Book Review
by Kaitlyn Arford

“Lock, Stock, and Over a Barrel” by Melody Carlson

Daphne Ballinger thought she would be happy in her picture perfect career as a New York Times wedding column writer. Thirteen years later, still living in the same bland apartment with no good prospects for  love or career advancement, the death of her dear Aunt Dee changes everything in Daphne’s humdrum life.

Inheriting her aunt’s estate depends on Daphne taking over a syndicated advice column and marrying someone within a year. Melody Carlson’s Lock, Stock, and Over a Barrel, the first title in her newest series, entertains readers with an array of suitors and secrets from the eccentric aunt, while Daphne transitions into a more fulfilling life.

As a small town girl at heart, I enjoyed Carlson’s story of a writer discovering a better story for herself in her well-loved hometown. While the book has a slow start, it was worth reading through to see how the author builds her characters and plot into an inspirational and intriguing tale.