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Twisted Creek
“Twisted Creek will weave its way around the reader’s heart. Compelling and beautifully written, it is exactly the kind of heart wrenching, emotional story one has come to expect from Jodi Thomas.”—#1 New York Times bestselling author Debbie MacomberBad luck's been biting at Allie Daniel's heels all her life, so when she inherits a tiny café in a small Texas lake community she’s sure there has to be a catch. But Allie brings her grandmother along, and the cafe gives Nana a chance to do what she loves best—cook. As Allie settles in to try and make the best of what surely must be a mistake in an old man's will, the people of the lake drop by. Lonely folk discover there's always a “table for one” available, with downhome food to warm the soul. An old maid, a shy young man, a drifter who races the moon across the slowly, they become the family Allie never had. And when trouble comes, Allie finds she's not alone any more—and that sometimes, the only cure for bad luck is the courage to love.
306 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 1, 2008
100 people are currently reading
825 people want to read
About the author
Jodi Thomas
129 books2,506 followersI'm a New York Times and USA Today Best Selling author, wife, mother, in-law, grandmother, sister, friend, and owner of one fat cat.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 187 reviews
July 2, 2011
★★★★✩ Ms. Thomas sets a different tone here from her regular books and it worked for me. I love small town lovin’ and this one was very small, just a rundown lake community. JT changes back and forth from first person POV to third person narrative, and it threw me a bit the first time, but I got used to it. Especially since it is so well written.
Twenty-six year old Allie Daniels, abandoned by her teenage mother when she was three, has inherited a lakeside store cum café outside Lubbock, Texas, from an uncle she’s never met and one her grandmother, Nana, is sure isn’t related to them. Allie is certain it is all a big mistake. You see, Allie is always expecting something unlucky to happen around the next corner, though she keeps peeking eagerly around each one of them, her heart full hope. At Jefferson’s Crossing, her heart finds an unobtrusive lake bum, Luke Morgan, an incognito ATF agent, who likes to dive off her dock -- in the buff -- for a midnight swim. Still, don’t get your hopes up; the lovin’ in this story is of the “one-foot-on-the-floor” variety. Okay, maybe the second foot lifts a little.
Ms. Thomas has a talent for scripting amazing secondary characters and they are a delight here as a group of “Nesters” who come in all sizes, shapes, stages-of-life, sexes, and smells. They set out to rid their small community of meth dealers, despite Luke’s protests.
JT has a book where the activities of daily living are simple and slow-paced, but the undercurrent is full of danger and action. The tone is melancholy, yet full of hope. A sweet, beautiful story to tell us it is what lives in our hearts that is important.
Man-oh-man! I hope there is a sequel.
May 20, 2016
I checked this out on audiobook and my sister and I listened to it in the car. It was a fun read. I liked that one of the narrators was male and the other was female. They alternated the parts of Allie and Luke and it was a nice touch. The male narrator sounded a bit noir, but it suits Luke being an investigator of sorts. The female narrator makes Allie sound as adorable as she is. I pictured Allie as Claire Bowen, who plays Scarlett on "Nashville."
For Luke, I pictured a younger Luke Wilson
I loved the small town, Texas atmosphere. All of the characters are quirky. They are all hanging on to life on the edge of Jefferson's Crossing, near the lake that was made when Jefferson's ancestors dammed up Twisted Creek. Allie is a very sweet young woman. Her devotion to her grandmother made me smile. Nana raised her when Allie's self-centered, good for nothing mother ran off. When Allie's grandfather died, Nana lost their farm and Allie had to leave school to help take care of Nana.
I liked this viewpoint of their relationship. It's not typical to think of a young woman who is living with and supporting and caring for an aged relative, but I'm sure it happens more than one would believe. Allie has a lot of burdens on her young shoulders, but you never get the impression she wants to get rid of that burden of caring for her grandmother, but does it willingly.
I liked the rag-tag band of Nesters (as the objectionable sheriff) refers to them. Each of them has been hurt by life, or merely decided to drop out and hang out in the fringes. When Allie and Nana arrive at Jefferson's Crossing, they establish a found family of these misfits, one that effects change for everyone in a good way.
