back to the story every day. I will definitely read more of Ms. Hutchinson's books.
May 23, 2017
Kept me hooked
I really enjoyed this book, although some decisions/parts drove me a little nuts, like they were just a plot tool and not something a real human being would do or say. I want a Bert of my own though! :)
I really enjoyed this book, although some decisions/parts drove me a little nuts, like they were just a plot tool and not something a real human being would do or say. I want a Bert of my own though! :)
November 21, 2018
For the love of a child!
This was a very nice,and a hart felt read and even the way you portrayed your characters was interesting and enjoyable and how you portrayed the abuse was good and true! As a man from a home which my father was a abusing my mother when he was drinking,I vowed to never repeat that trait! And also taught my two son how to be better men in life.
This was a very nice,and a hart felt read and even the way you portrayed your characters was interesting and enjoyable and how you portrayed the abuse was good and true! As a man from a home which my father was a abusing my mother when he was drinking,I vowed to never repeat that trait! And also taught my two son how to be better men in life.
April 19, 2019
Fitting title because the story is a mess
I was disappointed in this book because I really enjoyed Between the Thigh and Rib Bones of desire. This story is oddly paced and disjointed. It’s almost like it wants to be an edgy Christian love story (which is irritating on many levels).
There are way too many characters and side plots to involve in a story this short. The main characters suffer because they don’t get the development they should in order to look at other random characters.
Winslow is functionally a controlling stalker and incredibly judgmental and mean. I think the author intended him to be a romantic but really, he meets Mary twice before he decides he’s in love with her and starts talking marriage. Then he uses his police powers to gain info on her and then judges her and treats her like garbage. It’s all so abusive and unhealthy - especially on the heels of Mary’s previous abusive relationship.
Another highly implausible focus in this book is that Mary thinks she’s infertile but then randomly discovers her ex-husband is actually sterile later on. She’s clearly consulted doctors during her marriage who suggest IVF and donor eggs and other interventions which means she’s received an infertility diagnosis...which most doctors won’t do unless the husband/potential father submits to fertility testing first. The fact that it just didn’t happen because Roger “didn’t want to do it” is patently ridiculous. This is just one example of foreshadowing with a sledge hammer and a neon sign in this book.
I was disappointed in this book because I really enjoyed Between the Thigh and Rib Bones of desire. This story is oddly paced and disjointed. It’s almost like it wants to be an edgy Christian love story (which is irritating on many levels).
There are way too many characters and side plots to involve in a story this short. The main characters suffer because they don’t get the development they should in order to look at other random characters.
Winslow is functionally a controlling stalker and incredibly judgmental and mean. I think the author intended him to be a romantic but really, he meets Mary twice before he decides he’s in love with her and starts talking marriage. Then he uses his police powers to gain info on her and then judges her and treats her like garbage. It’s all so abusive and unhealthy - especially on the heels of Mary’s previous abusive relationship.
Another highly implausible focus in this book is that Mary thinks she’s infertile but then randomly discovers her ex-husband is actually sterile later on. She’s clearly consulted doctors during her marriage who suggest IVF and donor eggs and other interventions which means she’s received an infertility diagnosis...which most doctors won’t do unless the husband/potential father submits to fertility testing first. The fact that it just didn’t happen because Roger “didn’t want to do it” is patently ridiculous. This is just one example of foreshadowing with a sledge hammer and a neon sign in this book.
August 18, 2013
The Awful Mess is an entertaining and well-written novel by a dear friend of mine. I read early drafts of this and am very pleased to see how the characters have developed with time and ever-growing skill. It is available only as an e-book, but I hope that many will aaccess and appreciate it.
Mary Bellamy, divorced and happy to be free, moves to a small town in New Hampshire and comes to realize what I, a small town girl, always knew: that everyone knows everything about everyone else. This turns out to be both an advantage and a disadvantage for Mary.
Mary is first befriended by Arthur, an Episcopalian minister who is not turned off by the declaration that Mary is a heathen (in reality, a lapsed Catholic). Minister named Arthur, hmm. Then Mary's ex-husband stops by. Hmm, Roger. Sound familiar?
But this is set in the present day and scarlet letters are no longer handed out. Instead, the community is largely kind and determined to help a protagonist who is sometimes too stubborn for her own good. One huge piece of luck is that the chief of police, Winslow, finds Mary very attractive and falls for her. Happily, he is a fine looking and really nice man; unhappily, he lives with his fundamentalist father and is kind of overly religious himself. But the awful mess rights itself, and a small town in New Hampshire turns into a true haven for that--not exactly lost soul, but one seeking to find itself or right itself, Mary Bellamy.
