‘In Vista Heights, the women of the neighborhood have started to look like their homes, varying shades of beige. Lost in this world of suburbia, Marissa Lyons learns her high school nemesis has bought the house right across the street from her. Afraid that her arch enemy, Beatrice Munson, will arrive with Marissa’s high school crush as her husband and cause Marissa to relive the insecurity of high school in her forties she decides to face the music and heads to Beatrice’s house with warm cupcakes. But what Marissa finds is something she never expected. How will Marissa and the rest of the women of San Martino deal with someone like Beatrice Munson, whose defining moment in her life was to get a boob job or go on a trip to Egypt.
This story is about friendship, love, learning to look at things differently, and great parties.
Step into the world of VistaHeights where you might recognize the women, or you might be one of them.’
The arrival of the eponymous Miss Munson into the rather staid suburban neighbourhood of Vista Heights is narrated by Marissa, a divorced mother of two. Marissa remembers Beatrice from their schooldays together when Beatrice dated Marissa’s high school crush, Jeffery.
Deciding to put old jealousies behind her, Marissa makes some cupcakes and knocks on Beatrice’s door, never imagining how that one action would change the course of her life completely. Before long, Beatrice’s dazzling personality is bringing all sorts of changes, but one thing’s for sure; the lives of Beatrice’s new friends will never be beige again!
Marissa made a lovely narrator, she had enough going on in her own life to make her an interesting character, but she was also a very good vehicle to observe Beatrice and the difference she makes to Vista Heights.
I loved how, at first appearances, all the suburban women seemed rather similar, and it’s Beatrice’s influence and encouragement which really bring out all their individual characters. The ladies become extremely entertaining and inspiring in the changes they make to their homes and work.
Colour played a huge part in this book; it was symbolic of freedom and excitement and seemed to encapsulate Beatrice and her world perfectly. Before Beatrice arrived on the scene, Marissa and her friends’ lives lacked colour: their entire existences as well as their houses and clothes were beige. Beatrice literally and metaphorically brought much-needed colour into their lives. She was an inspiring character and seemed to see the good in practically everyone and everything.
Bathey obviously really loves material and clothes: her descriptions of some of the outfits in the book were very well done and were a brilliant avenue for the author to get across more about the characters to her readers.
The one little disappointment I felt with this work was that I felt it needed slightly better editing. I found a number of errors dotted throughout it and words being repeated several times in very close proximity. However, this didn’t spoil my overall enjoyment of this lovely story.
I was very impressed by ‘Beatrice Munson’. The novel was inspiring and thought provoking. It managed to reduce me to both laughter and tears and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this original and heart-warming tale.
4 stars
This story is about friendship, love, learning to look at things differently, and great parties.
Step into the world of VistaHeights where you might recognize the women, or you might be one of them.’
The arrival of the eponymous Miss Munson into the rather staid suburban neighbourhood of Vista Heights is narrated by Marissa, a divorced mother of two. Marissa remembers Beatrice from their schooldays together when Beatrice dated Marissa’s high school crush, Jeffery.
Deciding to put old jealousies behind her, Marissa makes some cupcakes and knocks on Beatrice’s door, never imagining how that one action would change the course of her life completely. Before long, Beatrice’s dazzling personality is bringing all sorts of changes, but one thing’s for sure; the lives of Beatrice’s new friends will never be beige again!
Marissa made a lovely narrator, she had enough going on in her own life to make her an interesting character, but she was also a very good vehicle to observe Beatrice and the difference she makes to Vista Heights.
I loved how, at first appearances, all the suburban women seemed rather similar, and it’s Beatrice’s influence and encouragement which really bring out all their individual characters. The ladies become extremely entertaining and inspiring in the changes they make to their homes and work.
Colour played a huge part in this book; it was symbolic of freedom and excitement and seemed to encapsulate Beatrice and her world perfectly. Before Beatrice arrived on the scene, Marissa and her friends’ lives lacked colour: their entire existences as well as their houses and clothes were beige. Beatrice literally and metaphorically brought much-needed colour into their lives. She was an inspiring character and seemed to see the good in practically everyone and everything.
Bathey obviously really loves material and clothes: her descriptions of some of the outfits in the book were very well done and were a brilliant avenue for the author to get across more about the characters to her readers.
The one little disappointment I felt with this work was that I felt it needed slightly better editing. I found a number of errors dotted throughout it and words being repeated several times in very close proximity. However, this didn’t spoil my overall enjoyment of this lovely story.
I was very impressed by ‘Beatrice Munson’. The novel was inspiring and thought provoking. It managed to reduce me to both laughter and tears and I thoroughly enjoyed reading this original and heart-warming tale.
4 stars
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