Simple Gifts

by Lori Copeland

Can anything else go wrong? Marlene Queens goes home to Parness Springs, Missouri, to put her late Aunt Beth's house on the market and settle the estate. But once she's back home, Marlene suddenly finds herself in over her head. Her Aunt Ingrid grows more demanding by the day. Marlene discovers her childhood sweetheart is now the local vet and the town's acting mayor. And when a group of citizens want to put up a statue in memory of Marlene's father---the parent who always embarrassed her as a child---Marlene is unwillingly swept into a firestorm of controversy. As one thing leads to another, Marlene sees her entire life being rearranged before her eyes. Parness Springs may never be the same. Marlene fears that the secret she's kept for years may be revealed. Can God work a miracle so she can finally have the future she's longed for?

Genres: Christian Fiction, Audiobook, Christian, Fiction, Contemporary, Inspirational, Romance

333 pages, Paperback

First published May 1, 2007

About the author

Lori Copeland was born on 12 June 1941. She had a relatively late start in writing, breaking into publishing in 1982 when she was already forty years old. Over the next dozen years, her romance novels achieved much success, as was evidenced by her winning the Romantic Times Reviewer's Choice Award, The Holt Medallion, and Walden Books' Best Seller award. She has been inducted into the Missouri Writers Hall of Fame.

Despite her success in more mainstream romantic fiction, in 1995, she decided to switch focus. Her subsequent books have been in the relatively new subgenre of Christian romance. She has also collaborated with authors Angela Elwell Hunt or Virginia Smith on a series of Christian romance novels.

Lori and her husband of over forty years, Lance, live in Springfield, Missouri, surrounded by the beautiful Ozarks. They have three grown sons, three daughter-in-laws, and six wonderful grandchildren, and two great-granddaughters. She and her husband are very involved in their church, and active in supporting mission work in Mali, West Africa.

Reviews

[Susan · Rating 3 out of 5]

Can anything else go wrong? Marlene Queens goes home to Parness Springs, Missouri, to put her late Aunt Beth's house on the market and settle the estate. But once she's back home, Marlene suddenly finds herself in over her head. Her Aunt Ingrid grows more demanding by the day. Marlene discovers her childhood sweetheart is now the local vet and the town's acting mayor. And when a group of citizens want to put up a statue in memory of Marlene's father---the parent who always embarrassed her as a child---Marlene is unwillingly swept into a firestorm of controversy.As one thing leads to another, Marlene sees her entire life being rearranged before her eyes. Parness Springs may never be the same. Marlene fears that the secret she's kept for years may be revealed. Can God work a miracle so she can finally have the future she's longed for?

Humorous- some a bit silly, but enjoyable for the most part.

[Tamara Tilley · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lori Copeland pens an enjoyable book about a woman who feels pulled in all directions. Marlene has lived a life of difficultly. The child of two mentally challenged parents and a town sandal, she has trudged through life, not really enjoying it, but surviving. She returns to her hometown, haunted by the secrets she’s kept from everyone, including the one man she has loved all her life. Telling lie upon lie, she finds herself digging herself a hole that she feels is too big to crawl out of while dealing with the needs of a feisty aunt and a needy daughter.
I’ve always enjoyed Lori Copeland’s book when I am looking for something enjoyable, but not too deep. Her style is always written with a light-tone, even when dealing with difficult subjects. SIMPLE GIFTS is a relaxing summer read.

[Kelli · Rating 2 out of 5]

Here is what I will say, the first line of this book is the famous line form Forrest Gump. Which, for me, feels like the Helen Keller of book cringes. It just is a very weird choice.
The main character POV, also unloads all her grievances literally in the first few paragraphs of this book as well. She’s got diabetes, a failed marriage she still is sad about, a daughter, dealing with a willed property. It’s trying to be a Nora Ephron movie maybe.

I wouldn’t say it’s super cheesy. The writing has moments. And funny quips. Vic, the old best friend, is a cute storyline. It had its really sweet moments.
But I just don’t get into books where every thing goes wrong allllll the time.

[Carol · Rating 3 out of 5]

This started out as a lightweight sort of book, but it was soon revealed that the main character was born from a relationship between two mentally challenged teens. I did get tired of Maddy not coming clean about a long time lie, things could’ve been cleared up much faster, but eventually the truth comes out. The climactic tornado towards the end was a bit unbelievable and they never did mention what happened to the scooter.

[Carrie Reichelt · Rating 1 out of 5]

Did not finish. I just couldn’t get into it. Aunt Ingrid was annoying and Marlene was too cowardice to deal with her. At least as far as I got into listening to the book. It all seemed trivial and I couldn’t get into it. I was disappointed because I usually like Lori Copeland.