Mary Bellamy, divorced and happy to be free, moves to a small town in New Hampshire and comes to realize what I, a small town girl, always knew: that everyone knows everything about everyone else. This turns out to be both an advantage and a disadvantage for Mary.
Mary is first befriended by Arthur, an Episcopalian minister who is not turned off by the declaration that Mary is a heathen (in reality, a lapsed Catholic). Minister named Arthur, hmm. Then Mary's ex-husband stops by. Hmm, Roger. Sound familiar?
But this is set in the present day and scarlet letters are no longer handed out. Instead, the community is largely kind and determined to help a protagonist who is sometimes too stubborn for her own good. One huge piece of luck is that the chief of police, Winslow, finds Mary very attractive and falls for her. Happily, he is a fine looking and really nice man; unhappily, he lives with his fundamentalist father and is kind of overly religious himself. But the awful mess rights itself, and a small town in New Hampshire turns into a true haven for that--not exactly lost soul, but one seeking to find itself or right itself, Mary Bellamy.
April 17, 2015
Book editor Mary Bellamy needs a change of scenery following her divorce from Roger, who has rejected her because she is unable to have children. She moves from the Boston area to the small town of Lawson, New Hampshire, where she hopes to regroup in a peaceful, quiet, romance-free environment. All she wants is to live in a little house with a ginger cat and sunlight falling on her kitchen table.
The cat Mary adopts is black, however, and it isn’t long before she attracts the attention of TWO men--handsome local police officer Winslow Jennings and the town’s Episcopal priest, Arthur Tennant, who is trapped in an unfulfilling marriage. At first Arthur seems interested only in getting self-described heathen Mary to attend church, but he begins to seek out her intelligent and honest companionship to assuage his deep loneliness. They have sex, but this indiscretion is only the beginning of the messy situation that gives the book its title. Mary must navigate the swirling waters of a devastating job loss, a supposedly-impossible pregnancy, Winslow’s not-entirely-unwelcome advances, and Roger’s dangerous disintegration--all under the watchful gaze of Lawson’s nosy inhabitants.
If you like untidy love stories, this well-crafted novel about small town life, faith, unbelief, love and loss is a great read.
The cat Mary adopts is black, however, and it isn’t long before she attracts the attention of TWO men--handsome local police officer Winslow Jennings and the town’s Episcopal priest, Arthur Tennant, who is trapped in an unfulfilling marriage. At first Arthur seems interested only in getting self-described heathen Mary to attend church, but he begins to seek out her intelligent and honest companionship to assuage his deep loneliness. They have sex, but this indiscretion is only the beginning of the messy situation that gives the book its title. Mary must navigate the swirling waters of a devastating job loss, a supposedly-impossible pregnancy, Winslow’s not-entirely-unwelcome advances, and Roger’s dangerous disintegration--all under the watchful gaze of Lawson’s nosy inhabitants.
If you like untidy love stories, this well-crafted novel about small town life, faith, unbelief, love and loss is a great read.
September 3, 2014
Reading the book description I realized that everything it says about the things the main character Mary experiences are the kind of happenings that are common, or at least not rare. Surely you’ve known women who have received attention from a married man or a person whose beliefs contradict stereotypes maybe even seem contradictory. We’ve all known people who have unexpectedly lost their job or women who have an unplanned pregnancy, even when they believed they weren’t capable of bearing children. And the scenario of someone going off-the-rails in the midst of a divorce, creating issues for their soon-to-be ex isn’t hard to imagine. I think I got drawn into Mary’s story so easily because I didn’t have to suspend disbelief for any of these things. That they happened all at once is the reason the expression “when it rains, it pours,” is now a cliché.
The Awful Mess was an engrossing, well written story. It’s made more so for being so easy to believe it could really happen. I just hope it doesn’t happen to anyone I know.
**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. **
The Awful Mess was an engrossing, well written story. It’s made more so for being so easy to believe it could really happen. I just hope it doesn’t happen to anyone I know.
**Originally written for "Books and Pals" book blog. May have received a free review copy. **
July 29, 2013
Newly divorced, Mary Bellamy, moves to Lawson, New Hampshire in search of solitude and a new life. But instead she finds herself struggling through an emotional and spiritual journey that shakes her confidence and questions her faith in humanity and love.
