I'm probably slightly biased as I live in the town portrayed in this novel, but I thought this book was a very good read. I have previously read [b:A Kind of Intimacy|4631297|A Kind of Intimacy|Jenn Ashworth|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1266848055s/4631297.jpg|4681354] and I liked her style then. This novel is the fictional account of a day in the life of an LDS family who reside in my home town (we are home to Preston Temple, England, as it's called...). She has some brilliantly accurate descriptions of my town which I loved, but the story itself is very good, covering everyone from the son who is due home from his 2 year mission to convert non-LDS, to the daughter who has made a mistake, and the other son who is about as far removed from his younger brother than can be imagined. The Mother has health issues and the Father, possibly worn down by the Mother, is seeking female "friendship" via dog walks in the local park. The stories converge, individuals connect, and I don't think it was in too far fetched a way. The conclusion is heartwarming.

I hadn't realised the author was previously a member of the LDS community. This book is therefore not a religious tract, but instead questions perhaps some of the structures of the LDS belief system. It is lighthearted, amusing in parts, and very well written. I see the many young (American) LDS around town and this novel, along with [a:Carys Bray|6565154|Carys Bray|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/authors/1351268180p2/6565154.jpg]novel [b:A Song for Issy Bradley: A Novel|20890034|A Song for Issy Bradley A Novel|Carys Bray|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/books/1405443082s/20890034.jpg|26407981] I have perhaps a better understanding of things like the "dresscode" for women, so it's been educational in that sense.