P. J. Colando

A huge lotto win isn't an original storyline, but a half-billion lotto win is a shedload of money. A little obscene, some would say. So, I was intrigued by how this would pan out.

Regrettably, I was never going to like Bonnie, one of the main characters: "Bonnie regarded a fur as entry level for a millionaire."..."Who needed lipstick and fresh makeup when a mink coat caressed?" It's true, you know: it takes fifty dumb animals to make a coat and only one to wear it. In this case, the dumb, brainless air head is middle-aged Bonnie, who co-wins the Boffo Lotto, news she shares instantly with her two best friends (Fran and Jackie), who consider they're entitled to decide how the money should be spent, inflation to the church funds and overseas travel high on the list.

I was promised hilarity, but the sides of my mouth didn't twitch once. Sadly, I found it all boring and slightly irritating. Too much repetition caused me to sigh rather a lot. After nearly twenty occurrences, I won't be sorry if I never hear the word 'copacetic' again. (No, I didn't know what it meant, either). 'Crapola', 'hell's bells', and 'holy crap', were also over-used by the same amount. There is a plethora of very expressive swear words to use (I can suggest many), there really isn't a need to exhaust a small selection.

It was hard to engage with any of the characters…at the end of the day I discovered nothing about them. How come Fran was newly married late in life? How did dim Bonnie find once-married Carl? Why was Jackie's son such a wimp? There are back stories here that needed to be told.

The author is without doubt very articulate, but the style is a bit 'dense', which meant some unnatural, heavy dialogue. Sometimes less is more and simpler language makes for more relaxed reading.

With sincerest apologies to P Colando, this isn't my book of the year.
… (plus d'informations)

I’ve been looking forward to another humorous and heartwarming novel from P J Colando, and let me tell you, “Hashes and Bashes” kept me alternating between laughter and tears. Now, grab a seat and let me tell you about this book because you’re going to love it!

What sets P J Colando apart from many others is her ability to draw the reader into the life of her characters. As the reader, you feel like you are her protagonist’s (Jackie) girlfriend and she is sharing with you what is going on in her and Steve’s life while the two of you are drinking tea and eating scones. This makes for some great storytelling. Jackie and Steve are so real to life, you expect to run into them while running errands in town. I know I did at least.

Jackie and Steve represent the perfect Midwest farm couple, hardworking and steadfast. You sense their love for one another seep through the pages. When Carl shows up, Steve’s brother from his mother’s WWII love tryst and given up for adoption, the Breeden family welcomes him into their nest.

Carl and Steve bond through a common acknowledgment of shared genealogy. However, that leaves Steve’s brother David out in the cold. David is the brother you wish you didn’t have, while Carl is likable and real, like Steve. A Prodigal Son triangle develops with impressive results. Once you throw Brandon, Steve and Jackie’s son, into the mix, the results are hilarious.

Years ago I worked on a ranch in Montana. The descriptions of (AI) artificial insemination from Carl’s bull into Steve’s dairy cows by Brandon are not only factually accurate, but they are also hysterical. I laughed so hard, I cried.

Yet, there is more than humor found between these pages. P J Colando breathes and writes life into the pages of her novels. Love, death, friendship, family, all find their way into her stories. Add a touch of pot-laced baking to the mix, and you have a recipe for success.

The end of the book grabbed me by surprise and left me wanting more of this beautiful, and funny family!

My Rating:
Character Believability: 5
Flow and Pace: 5
Reader Engagement: 5
Reader Enrichment: 5
Reader Enjoyment: 5
Overall Rate: 5 out of 5 stars… (plus d'informations)