“You know what hell is? Hell is finding the love of your life and losing it. And then coming to the sick realization that you only really lost it because you threw it away in a fit of wounded pride.”
This isn’t your typical romance book. Mary is trying to pick up the pieces after a broken marriage and move on, but she ends up making an “awful mess” of things. The drama that surrounds Mary is real-life situations that you could see happening to almost anyone. It is a story about making mistakes, struggles, survival, and allowing and trusting yourself to love again.
Faith plays a large role, a lot of different views for such a small town, but it only adds to Mary’s struggle to find inner peace and come to terms with her past and a future she desperately needs to embrace.
ARC was exchanged for an honest review
“You know what hell is? Hell is finding the love of your life and losing it. And then coming to the sick realization that you only really lost it because you threw it away in a fit of wounded pride.”
This isn’t your typical romance book. Mary is trying to pick up the pieces after a broken marriage and move on, but she ends up making an “awful mess” of things. The drama that surrounds Mary is real-life situations that you could see happening to almost anyone. It is a story about making mistakes, struggles, survival, and allowing and trusting yourself to love again.
Faith plays a large role, a lot of different views for such a small town, but it only adds to Mary’s struggle to find inner peace and come to terms with her past and a future she desperately needs to embrace.
ARC was exchanged for an honest review
December 6, 2013
This was definitely a surprising read. I expected something a lot more tame and sweet - that it isn't. The author did a beautiful job of characterization. It would have been so easy to fall into stereotypes in this story, and she didn't. Even the "villian" was built up subtly so that when he takes advantage of the victim, it isn't that much more obvious to the reader at first than it is to the heroine. And there were some big issues tackled here that most romances avoid like the plague. There's a lot of talk of religion - one of the main characters is a pastor - but this isn't a typical inspirational romance. Not by a long shot! Characters have real crises of faith. They talk philosophy. Some of them don't believe. And yet they surmount some truly difficult situations while still striving to become better, kinder people. This is not a mindless read at all.
September 21, 2013
I found this a bit of a drag to start with and was a touch concerned it would turn out to be a bible bashing book, I was wrong. Whilst it had religion in it, the offset was Mary and Laura, an unmarried mother and a lesbian! Bert was a lovely character, who despite his strong religious beliefs found a way to make Mary feel loved and cared for.
It was an interesting read with some colourful characters, and I'm glad I stuck with it to the end.
It was an interesting read with some colourful characters, and I'm glad I stuck with it to the end.
September 1, 2015
Good, quick read. Really good for a freebie - it looks like someone actually edited it! All sarcasm aside, it was a good story. The only unbelievable part was one of the characters falling in love after like 3 "dates". I'll let it go though - I guess that could happen?
January 15, 2019
Not my normal
The author's writing flows and is easy to read. I enjoyed this story and her characters were likable and human, not perfect.
Mary is just tired of it all and wants to retreat. Left with little money after divorce, she buys an old house and works from home. Unable to have children, healing from her ex's betrayal, she adopts Bob the cat and tries to settle into small town living. Soon she meets 2 men, one a married and miserable priest, one handsome godly man. Add in her ex who's just not letting go easily. Mary, who gave up religion long ago, finds herself in the biggest mess.
I think we all share parts of Mary's struggle in our search for self and peace.
The author's writing flows and is easy to read. I enjoyed this story and her characters were likable and human, not perfect.
Mary is just tired of it all and wants to retreat. Left with little money after divorce, she buys an old house and works from home. Unable to have children, healing from her ex's betrayal, she adopts Bob the cat and tries to settle into small town living. Soon she meets 2 men, one a married and miserable priest, one handsome godly man. Add in her ex who's just not letting go easily. Mary, who gave up religion long ago, finds herself in the biggest mess.
I think we all share parts of Mary's struggle in our search for self and peace.
September 30, 2020
I'm an 84 yr old man. I don't know what started me reading this book but I'm glad I did. I had difficulty identifying with some of the characters. Roger (the pig) deserved much more than he got. Arthur was just a plain weak-kneed loser who would mess with any available skirt. Winston and his father Bert were almost typical men. Mary I loved although I could have grabbed her by the shoulders an shook her until I had shaken some good sense into her. By that I don't mean her intimate relationship with Arthur. She was just a self loathing product of her youth who was horny. All in all a good story I enjoyed.
November 12, 2018
Good writing and plot. Like that the heroine and hero were flawed rallied to find what was important. Good support characters that add a lot to the book. Only had a little problem with the hero's insta love of heroine and his moral issues but found the book very enjoyable.
