Relatively Normal

CHICK-LIT:  Catriona Masterton has it all: a successful event planning business in New York City, a loving, if somewhat uptight, fiancé, Ethan, and a terrific future ahead. So, when the orderly and regimented Ethan decides they should visit her family for Thanksgiving, he can’t understand why she’s hesitant – but then, Ethan has yet to experience the eccentric craziness that is the proud and wacky Masterton clan. Catriona’s mother has a thing for kitchen gadgets, her father’s favorite pastime is dressing his taxidermic mice, her ever-stoned brother may or may not be a drug dealer, and her fiercely-proud Scottish Gran has a shocking proclivity for profanity.

It isn’t until Catriona, Ethan, and Ethan’s equally sedate parents have arrived that the final curve ball appears in the shape of Catriona’s ex-boyfriend…whom her parents have also invited to Thanksgiving dinner. Sparks fly, confusion abounds, and in the midst of all this craziness, Catriona finds herself relearning the importance of home and family. 

“Relatively Normal” is a laugh-out-loud holiday story about family, true love, and finding out where one really belongs. Catriona is a witty, whip-smart protagonist whose honesty and kindness is refreshing, and the story’s treatment of the various quirky characters is both amusing and heartfelt. The chemistry between Catriona and her two beaus is genuine and, at times, heartbreaking. However, it’s the family relationships that really stand out. Though the prose is a little fast-paced for the more serious themes, and some of the humor is a touch forced, this is a real journey, wrapped in a fun chic-lit package!

Janice Martin