A drop-dead-gorgeous woman and almost man-hater. Physical appearance is sexy and slender; she also had a small straight nose and dark eyes that were a swirling mix of blue and stormy gray with a nice pair of legs. Who was outwit by her two almost crazy aunts, when she visited them on Trouble, Pennsylvania just like what she promised her father, dumps her on the middle of nowhere barefooted and steals her car and dumps her things for asking them to leave their scary old, full of termites house and move into a nicer one.
That’s the part where she gets to meet Mike Taylor, her knight in shining t-shirt, who rescues her and give her a ride. And then, their fate began to entwine. With just an old knitting box and her aunt’s testimony, she tries to find out the real story behind the murder of a music producer forty years ago, the story of her aunt Ivy that she included in her first book. She works as a semi-famous writer of Her Life magazine, “Single in the City ? advice columnist in New York. As her career prospers, she gets threat from men who had taken the humor in her book seriously. Mike Taylor
A hot New York cop who has been working on cold cases, who went to Trouble, Pennsylvania to visit his uncle. Has rock-hard jaw, wide, tightly controlled mouth and thick dark spiky hair that is cut short. He looked like one who should be dressed in army fatigues, holding an AK-47, blowing up buildings on a big screen in a movie theater. And on his way he stumbles upon this gorgeous lady, barefooted carrying a tire iron. Gorgeous enough, to make him slow down and take a look. From the moment he gave her a ride, he already had the feeling for her, but still hesitating. Thanks to Jennifer’s wicked aunts, their ways always crosses.
In short, he always rescues her from her aunt’s claws. Giving her a ride, giving her a hand, things like that. And thanks to Mike’s uncle, who has secret match making plan. Their feelings for each other develop. And who wouldn’t fall for a gorgeous, always a fighter, not easily giving up and sexy lady. Until from the very moment when Jen’s life was on a risk, he didn’t gave upon her Ivy Feeney-Cantone (Jen’s Aunt) She is a widower of a famous music producer who was killed on a tragic incident forty years ago. Jen published her love story on her first book, which was a best-seller.
Together with her sister, Ida Mae, they viciously ditch their niece barefooted on a road knowing she wanted to transfer them to another place, which they taught an asylum, stolen her car and emptied her gas tank and threw her things out of the house then lock the entire house, thwarting her to enter. Her miserable life will be put an end once her secrets on his husband’s death was revealed. She was a cool chick in her young age. Ida Mae Feeney (sister of Ivy, Jen’s aunt) Not described well in the story. That makes her minor character. The only thing that’s mentioned about her is that she is also attracted to Mr.
Pots; the sisters were both competing for Mr. Pots’ heart. Thanks to them and their wicked scheme, Mike and Jen’s fate were always crossing. Mr. Mortimer Pots He is Mike’s grandpa, a bachelor; he had saved the town of Trouble from bankruptcy by buying a bulk of it. He was a former paratrooper for US with his friend Rod. He and Roderick had amazing adventures in their early age. They went to a war together, travelled together, they were so close to each other to the point that today their brotherly relationship might be questionable. Roderick Ward He had been a paratrooper for the Brits, Mortimer’s best friend.
He was a bachelor. They were equivalent to the old day’s pirate. They journeyed and adventured together. Though, he appears to be working for Mortimer he was rich in his country. He simply, didn’t want to be away from Mortimer. And he has feelings towards Miss Emily Baker. He is Miss Baker’s first kiss. Miss Emily Baker She is a spinster, never been kissed or never been loved. She is lively and a good baker. And later on, she discovers love. Leo Cantone / Mr. Jones He is a famous music producer, Ivy’s husband, but their marriage was tumultuous. He cheats on Ivy. He cheats on everybody.
Everybody thought that he was long dead, but later comes back on the character of Mr. Jones. Plot Mike, on his way to visit his uncle, stumbles upon a gorgeous and obviously mad lady on the road swinging a tire iron gorgeous enough to make him stop and take a closer look. He suspected that maybe she was mugged and just defended herself or she is the suspect and that she is still holding her weapon. He looked for clues but no blood and bodies were on the scene. So he approached her, asked if he could give her a ride at first she refuse the offer but then realizing that her feet would just suffer if she walk, she accepted the offer.
From that moment he was captivated by her beauty, and he was star struck by her when the ray of sunlight went through her hair strands. And she was physically attracted to her. He interviewed her, and was amused by her, knowing what her aunts did to her. It’s amazing how the two old ladies outwit her. She has this homicidal feeling towards her aunts for ditching her and stealing her car. He dropped her on her aunt’s doorway. Shock to see her things scattered outside the yard and her car had an enormous scratch on it. Mike went to her things and searched it for a pair of shoes for her to put on.
He went on; and they didn’t expect to cross with each other’s path again. After Mike had dropped her to her aunt’s house, he went to his uncle’s house. After his grandpa and Mortimer welcomed him, he went out for a drive for Mutt’s (his dog) food. She checked the doors but it was all locked including the windows; she had no chance of breaking in the house. Until, they met again, Jen was stuck again not knowing that her gas tank was empty, she went on driving to buy herself some things. Until her engines stop and her gas went to below E. Again, stuck, for the second time, Mike rescued her.