June 28, 2018
Enjoyed this
I enjoyed this somewhat quirky story of a recently divorced young woman who buys a house in a New Hampshire small town.
I enjoyed this somewhat quirky story of a recently divorced young woman who buys a house in a New Hampshire small town.
September 12, 2018
A good love story
A pleasant easy read with interesting characters that you love and hate throughout. It also had a few twists I wasn’t expecting.
A pleasant easy read with interesting characters that you love and hate throughout. It also had a few twists I wasn’t expecting.
May 13, 2020
More like 3.5. stars
I really liked the setting as I live in NH. The author did a good job painting small town life. It really can be that overwhelming at times. I also thought she did a good job with the characters. I do feel that you can be morally good 👍without being religious.
I really liked the setting as I live in NH. The author did a good job painting small town life. It really can be that overwhelming at times. I also thought she did a good job with the characters. I do feel that you can be morally good 👍without being religious.
September 18, 2015
When Mary and Roger Bellamy’s marriage falls apart, Mary seeks solace in the small community of Lawson, New Hampshire. Lawson is typical of a very, very small town. “Everyone in town knows about the young divorcee from Boston who bought Miss Lacey’s house.” And she’s hardly unpacked!
Mary isn’t a religious person, but she has made her first new friend in Arthur Tennant, the rector of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church. She looks forward to their meetings on the Main Street Bridge. She enjoys Arthur’s company. She knows he’s in an unhappy marriage and can both sympathize and empathize his position. Before long, each falls into a serious case of like.
Arthur is also helping Mary and introducing her to some of the other locals…in particular the town cop, Winslow. Each feels the attraction. Winslow is single and extremely handsome
Mary is enjoying settling down into her new life. She was able to keep her job as an editor thanks to telecommuting. Now she’s gotten word that the company is getting ready for a big layoff. She is hopefully that she’ll get lucky and survive. After all, there isn’t any publishing industry job sin Lawson.
There’s a lot going on in Mary’s life: Arthur, whom she had a one-night stand; Winslow, whom she’s unsure of her feelings; and the potential of having to pack up and move when she’s just settled in. And oh yeah, she’s pregnant. After years and years of being told she was incapable of having children, it looks like a miracle has happened! Then Roger reappears to wreak havoc on her life. His interference is shocking.
Mary is a no-nonsense kind of gal. She picks herself up and dusts herself off when the going gets tough. And boy, oh boy, are things getting tough.
I’m a new fan of author Hutchison. I thoroughly enjoyed her other novel, The Rib and Thigh Bones of Desire. Her characters are down to earth and believable, the story lines realistic, the pacing is superb. I was pulled in immediately with the first sentence. Hutchison creates vivid worlds and characters.
I highly recommend The Awful Mess; A Love Story. It’s the perfect book to curl up on the couch with…I wasn’t able to put it down.
Mary isn’t a religious person, but she has made her first new friend in Arthur Tennant, the rector of St. Andrew’s Episcopal Church. She looks forward to their meetings on the Main Street Bridge. She enjoys Arthur’s company. She knows he’s in an unhappy marriage and can both sympathize and empathize his position. Before long, each falls into a serious case of like.
Arthur is also helping Mary and introducing her to some of the other locals…in particular the town cop, Winslow. Each feels the attraction. Winslow is single and extremely handsome
Mary is enjoying settling down into her new life. She was able to keep her job as an editor thanks to telecommuting. Now she’s gotten word that the company is getting ready for a big layoff. She is hopefully that she’ll get lucky and survive. After all, there isn’t any publishing industry job sin Lawson.
There’s a lot going on in Mary’s life: Arthur, whom she had a one-night stand; Winslow, whom she’s unsure of her feelings; and the potential of having to pack up and move when she’s just settled in. And oh yeah, she’s pregnant. After years and years of being told she was incapable of having children, it looks like a miracle has happened! Then Roger reappears to wreak havoc on her life. His interference is shocking.
Mary is a no-nonsense kind of gal. She picks herself up and dusts herself off when the going gets tough. And boy, oh boy, are things getting tough.
I’m a new fan of author Hutchison. I thoroughly enjoyed her other novel, The Rib and Thigh Bones of Desire. Her characters are down to earth and believable, the story lines realistic, the pacing is superb. I was pulled in immediately with the first sentence. Hutchison creates vivid worlds and characters.
I highly recommend The Awful Mess; A Love Story. It’s the perfect book to curl up on the couch with…I wasn’t able to put it down.
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