Luke was one heck of a guy. Thomas writes Texan heroes that make me wish I met guys like that in real life living in Texas. Luke is definitely a keeper. Even though he seems like a slacker, he has some very strong reasons for being on the lake. He and Allie have great chemistry that is a good underpinning for this book, but the relationships between all the characters could actually stand on its own. I loved how he connects to Nana almost immediately and they form a strong relationship.
I adore Jodi Thomas's books. They are satisfying reads with characters that feel real and are quirky and textured. She is a great romance writer, but one of her best skills as a writer is characterization. Her larger-than-life characters come out of the page and make friends with the reader.
I have a print version of this, but I'm really glad I got the audiobook. I do have to say that the Southern accent made the narrative a bit slower than I wanted at times, since I read much faster than the narrator speaks. However, that was true to the characters.
For Luke, I pictured a younger Luke Wilson
I loved the small town, Texas atmosphere. All of the characters are quirky. They are all hanging on to life on the edge of Jefferson's Crossing, near the lake that was made when Jefferson's ancestors dammed up Twisted Creek. Allie is a very sweet young woman. Her devotion to her grandmother made me smile. Nana raised her when Allie's self-centered, good for nothing mother ran off. When Allie's grandfather died, Nana lost their farm and Allie had to leave school to help take care of Nana.
I liked this viewpoint of their relationship. It's not typical to think of a young woman who is living with and supporting and caring for an aged relative, but I'm sure it happens more than one would believe. Allie has a lot of burdens on her young shoulders, but you never get the impression she wants to get rid of that burden of caring for her grandmother, but does it willingly.
I liked the rag-tag band of Nesters (as the objectionable sheriff) refers to them. Each of them has been hurt by life, or merely decided to drop out and hang out in the fringes. When Allie and Nana arrive at Jefferson's Crossing, they establish a found family of these misfits, one that effects change for everyone in a good way.
Luke was one heck of a guy. Thomas writes Texan heroes that make me wish I met guys like that in real life living in Texas. Luke is definitely a keeper. Even though he seems like a slacker, he has some very strong reasons for being on the lake. He and Allie have great chemistry that is a good underpinning for this book, but the relationships between all the characters could actually stand on its own. I loved how he connects to Nana almost immediately and they form a strong relationship.
I adore Jodi Thomas's books. They are satisfying reads with characters that feel real and are quirky and textured. She is a great romance writer, but one of her best skills as a writer is characterization. Her larger-than-life characters come out of the page and make friends with the reader.
I have a print version of this, but I'm really glad I got the audiobook. I do have to say that the Southern accent made the narrative a bit slower than I wanted at times, since I read much faster than the narrator speaks. However, that was true to the characters.
January 16, 2021
I'm a sucker for found family stories featuring sad, past-tragedies, down-on-their luck characters finding each other and this fit the bill nicely. A low heat romance that is as much of a love story between the heroine and her Nana as it is between the hero and the heroine. The heroine's mother is a bit of a caricature who lacks motivation (although I guess self-absorption is motivation per se....) and the drug dealing suspense subplot is really only there to punch up the pacing - but I liked this and the ending even made me a bit misty-eyed. Waffling between a B/B+ on my personal rating scale.
January 1, 2012
This is quite an interesting book. In some ways it was like two books, at first it was quirky with mysterious characters doing really odd things, but as the characters began to grow on me it became a more conventional book about people who didn't quite fit in.
Allie, a young woman who is used to things going south on her, inherits a general store in a small remote lake community in Texas. It's run down but having never had anything in her life to call her own she grabs it with both hands and she and her grandmother pack up their lives and make the move. Gradually they settle into the community but she is always waiting for someone to come and tell her it's all been a mistake and they'll have to leave.
Allie, a young woman who is used to things going south on her, inherits a general store in a small remote lake community in Texas. It's run down but having never had anything in her life to call her own she grabs it with both hands and she and her grandmother pack up their lives and make the move. Gradually they settle into the community but she is always waiting for someone to come and tell her it's all been a mistake and they'll have to leave.
October 6, 2008
My aunt wrote this book, and I proofread it for her. Of all her books that I've read, this is the best I think. Not a straight 'genre' romance; more modern, less steamy. A fun read. Should be out sometime next year.
October 9, 2023
This was a departure from her westerns. It was. Ice reading a contemporary story from Jodi Thomas.
