So Not Happening

I started Jenny B. Jones' book, So Not Happening right after I finished Road to Tater Hill by Edith Hemingway. Tater Hill was a wonderful, historical fiction read. So Not Happening was such a different book than Tater Hill. Mostly fluff, maybe characterized as Christian fiction, although the references are none too many, this book was fun, but perhaps preposterous is a better word.

Bella has gone from being an A-lister in New York City to living in Oklahoma. Her mother has remarried and Bella's life changes dramatically with the move. While she doesn't view herself as a snob, she is, turning up her nose at everything and almost everyone in her new home. Jones creates a setting full of stereotypes - Bella spends a lot of time avoiding stepping in cowpies and trying not to hit chickens who are walking along the road. A lot of this just made me laugh. Every time I thought things couldn't get any worse, any more unbelievable, they did. (I am still trying to figure out how Bella's mom went from living her high class life in NYC to marrying again and thinking life as a waitress was all that wonderful. I realize they put the idea of religion behind it all, and that the marriage was something they had prayed about, but still! Really?!) Jones also throws in some suspense when Bella overhears a group of football players talking and realizes they have some shady activities going on, creating some good drama at novel's end.

This book was just fun. There is a little bit of religion and God in it, but I hesitate to think of it as Christian fiction, knowing that labeling it as such will turn off some readers before they even give it a try. While looking at this book on Amazon, I noticed there is another in the series. While it won't be one I just have to read, I would happily try another one of these books again.