The House at Royal Oak: Starting Over & Rebuilding a Life One Room at a Time
Organized in an order that follows its own meandering logic (in much the same way one would restore an old house), Rizzoli's tale is full of insights and quiet humor. Along the way she finds time to talk recipes, local resources, habitats, wildlife, small town life, learning a new business, family, friends, and of course, her guests. "A bed-and-breakfast done right is an idealized kind of home, more homey somehow than a real one." As she and her husband learn the ropes of running a cozy B&B;, the author finds herself collating wedding programs for a complete stranger, searching for local produce, and learning "safe" and "unsafe" topics of conversation in her new home town. Rizzoli frankly examines her life and her new role in the service industry, questioning how she'll be able to care for her guests when her own life is falling apart. As with any major project (construction or otherwise) things fall apart; after two years and plenty of experience under her belt, they're hit with hurricane, reminding author and reader alike of the unpredictable mysteries to be found in the pursuit of dreams.Copyright © Reed Business Information, a division of Reed Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.