August 16, 2017
I loved Allie's Nana. Jodi Thomas never disappoints! I thought I had read this one, but I hadn't. I really enjoyed the story. Allie's mother was a piece of work, though.
July 16, 2014
THIS SUMMARY/REVIEW WAS COPIED FROM OTHER SOURCES AND IS USED ONLY AS A REMINDER OF WHAT THE BOOK WAS ABOUT FOR MY PERSONAL INTEREST. ANY PERSONAL NOTATIONS ARE FOR MY RECOLLECTION ONLY
Personally I thought this was a 3--only because I have listened to most of the Harmony series and loved them. I am sure if I had read this first it would be a 4 stars.
everyone needs a fluffy, feel good story once in a while! I could totally empathize with the characters and found this book to be a breezy, heartwarming story.
Allie Daniels, who was raised by her Nana after her mother left her at 3 years old, finally catches a break in life when she inherits property in Texas. She consistently second guesses the inheritence as she never even knew the man who gave it to her, Uncle Jefferson or the place, Twisted Creek. She also receives a cashier's check for $5,000 and immediately takes it to the bank as she doubts it is even good. Lo and behold, the check is good so she packs up the van and along with Nana moves to Texas. They find a tumbledown cafe that sits right on a lake which is more like a general store/bait shop. The cast of characters begins to emerge:
Luke, with eyes so blue, who knew Uncle Jefferson well and is actually there to investigate his death; Mrs. Deal, a quiet widow who comes to the store to buy cookies; Mary Lynn, an old maid whose parents died when she was young; Paul, a banker whose wife leaves him after he buys a cabin on the lake; Willie, a smelly old fisherman with a heart of gold; the Landry brothers who are always fishing; the gruff old sheriff and his son Dillon who the sheriff believes can do no wrong; and finally Allie's mother who is just a self-centered, mean woman.
Throughout the book, Nana touches my heart as she feeds everyone while her thinking becomes more and more stuck in the past and Allie who turns to her art and sketching all of the characters who come in and out of the cafe. I found myself continually rooting for Allie and that her life would truly become all she hoped for.
Sure enough, things worked out, and I am left with the feeling that they all lived happily ever after as I smile and remind myself that it was just a story. (but I still want to meet Allie and Nana!) (less)
Personally I thought this was a 3--only because I have listened to most of the Harmony series and loved them. I am sure if I had read this first it would be a 4 stars.
everyone needs a fluffy, feel good story once in a while! I could totally empathize with the characters and found this book to be a breezy, heartwarming story.
Allie Daniels, who was raised by her Nana after her mother left her at 3 years old, finally catches a break in life when she inherits property in Texas. She consistently second guesses the inheritence as she never even knew the man who gave it to her, Uncle Jefferson or the place, Twisted Creek. She also receives a cashier's check for $5,000 and immediately takes it to the bank as she doubts it is even good. Lo and behold, the check is good so she packs up the van and along with Nana moves to Texas. They find a tumbledown cafe that sits right on a lake which is more like a general store/bait shop. The cast of characters begins to emerge:
Luke, with eyes so blue, who knew Uncle Jefferson well and is actually there to investigate his death; Mrs. Deal, a quiet widow who comes to the store to buy cookies; Mary Lynn, an old maid whose parents died when she was young; Paul, a banker whose wife leaves him after he buys a cabin on the lake; Willie, a smelly old fisherman with a heart of gold; the Landry brothers who are always fishing; the gruff old sheriff and his son Dillon who the sheriff believes can do no wrong; and finally Allie's mother who is just a self-centered, mean woman.
Throughout the book, Nana touches my heart as she feeds everyone while her thinking becomes more and more stuck in the past and Allie who turns to her art and sketching all of the characters who come in and out of the cafe. I found myself continually rooting for Allie and that her life would truly become all she hoped for.
Sure enough, things worked out, and I am left with the feeling that they all lived happily ever after as I smile and remind myself that it was just a story. (but I still want to meet Allie and Nana!) (less)
January 21, 2009
Everyone needs a fluffy, feel good story once in a while! I could totally empathize with the characters and found this book to be a breezy, heartwarming story.
