Review: The beginnings of a heartwarming and unforgettable series
Rating: 5 out of 5
Date: 03 31, 2014
Books one and two in Christine Nolfi's Liberty, Ohio series are bundled together here in celebration of the release of Nolfi's third Liberty novel, The Impossible Wish.In the first book, Treasure Me, we are introduced to well-meaning petty thief Birdie Kaminsky, a young woman searching for truth: the truth about her Civil War-era ancestor, the slave woman he loved, and the rumored treasure that made its way from South Carolina to Liberty, Ohio.  With nothing but her own cunning and a single clue handed down through the generations, Birdie secretly hunts for the treasure while working at the Second Chance Grill where she gets to know Liberty's colorful and inquisitive locals: from fiery, pistol-wielding matriarch Theadora to spunky thirteen year-old cancer survivor Blossom.  Complicating matters further is Hugh Schaeffer, a hard-edged reporter with a history in Liberty who's back in town to write a shocking new article.  As Birdie and Hugh juggle a budding romance with their own guarded secrets, they realize that there's more to the small town of Liberty than meets the eye. A superb patchwork of mystery, romance, and history, Treasure Me is a triumphantly heartwarming novel. Nolfi's lyrical prose and charming characters create a literary fusion that invites readers to explore the true meaning of life's treasures. Her talent for crafting larger-than-life characters amid a setting brimming with small-town charisma is unparalleled, offering readers all the facets of escapist contemporary literature with a deeply personal touch.In Second Chance Grill, the second novel in the series, Nolfi takes us back to explore what the town was like before Birdie dropped in. Here we uncover the story of preteen Blossom Perini during her battle with cancer. Despite her health struggle, the precocious Blossom plants the seed of love for her father when Dr. Mary Chance arrives in town to take over the local restaurant.  Anthony Perini doesn't believe he has time for romance, between his busy role as the town's leading fix-it man and his full-time focus of caring for Blossom, but as his attraction to Mary becomes more difficult to ignore - and when Blossom applies some matchmaking mischief - love and other wonderful misadventures are sure to follow. Nolfi recalls her readers to Liberty with all the hallmarks of our first visit - through the joys and struggles of her memorable characters, and through their ultimate kinship in the face of diversity. At once a well-achieved standalone novel and a charming "prequel", Second Chance Grill adds more joy and delight to an altogether heartwarming series.