Theresa K. (Tesstarosa) - , reviewed on 7/19/2009 + 151 more book reviews

Helpful Score: 3

Josephine (Jo) Tulip writes a syndicated helpful hints column, Tips from Tulip, that she's "inherited" from her beloved Grandmother, who wrote the column with the help of her chemistry-loving husband. In addition to inheriting the column, she has also inherited their home. Her best friend, Danny Watkins, an aspiring photographer, bought the house behind her and lives there.

Because she can't sleep on the eve of her wedding to Bradford, a rising-star executive at the company where her father is the CEO, she goes for a late evening jog and notices some strange activities at a neighbor's home. The next morning, the sheriff calls her to help answer some questions about the death of the neighbor living in that same home. Never mind that she has a wedding to prepare for -- it won't take long.

After explaining the strange things at the neighbor's home -- all "Tips from Tulip" on inexpensive ways to clean the home and body -- she heads to her wedding. Then demonstrates that the "Tips from Tulip" truly are tips from Tulip when her wedding dress is torn and she mends it on the fly with an iron, eggs and oatmeal. But there is one thing her tips can't fix -- and that's the groom running from the altar when asked to say "I do."

While dealing with the humiliation of being an abandoned bride, Jo learns that the sheriff has ruled her neighbor's death an accident. Jo doesn't believe that -- especially after what she'd witnessed the night before. She enlists the help of her friend, Danny, to help her prove that the woman's death was really a murder.

I enjoyed reading this book. It's definitely light reading material. I found myself rooting for Danny to Jo his true feelings and saddened that Jo's parents show so little concern for the feelings of their daughter who was dumped at the altar. In fact, they seem more concerned about the "poor" groom that they'd wanted their daughter to marry.

I didn't know this when I purchased the book (it's the first in a trilogy) but the author is a Christian writer. It's something that you would probably pick up while reading it as the characters will often say prayers, mostly to themselves. Christianity is not the main focus of the stories but it does play a role in the book.

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