[Crystal · Rating 3 out of 5]

Made me laugh out loud several times!

[Cpfreeman12 · Rating 2 out of 5]

Week annoying main character

[Jennifer Elrod · Rating 2 out of 5]

Meh. I enjoy Christian fiction, but this was not very good. It bothered me that Marlene's Uncle Eugene was her grandfather, but no mention was ever made of that relationship or why she called him her uncle. Eugene was married to Marlene's "Aunt" who was not a blood relation, but she called her and her sister aunt because that seemed like what she should call them. Her "aunt" was the devoted stepmother of Herman, Eugene's son, and Marlene's father. Eugene and Herman are both dead, but Marlene has flashbacks about Uncle Eugene, but states she never had grandparents until she met her mother's parents in her forties. What?! The man played with you, took you places, and lived next door to you when you were a child , and he's your father's father...it doesn't matter what you call him, he's your grandfather! Weird plot, unbelievable characters, contrived, too-perfect ending...I couldn't get into the story for thinking about how ridiculous the whole thing was. Unfortunately, I'm one of those people that feels compelled to finish a book once I start.

[Karol · Rating 2 out of 5]

This is a Christian fiction book that takes place in a small Missouri town. The main character (Marlene) is pulled in various directions by family - a clingy daughter with two kids who wants Marlene to spend all her time helping her, and an aged aunt who needs Marlene's care.

Throw in the complication of being the "normal" offspring of two mentally challenged adults and Marlene has had (and continues to have) a tough life. It all leads to Marlene becoming a bald-faced liar to cope with it all.

As the book winds through Marlene's challenges and how they mostly get resolved, there were parts of the book and a couple of side characters I liked. But for the most part, I very much disliked the main character and that made the book less than an enjoyable read for me. I also felt that several of the situations were entirely unrealistic (like when her aunt fakes paralysis).

It held my interest enough that I read it to the end, so I have to give it at least 2 stars for that.

[Christine · Rating 2 out of 5]

I found this story very annoying. The protagonist was shallow and whiney and didn't learn how to be a better person, after several opportunities, until the very end. And I am not convinced that she really did learn. I think she just adapted for the moment and will return to her bad behavior before long; it is too ingrained into her. I don't know how her love interest managed to put up with and forgive her. And her daughter was over-the-top entitled and annoying, too. There were so many things about this story that I didn't like, but I can't remember them all, so I will leave it here.

I have to admit that I listened to the audiobook instead of reading the book and the narrator may have had something to do with my dislike of the character. I did not like her interpretation of some of the content and she was just annoying to listen to. Not her voice, just her interpretation.

[Kim · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book had great possibilities-interesting plot, great character development, and it was very funny. But, it really needs a thorough editing. As others have written, the relationships between Marly and her “aunts”, “uncle/grandfather” were all too confusing because she used the wrong terms. Marly’s faith journey could have been brought out much more than it was. Also, the author writes that Parnass Springs is in the Ozarks, but only 30 miles away from Columbia, Missouri. Having grown up 30 miles from CoMo I can tell you it’s nowhere near the Ozarks which is considered to be in southwest MO. If she meant the Lake of the Ozarks, she would have mentioned the huge man-made lake there, but never did. It was all too distracting for me to give it a higher rating.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

The main character returns to the small town where she grew up and others often made remarks about her father because he was “simple .” This book does a good job representing various attitudes toward those who are different, how those differences can bring joy to others and contribute to society, and how viewpoints can change over time. It also takes a look at the consequences we may experience for the choices we make in life.

[Ann Evans · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book had too many silly unbelievable situations to be any more than mildly interesting. For example--two women were fighting over their deceased ex-husband's foot that had been amputated years before he died. It was buried in a cemetery near one of them, and the other was suing to have it exhumed and sent to her.

[Marsha R. · Rating 4 out of 5]

This story beautifully illustrates the importance of relying on God's guidance rather than our own. The characters face challenges that remind us of God's plan and timing, making it an uplifting read. I enjoyed it, but I still of all Copeland’s books her Brides of the West series, is still my favorite.

[Lee · Rating 3 out of 5]

Woman who returns to her hometown to sell her deceased aunt’s house. She has to face the man she should have married, her retarded father, her cranky aunt. Very predictable. Funny in places.

[Karl · Rating 1 out of 5]

Too syrupy.

[Jan · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was a really enjoyable Christian fiction audiobook. The main character was annoying g sometimes but I liked the overall message.

[Heidi Morrell · Rating 5 out of 5]

I learned so much about how precious life and how many times real love looks differently. I have read several books by this author, and she's become one of my favorites! Highly recommended!