Allie Daniels, who was raised by her Nana after her mother left her at 3 years old, finally catches a break in life when she inherits property in Texas. She consistently second guesses the inheritence as she never even knew the man who gave it to her, Uncle Jefferson or the place, Twisted Creek. She also receives a cashier's check for $5,000 and immediately takes it to the bank as she doubts it is even good. Lo and behold, the check is good so she packs up the van and along with Nana moves to Texas. They find a tumbledown cafe that sits right on a lake which is more like a general store/bait shop. The cast of characters begins to emerge:
Luke, with eyes so blue, who knew Uncle Jefferson well and is actually there to investigate his death; Mrs. Deal, a quiet widow who comes to the store to buy cookies; Mary Lynn, an old maid whose parents died when she was young; Paul, a banker whose wife leaves him after he buys a cabin on the lake; Willie, a smelly old fisherman with a heart of gold; the Landry brothers who are always fishing; the gruff old sheriff and his son Dillon who the sheriff believes can do no wrong; and finally Allie's mother who is just a self-centered, mean woman.
Throughout the book, Nana touches my heart as she feeds everyone while her thinking becomes more and more stuck in the past and Allie who turns to her art and sketching all of the characters who come in and out of the cafe. I found myself continually rooting for Allie and that her life would truly become all she hoped for.
Sure enough, things worked out, and I am left with the feeling that they all lived happily ever after as I smile and remind myself that it was just a story. (but I still want to meet Allie and Nana!)
Allie Daniels, who was raised by her Nana after her mother left her at 3 years old, finally catches a break in life when she inherits property in Texas. She consistently second guesses the inheritence as she never even knew the man who gave it to her, Uncle Jefferson or the place, Twisted Creek. She also receives a cashier's check for $5,000 and immediately takes it to the bank as she doubts it is even good. Lo and behold, the check is good so she packs up the van and along with Nana moves to Texas. They find a tumbledown cafe that sits right on a lake which is more like a general store/bait shop. The cast of characters begins to emerge:
Luke, with eyes so blue, who knew Uncle Jefferson well and is actually there to investigate his death; Mrs. Deal, a quiet widow who comes to the store to buy cookies; Mary Lynn, an old maid whose parents died when she was young; Paul, a banker whose wife leaves him after he buys a cabin on the lake; Willie, a smelly old fisherman with a heart of gold; the Landry brothers who are always fishing; the gruff old sheriff and his son Dillon who the sheriff believes can do no wrong; and finally Allie's mother who is just a self-centered, mean woman.
Throughout the book, Nana touches my heart as she feeds everyone while her thinking becomes more and more stuck in the past and Allie who turns to her art and sketching all of the characters who come in and out of the cafe. I found myself continually rooting for Allie and that her life would truly become all she hoped for.
Sure enough, things worked out, and I am left with the feeling that they all lived happily ever after as I smile and remind myself that it was just a story. (but I still want to meet Allie and Nana!)
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 11, 2016
Allie never knew her father and her restless mother left her when she was just a toddler. The only family Allie ever knew was her beloved grandmother, Nana, and her aloof grandfather. The bond between Allie and Nana grew stronger when Allie's grandfather died and Nana was forced to leave the family farm. It became just Allie and Nana, moving from town to town--Allie trying to find whatever work she could find to pay the rent, but when the jobs ran out, the pair had to move on.
Allie doesn't dare dream big. Her life has always been filled with bad luck, so when she receives notice that "Uncle Jefferson" (who is he????) has left her property and enough money to get to a small town in Texas, she and Nana pack up and proceed with caution. Allie is sure that the lawyer who contacted her will finally realize that he has her mixed up with another Allie Daniels.
Once Allie and Nana arrive, the property isn't much to look at, but for the time being, it is theirs and Nana has found a way to do what she loves best--cook and feed people. Gradually, the two of them find a family, not a blood family, but maybe the best kind of family made up of good, loyal friends. Then the dread that Allie had been feeling and had almost put aside, becomes a reality and she finds herself once again with the possibility of having to pack up and move once again.
I fell in love with Allie and Nana in the very beginning. The love and loyalty between the two just oozed from the pages. A mystery is threaded into the story line along with a possible love interest for Allie and maybe even Nana! The cast of characters who inhabit the small town are all quirky but they are made of strong stuff and show that strong stuff when Allie and Nana find themselves needing not luck, but good friends...no, make that family.
