First Course

By: Jenn Bouchard

Narrated by: Caroline Keeler

Second acts can be delicious.

When four life-altering catastrophes hit in just one day—including the loss of her parents in a tragic plane crash—twenty-four-year-old Janie Whitman retreats to her family's summer house in Cape Elizabeth, Maine. Here she tries to provide stability for her older sister Alyssa and two young nieces by cooking them amazing food.

Through a mix-up with the alumni office at her parents' alma mater, Janie meets a young high school guidance counselor named Rocky at a volunteer event, and their fast-tracked romance helps Janie to see possibilities beyond the life she had known just a few weeks prior. But with her ex-boyfriend (and former boss) making overtures beyond her wildest dreams, as well as Alyssa's estranged husband willing to do whatever it takes to win her back, the Whitman sisters are faced with big decisions.

Despite the obstacles in their way, when Janie and Alyssa are tasked with establishing a lasting memorial for their parents, they just might find the second acts they are seeking.

©2021 Jenn Bouchard (P)2023 Tantor

Finding pathways after life is interrupted

Janey is enjoying her job and her life in Chicago, writing for a paper aimed at young adults, and being in love with her boss. Then on one horrible day, she finds out that she's lost her job, her boyfriend, her parents and her sister's marriage is in crisis.

She moves to her family home in Cape Elizabeth, ME where she and her sister learn to pick up the pieces and move onward. This is a fairly lighthearted book, especially considering the tragedies that they experienced in short order. It's got some truly funny parts and a happy ending.

I lived near Concord MA and Cape Elizabeth ME so many of the locales in the book were very familiar to me. That gives me an extra kick of pleasure.

I listened to the audio version of the book. The narrator was excellent.

Fantastic summer listen!

A fun listen while walking the dog or sitting at the beach this summer. So well written and a compelling story.