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

A nice Christian fiction story with interesting twists and turns. The romance is predictable, as most are, but all the side stories and the growth of the main character kept me interested.

[Sue Huntley · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book. Story of a women born to two mentally challenged parents. She told the story of hurt, love, prejudices throughout her live.

[Michelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

What a sweet ending! The beginning seemed a little overdone, but I grew to love the characters.

[Lisa · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was hard for me to rate. I simply don't like books where everything is going wrong all the time. That said, the author did it in a way that was generally funny and wasn't too much of a downer due to the somewhat wry sense of humor of the main character.

But here is the tell. I read part way into chapter 6, knew everything that was going on, got tired of the constant issue grinding, and then read the last chapter. Ironically, in a way, that made it a satisfying book. I didn't miss a thing and it helped me to not hate the book, which I would have had I kept on reading all the chapters. The main character, Marlene, just needed to get over herself. Again, I don't like characters that keep stomping themselves into the ground for the same reason over and over again.

I also didn't quite get the religion in this book. I think it's because my idea of God is different than Marlene's. It seemed that God was a concept to draw upon at random and disjointed times. There was never really a true sense of Faith, but more of a using God as a tool and a hating yourself in His name. Pretty backwards.

I also would have stood up to Ingrid. No doubt about it Doormat beget more doormat. Repeat again as true with daughter Sarah. I don't have a lot of sympathy for characters who continually create their own problems.

The last chapter was very good. Was totally caught up in the tornado scene, pun intended, and liked how the story unfolded afterwards.

Looked at the preview for her other books and it seems that they also are filled with self-loathing main characters. Don't think I'll try this author again.

[Diane Sugars · Rating 3 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book and it is a very nice story. You cannot help but like Marlene, the main character even though she is struggling with years worth of lies and denile that she imposed on herself making her miserable and at odds with her very own family. In the end she makes peace with her choices and her nutty family and this story leaves you with a good feeling. At times, this book had me laughing out loud and some of the situations that poor Marlene has too take care of are so zany you feel sorry for Marlene and her stress level!! This is a good story and I cannot wait to read more from this author.

[Julia Miller · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the story of Marlene Queens, a nurse living in Chicago, and her journey of self-discovery. After a life of struggles and disappointments, she attempts to hide from the past, entangling herself and those she loves most in a tangled web of deceit. It is only through the realization of how her actions affect those around her that she finally comes to grips with reality and decides to live life as it should be—filled with happiness and joy. Lori Copeland combines a hilarious sense of humor with thought-provoking bits of wisdom, creating a masterpieceshowing the consequences of deceit and denial.

[Linda Husvar · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book had a lot of tongue-in-cheek humor as well as complex character development. Marlene Queens find herself in several conflicts when she goes to her home-town to settle her Aunt Beth's estate. Things beyond her control keep going wrong, people are making unreasonable demands, and her dependent adult daughter wants her back home. Marlene's guilt over past mistakes challenges her faith. I found this to be a good read for anyone who likes clean Christian fiction.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Christian author did such a great job of showing how God has a plan for our lives. Even though she ran away from Vic, married Noel, had baby Sara, and two grandchildren, God had a plan for her and Vic to spend their lives in Parnass Springs. Aunt Ingrid and Pastor Joe were wonderful neighbors and loved Vic and Marlene (Marly)!

[Jana · Rating 3 out of 5]

The writing could have been better. Sometimes things were mentioned (like someone being dead) as if you should already know it, and then a big revelation was made further on as if you shouldn't have any idea. It was a bit confusing. I also found the main character aggravating.
I gave it three stars though because I liked the overall message. "Good news! Jesus loves you."

[April Suter · Rating 3 out of 5]

Marlene grew up in Parnass Springs, MO and escaped her childhood sweetheart, a mentally handicapped father and two unconventional aunts when she married her doctor husband. She returns when her aunt needs her and finds she must deal with the secret about her husband and why she left. Forgiveness, a tornado, a disagreement about a statute help Marly find love on many levels.

329 pages

[Patricia Hullett · Rating 4 out of 5]

I totally enjoyed this book! It took me awhile to get into it but once it got going it was so good. It made me laugh and I also cried at one point. The characters were so engaging, I especially liked Aunt Ingrid (although, she would have driven me crazy too). Lori Copeland really knows how to reach into your heart!

[Carolyn Lockwood · Rating 4 out of 5]

I would have given this book five stars but for the editing errors. For instance, the book said Marlene had tea with Aunt Beth, the same Aunt who had been dead for two years. I connected with the characters and cried in several places. I would recommend this book, but wish the author would hire a better proofreader.