Allie doesn't dare dream big. Her life has always been filled with bad luck, so when she receives notice that "Uncle Jefferson" (who is he????) has left her property and enough money to get to a small town in Texas, she and Nana pack up and proceed with caution. Allie is sure that the lawyer who contacted her will finally realize that he has her mixed up with another Allie Daniels.
Once Allie and Nana arrive, the property isn't much to look at, but for the time being, it is theirs and Nana has found a way to do what she loves best--cook and feed people. Gradually, the two of them find a family, not a blood family, but maybe the best kind of family made up of good, loyal friends. Then the dread that Allie had been feeling and had almost put aside, becomes a reality and she finds herself once again with the possibility of having to pack up and move once again.
I fell in love with Allie and Nana in the very beginning. The love and loyalty between the two just oozed from the pages. A mystery is threaded into the story line along with a possible love interest for Allie and maybe even Nana! The cast of characters who inhabit the small town are all quirky but they are made of strong stuff and show that strong stuff when Allie and Nana find themselves needing not luck, but good friends...no, make that family.
March 23, 2009
In this book, the tone of the writing matched the characters and setting to a degree that made reading it a great escapist experience because it gave the imaginary world a color very different from my everyday life.
After reading it, I felt that the themes were more interesting than the plot for this book. The last line of the book says something about how all of life isn't lived in the present, some of it is lived in the heart.
By this, the author appears to mean that memories of the past are not actually past: they intertwine with your personality and present experience so that they are tangibly part of your experience even when they are no longer taking place. For the characters, just because two people spent only a week actually together doesn't mean that they didn't continue to be connected with one another throughout their lives in thoughts, in letters, in feelings. I found myself thinking about this idea long after I finished the book.
This is a very different book from the author's other writings. I also felt that it was more realistic in that it didn't tie everything with all characters up into a neat bow at the end of the story. Major plots were resolved, but it is obvious that the characters still have other challenges, other relationships, other THINGS coming to them as their lives unfold. This made the story and characters feel more real to me.
After reading it, I felt that the themes were more interesting than the plot for this book. The last line of the book says something about how all of life isn't lived in the present, some of it is lived in the heart.
By this, the author appears to mean that memories of the past are not actually past: they intertwine with your personality and present experience so that they are tangibly part of your experience even when they are no longer taking place. For the characters, just because two people spent only a week actually together doesn't mean that they didn't continue to be connected with one another throughout their lives in thoughts, in letters, in feelings. I found myself thinking about this idea long after I finished the book.
This is a very different book from the author's other writings. I also felt that it was more realistic in that it didn't tie everything with all characters up into a neat bow at the end of the story. Major plots were resolved, but it is obvious that the characters still have other challenges, other relationships, other THINGS coming to them as their lives unfold. This made the story and characters feel more real to me.
October 26, 2017
This was a sweet-hearted book I enjoyed a lot. The heroine has never had anything somebody didn't try to take away from her--and that somebody was usually her mother. Except for her grandmother. Her grandmother loves her unconditionally, and the heroine would do anything for her Nana. Like give up her dream of teaching school to come home and help support her after her grandfather dies. They've been struggling along from one minimum wage job to the next, until she gets a letter that she's inherited something out in the barren wilds of west Texas, not too far from Lubbock. (Barren wilds indeed.) Her luck's invariably bad, so she refuses to believe the inheritance is real, or is anything she'll get to keep, but they pack up and go anyway. One place is as good as another. The property turns out to be an old bait-camp store/deli sort of place that is the center of the run-down Twisted Creek "lake development." And as the heroine and her Nana begin to create a community out of the eccentrics who live at the lake, other things begin happening. There is a suspense element, but it's mild. This is just a lovely, contemporary Jodi Thomas book. I liked it a lot.
