53. Fifty is Not a Four-Letter Word by Linda Kelsey...

"I don't care what those inane glossy magazines tell you - oops, I nearly neglected to mention that I'm editor in chief of one of them - but fifty is not fabulous, it's not fun, and it certainly isn't funny." So goes the line at the top of the back of the book. And it certainly describes Hope's frame of mind. She's just turned 50. Her mother, whom she's never had much of a relationship with, passes away. Her teenage son is going out with an older woman. She loses her job. And to top it all off, her husband walks out.

So what's a girl to do? Fifty takes us on Hope's journey forward, showing us some history first. When I picked this up, I kinda expected an amusing, lighthearted, quick, enjoyable read. Don't ask me why. It's not like the above paragraph brings these expectations up first thing! *sigh* Maybe I'm going batty.

I was about 70% right. It's definitely a quick and enjoyable read. Linda Kelsey's writing floats off the pages. And, topic notwithstanding, Fifty is sometimes amusing. Anyway. What do you do when your life falls apart right in front of your eyes? Why, you mope. And mope. Mope some more. Mope until your sister comes by to take you on a walk. Where you get signed up to help a charity with it's promotional campaign. Volunteer to take a hike up the Atlas Mountains. And organize a reconciliation trip to an island retreat...

Definitely an very enjoyable read.

Title: Fifty is Not a Four-Letter Word
Author: Linda Kelsey
ISBN-10: 0-446-19590-1
ISBN-13: 978-0-446-19590-4
Paperback: 354 pages
Publisher: 5 Spot, 2009