A meddling horse, paper bag floors and a flying saucer on the town square. The little town of Mars has it all—including a brand new resident who might spell heartache for one of its own. Twenty-something Penn Davenport yearns for an exciting life in the big city and wants to shed the label of orphan that she’s worn for years. To achieve that dream, she must pass the CPA exam then move away from the two aunts who reared her after her parents died in a plane crash. When John Townsend—full of life and the joy of living—moves to town, he rattles Penn’s view of herself, her life, and her dreams… which isn’t such a bad thing until she falls for him and discovers he’s a pilot.
You’ll find loads of creativity in Mars … with Venus Rising. I loved the crazy situations that Penn found herself in, and her zany life lifted the mood from the heavy past she had to overcome. I enjoyed seeing how Penn inched her way to healing and forgiveness by dealing with her issues one small piece at a time. Her family, John, and her friends all hugged and pushed and helped her along the way. Doughterty created a winning cast of characters to bring life to the story, and their quirky personalities make the entire story more fun.
Penn’s aunts are hilarious! Their pushiness and penchant for baking make them fabulous matchmakers, and I love how much fun they add to the story. In a way, they seem more like wacky teenagers than elderly women, but they definitely provide the right touch of comedic relief.
Baked goods are almost a character in and of themselves – they play a large role in the way that people relate to each other in the story. The mouth-watering descriptions of cinnamon rolls and celebration cookies make you hungry just reading them – but the author included recipes that I can’t wait to try.
I enjoyed the setting, as well. Dougherty included details that made this Pennsylvania girl cheer for home. I love when I can picture the locations in a book, and these were so clear that I’d have painted pictures floating through my mind even if I wasn’t from PA.
I hadn’t heard of Dougherty before, but she’s definitely an author to watch – and if you’re looking for a book that will make you laugh while taking you on a spiritual journey, Mars … with Venus Rising is the story for you.
I received a free copy of this book from LitFuse Publicity in exchange for an honest review.