December 5, 2013
Twisted Creek is a story about a young girl who'd lost all faith in life or anything good happening to her. The only constant in her existence was her grandmother. When Allie received a letter from an attorney informing her that she'd inherited a cabin in Texas from someone she didn't know, she had her doubts, but made up her mind to find out if it was for real or just another disappointment. She felt sure the attorney had made a mistake. She grew to love the band of mis-fits that lived on Twisted Creek, but most importantly, she fell head over heels in love with her next door neighbor who she thought to be a lake bum. Little did she know he was an ATF agent investigating the death of her supposed uncle while at the same time, catching drug dealers and uncovering meth labs. Allie's grandmother opened the little cafe and loved cooking for the fisherman and residents. Allie soon discovers her grandmother has early states of dementia. Overall, this is a heartwarming story about different kinds and levels of love. I recommend this book to anyone who wants to be entertained and intrigued.
July 31, 2014
Jodi Thomas is one of my favorite writers. She always manages to catch the character's unique feelings and I can feel them coming to life. However this book was really amazing.
It was full of remarkable, amazing characters - starting from Nana to Willie, Paul and Mrs. Deals and Timothy. They were all so very, very real and so great, I fell in love with them head over heels. I really liked Luka (I always had a thing for the quiet, dangerous type) and I liked Allie too, although she didn't capture my heart as much as the other characters did. Nonetheless she was great and I liked her a great deal.
The story from the past, that interwines with the present was a great idea and a nice way of tying the knots together.
I love this book and I will read it again and again!
It was full of remarkable, amazing characters - starting from Nana to Willie, Paul and Mrs. Deals and Timothy. They were all so very, very real and so great, I fell in love with them head over heels. I really liked Luka (I always had a thing for the quiet, dangerous type) and I liked Allie too, although she didn't capture my heart as much as the other characters did. Nonetheless she was great and I liked her a great deal.
The story from the past, that interwines with the present was a great idea and a nice way of tying the knots together.
I love this book and I will read it again and again!
July 15, 2015
I rarely rate a book five stars, but that is not the case with this book. I was drawn in from the first page and I felt like I walked into the setting as if I belonged there. This story not only had my full attention, it was thoroughly enjoyable. All the characters were different in their own way but as the story went on, you could feel all the characters connecting to each other because they all had one thing in common. Losing someone through death or from lack of closeness or not being wanted by a parent shows how all these characters came together to form a unique and special family. I highly recommend this book as it is wonderfully written and captures your heart.
December 11, 2008
What an awesome story! I laughed out loud (in the bowling alley - I got strange looks)! I cried a couple of tears (again, in the bowling alley - even stranger looks and a couple people backing away slowly)! I was sad to finish the book and will reread it again and again. It has a new spot of my favorite reads shelf.
At the end of this book, I cared for not only the lead characters, but all the secondary characters as well. Thomas has a skill at writing well-drawn, believable characters that stick with you.
At the end of this book, I cared for not only the lead characters, but all the secondary characters as well. Thomas has a skill at writing well-drawn, believable characters that stick with you.
March 21, 2012
Discovered Jodi Thomas w/this book, and immediately ordered up another !
Twisted Creek has a plotline almost as twisted. Allie, a down-on-her-luck young woman, runs out of options and Shazam ! inherits a small cafe in TX, so, taking Nana with her, they head out for what seems to be the only choice, and there face many choices ... most of which result in fun reading.
To say I liked this book would not be sufficient. I loved the storyline, the characters, and the setting. Oughta be a Hallmark movie ! But, please do NOT cast Betty White as Nana !
Twisted Creek has a plotline almost as twisted. Allie, a down-on-her-luck young woman, runs out of options and Shazam ! inherits a small cafe in TX, so, taking Nana with her, they head out for what seems to be the only choice, and there face many choices ... most of which result in fun reading.
To say I liked this book would not be sufficient. I loved the storyline, the characters, and the setting. Oughta be a Hallmark movie ! But, please do NOT cast Betty White as Nana !
July 22, 2009
Jodi weaves stories about everyday characters who find themselves in extraordinary circumstances. I love her Texas settings, and in Twisted Creek, you can almost smell the just-caught catfish from the lake of the dying lake community. When Allie Daniels inherits a cafe from an uncle she didn't know existed, she moves there with her grandmother, just happy to have a place to call home. It soon becomes apparent that secrets abound and love is in the air. Terrific summer read.
April 13, 2015
I found this in my n'orhood book exchange; knew it would be a quick read, and the cover caught my attention. Have never read Jodi Thomas. I really liked this book!!! Very quirky, colorful characters, with lots and lots of subtle humor, intelligent wit and comebacks. I could really see these characters; especially Allie Daniels. Just a country girl that had never had a break; just raised herself up by her boot straps. Mystery, suspense, a twist here and there. A solid, quick read.
