Jannette’s debut follows three older women on a journey to spread their friend’s ashes at Georgia O’Keefe’s Ghost Ranch that comes with unexpected bumps along the way. Cathy, Betsy, and Linda have an unexpected encounter with a dog while traveling in an RV across New Mexico that leads them to seek out a veterinarian. Peter, the local police chief, directs them to a local RV camp where one lives. The ladies find themselves charmed by the area and community of people in the camp, but finding the dog is only their first adventure. During their stay they are faced with a multitude of challenges to overcome, both from the environment and people around them.

Jannette does a good job of bringing together three different women through a shared connection, and showing how a lifetime of experience can bring both a willingness and reluctance for change. Just as in real life, the change Cathy, Betsy, and Linda encounter may not necessarily be the change they were prepared for. But Jannette’s storytelling makes the heartening case that it’s while facing hurdles that the women open their hearts, learn to share their fears, and form new friendships within the community. Some of those changes will require a leap of faith and changing their lives for good.

The challenge of making a change is thoughtfully dramatized, even as the story gets wilder. The RV camp sounds like a dream, though the succession of adventures they experience over the course of a week, any of which could have served as the climax, can feel over-the-top. Still, the novel is consistently entertaining, boasting memorable dialogue and characters, plus loads of heart, wonderfully described dogs, and a reminder that life is to be lived. “Just because I have Parkinson’s and am in my sixties doesn’t mean I can’t appreciate a good-looking man,” Betsy declares early on, setting a tone that Jannette keeps going until the satisfying final pages.

Takeaway: Three women’s journey to Arizona brings fun, life-changing adventures, and opportunities.

Great for fans of: Maddie Please’s Old Friends Reunited, Vicky Zimmerman’s Miss Cecily's Recipes for Exceptional Ladies. .

Production grades
Cover: A
Design and typography: A
Illustrations: N/A
Editing: B
Marketing copy: A