March 9, 2017
I loved this book. It made me laugh, it was a unique, and different plot. Not a typical love story or mystery. There were a couple of stories going at once and yet it didn't get confusing or distracting. From the first page I was interested in what would happen next. It's one of those stories where you want to read it fast because it's so good, but you also want it to last. I've read several of Jodi Thomas's books and they've all been very good.
August 8, 2010
Absolutely adored this book, and was sad when it was over. I'll read another JODI THOMAS book very soon. In fact, I can't wait and it'll only be a problem of deciding which to read next. Very well done!
January 13, 2021
Originally read 6/30/2009 - 4.5 out of 5
Reread 1/11/2021 - This didn’t hold up quite as well as I thought it would. Still a good read, but more like a 3.5 this time around.
Reread 1/11/2021 - This didn’t hold up quite as well as I thought it would. Still a good read, but more like a 3.5 this time around.
July 1, 2017
really enjoyed this - first time reading this author. have a bunch more by her i got at a used book sale so looking forward to reading them.
December 31, 2020
Reread 12/2020: I gave this book 5 stars in 2008, but I couldn't remember anything about it except that I liked it. My book club chose this as our January read and I was excited to revisit it. I didn't love it as much this time around. I liked Allie and the residents of Twisted Creek, but it was a little slow and the suspense plot did nothing for me. Still, I'm glad I reread it.
3.75 out of 5
Original review 2008: This story is written in alternating 1st and 3rd POV. At first I wasn’t sure it would work, but in the end I think the story would have suffered if it hadn’t been written that way.
I really liked Allie. As the story progressed I enjoyed watching her grow and become confident in herself. Though she seems broken in the beginning, it isn’t long before we see the well of inner strength she’s kept hidden. Though it takes her awhile to open up, it isn’t long before she’s the backbone of the community. I enjoyed Luke’s character as well. He was reserved and quiet, afraid to open himself up, but unable to stop it from happening as he spent time with Allie. I love that he was quiet and didn’t say much, but you could still see the attachment forming between him and Allie.
I loved the secondary characters – all the odd little people who make the lake their home. As we came to know them, just like Allie, I began to care for them, to become invested in their lives. I truly felt like I was in Twisted Creek right along with them. Honestly, if I could talk my husband into it, I’d be tempted to head off to Texas in search of a Twisted Creek of my own.
The suspense plot worked really well with the romance and honestly didn’t detract from the overall romance, in my opinion. The story focused on Allie and Luke as they learn to trust each other and open up to one another, the suspense plot was just window dressing to that. Not to say it wasn’t well done, because it was, but it wasn’t the main focus of the story.
Overall I loved it. The characters, the plot, the writing. All of it.
5 out of 5
3.75 out of 5
Original review 2008: This story is written in alternating 1st and 3rd POV. At first I wasn’t sure it would work, but in the end I think the story would have suffered if it hadn’t been written that way.
I really liked Allie. As the story progressed I enjoyed watching her grow and become confident in herself. Though she seems broken in the beginning, it isn’t long before we see the well of inner strength she’s kept hidden. Though it takes her awhile to open up, it isn’t long before she’s the backbone of the community. I enjoyed Luke’s character as well. He was reserved and quiet, afraid to open himself up, but unable to stop it from happening as he spent time with Allie. I love that he was quiet and didn’t say much, but you could still see the attachment forming between him and Allie.
I loved the secondary characters – all the odd little people who make the lake their home. As we came to know them, just like Allie, I began to care for them, to become invested in their lives. I truly felt like I was in Twisted Creek right along with them. Honestly, if I could talk my husband into it, I’d be tempted to head off to Texas in search of a Twisted Creek of my own.
The suspense plot worked really well with the romance and honestly didn’t detract from the overall romance, in my opinion. The story focused on Allie and Luke as they learn to trust each other and open up to one another, the suspense plot was just window dressing to that. Not to say it wasn’t well done, because it was, but it wasn’t the main focus of the story.
Overall I loved it. The characters, the plot, the writing. All of it.
5 out of 5
September 7, 2020
Twisted Creek was a fun read. It's well written and kept my interest all the way through.
It's the story of Allie, a young woman and her Nana. Allie tries to work and because of a decline in business, and being the last hired, finds herself unemployed. She knows she is going to lose her job when she receives an interesting letter in the mail. A lawyer has contacted her about being named in the will of a man she's never heard of before. Enclosed is a check which Allie quickly runs to the bank to see if it's good or not.
Allie and Nana decide to pick up roots and head to Texas, hoping that this isn't a mistake. According to the lawyer, it isn't. So Allie heads to Twisted Creek to see her new home. The place needs work, at one time it was a cafe and store with living quarters upstairs.
The ladies quickly start cleaning up, run into some very interesting people and settle into life as store owners. But there is a secret in this neighborhood, one that will impact Allie and Nana.
It's the story of Allie, a young woman and her Nana. Allie tries to work and because of a decline in business, and being the last hired, finds herself unemployed. She knows she is going to lose her job when she receives an interesting letter in the mail. A lawyer has contacted her about being named in the will of a man she's never heard of before. Enclosed is a check which Allie quickly runs to the bank to see if it's good or not.
Allie and Nana decide to pick up roots and head to Texas, hoping that this isn't a mistake. According to the lawyer, it isn't. So Allie heads to Twisted Creek to see her new home. The place needs work, at one time it was a cafe and store with living quarters upstairs.
The ladies quickly start cleaning up, run into some very interesting people and settle into life as store owners. But there is a secret in this neighborhood, one that will impact Allie and Nana.
February 7, 2025
I thoroughly enjoyed this lighthearted story of quirky people living in a small, dying lake town. The characters were mostly likable and it’s especially nice to read of a close relationship between an 80-something grandma and her devoted granddaughter. It’s an easy, no angst read with a couple HEAs.
The ending has two twists. The first is the bitter-sweet reveal of who
Uncle Jefferson really is. The second was told, rather than shown, almost as an afterthought regarding the sheriff. There’s no closure on why the sheriff was involved in drug trafficking, nor how anyone, especially Dylan handled it. It wasn’t a huge surprise ending but it could have been fleshed out more. If not for hat, I’d have given an other star. Still worth reading.
The ending has two twists. The first is the bitter-sweet reveal of who
Uncle Jefferson really is. The second was told, rather than shown, almost as an afterthought regarding the sheriff. There’s no closure on why the sheriff was involved in drug trafficking, nor how anyone, especially Dylan handled it. It wasn’t a huge surprise ending but it could have been fleshed out more. If not for hat, I’d have given an other star. Still worth reading.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 1, 2022
A charming novel about family, both blood-related and found. The cast of characters were fascinating to read about and watch as Allie and Nana brought them together upon their arrival. At first, I felt the drug dealing trouble was out of place but later it became the perfect catalyst of bringing everyone together aside from the cafe; the appearance of Allie's mother seemed unnecessary and seemed awkward when tieing in with everything else. Overall, while a bit slower paced, it was still an enjoyable read.
September 1, 2023
Such a sweet read. No wonder it's one of my moms favorites! It doesn't take long to fall in love with this tiny collection of misfits that end up forming bonds as strong as family and giving the main character a place to call home. All the good feals of family, friendship, and love. Very mild romance, with no sex at all, which feels classy. And a little mystery/danger that Jodi Thomas likes to utilize in her stories to add stakes and pace the story well. My only criticism - if you can even call it that - is that I feel the main character should have started out a little more cynical due to her run of hard luck and tough childhood, she needed a little more depth. But overall, I would absolutely read again soon and recommend it.
April 18, 2024
Really enjoyed this book. First book from this author. It was a different storyline which was a nice change. It was partly a clean romance but mostly about life and acquaintances becoming family. Little sad with dementia in story and little disappointed that the story didn’t elaborate more at the ending. There were so many characters in book and they just fell off at ending too. Still recommend and will look for other books from this author.
May 27, 2024
Once again, absolutely loved this book of Jodi Thomas. The story builds on the characters in such a way you can visualize what they look like, their personalities and even, in one case, what a particular character "smelled" like! Ha! It's a story of how a group of people, all different personalities and ages, are a family and are there for each other in all circumstances.
I highly recommend this book!
I highly recommend this book!
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