On his way to buy Mutt’s food he saw her again. And he went and filled her tank with a small gas can. She didn’t really like the Trouble, who ever named this town. 6 o’clock in the afternoon, she finally had the courage to enter Tootie’s Tavern. That’s the only business that’s open that moment. It looks dreadful, that it may be one of the ten scariest places to eat. And it was terrible to eat there; so she ordered a plain salad and ice tea. Then she remembered about what Ivy had told her about Ida Mae keeping a spare key under a rusty bench.
And thanks God, her aunt forgotten the spare key, it was still there. And that night, she had called a truce between her and her aunts. Mike had spent his evening on his grandpa’s company. And he went to sleep; the lady was bothering him “in his head. That morning, his grandpa asked him to buy him a newspaper, and that it was an emergency. He couldn’t resist his grandfather’s request, so he hurriedly went to pick the newspaper up. And suddenly it wasn’t an emergency anymore. So he took his time to go around the town. Until he spotted Jennifer, the lady that was bothering him in his mind.
He went and approached her, and they went for a short ride. Allie Cavanaugh was living with Emily Baker for so many years; she’d been a dear to her. Allie had a baby boy, Hank. And now that Allie’s man had returned, Damon, her heart would definitely be worn to shreds if they would move into another place. Emily is a spinster, only went out on a date once in her lifetime; on her father’s request. When Mortimer had called and invited them over to an impromptu dinner party, for welcoming Mr. Pots’ grandson into the town. Allie had mistaken Emily’s blush for having a crush on Mr. Pots, it wasn’t Mr. Pots, and it is Mr. Ward that she had a crush on. The two who went up on a ride had gone to a lake, which appears to be forgotten by everyone on the town. They went on talking about how her aunts outsmarted her again this morning, when they had taken their breakfast, her aunts acted normally until she brought out a brochure of the home for the seniors. She realized it was a bad move. They went away and left without realizing that they had stolen her wallet. The water looks welcoming until the two of them ended up kissing but Mike immediately pulled out.
Ivy fretted all morning wondering what she could do this morning but Ivy insisted that this time she’d learn her lesson and would get out of town this time. Ivy wasn’t so mad about it anymore. At least their niece wasn’t trying to get them into a rat-infested asylum. They will be attending the welcoming party for Mike tomorrow’s evening, that’s why her aunts were being nice to her. It all explains they wanted to please Mr. Pots, and Mr. Pots wanted Jen to in his party. Jen and Mike met at the party, with Mike slacked-jaw upon seeing Jen in her glittering red number that was cut low in the front and cut lower at the back.
Jen’s aunt was glued to Mortimer, they have been chitchatting from the moment they arrived at the party. Jen and Mike have been very intimate to each other that night. And they promised to share another intimate moment. Jen went back to New York, feeling a little bit depressed why Mike hadn’t showed up. Mike left messages for her on her aunts that he couldn’t make it because he have to be back early in New York for work, but it seems like those two wicked aunt didn’t tell Jen. *And Allie found out that Emily’s interest was on Roderick and not on Mr. Pots, and the feeling seems mutual.
They even went out for a documentary and went on a picnic together with Mr. Pots and Ivy Feeney. And then, again, they went for another picnic but this time just the two of them. They have become close to each other. And finally, Ms. Baker got her first kiss from a man, thanks to Allie’s advices. Mike was a cop and he had good connections, he got Jen’s home telephone number in New York. He called her, but drunken Jen answered, he hung up on him, and even called him a scum for not meeting her. Mike went to Jen’s apartment, brought her a soup, and explained why he didn’t make it.
They went out for a nice coffee, until a van bumped over the cafeteria, nearly crushed Jen but Mike protected her. But still she ended up bruised and scratched. And the intimate moment they were expecting to share became a nightmare; afraid that maybe it’s her stalker’s scheme. Mike investigated the crime and found out that the target was him and not Jen. Mike and Jen went on a dinner but they decided to just go back and spent their intimate dream night. But Jen’s apartment was broke-in by a theft or maybe it’s the stalker, papers was scattered but nothing was stolen.
For Jen’s safety, Mike decided that she would come with him in his grandfather’s penthouse. And there they had their most intimate moment, which they cannot forget. She remembered the knitting box, which her Aunt Ivy had entrusted to her, when she was writing her first novel. So she got her best friend to get it for her. She checked everything; nothing was missing, till she noticed a secret pocket of the box which she had never seen before. Inside the secret pocket, was a hand-written lyric of some famous seventies songs, with a note, to the love of my life, Ivy.
Confused Jen went back to the town of Trouble to confront her aunt. Upon arriving, she entered the house, and talked to Ivy. The story she had known all along was a bluff. Eddie was Ivy’s lover, and that night Leo, her husband, had killed him; he smashed his head. And was about to set up Ivy and would be escaping soon. Till Ivy, burned the house and scattered Leo’s things on his dead lover’s body, so they will think that it was Leo. And Ivy shot Leo and buried him in a construction area. The only thing she was able to save from the fire was the knitting box.
While they were talking, an old man appeared with a gun; surprisingly it was Mr. Jones, her new neighbor in New York. It appeared to be that Mr. Jones is Leo Cantone; all this time Ivy taught that she was able to kill Leo. Leo was Jen’s stalker; spying her for the knitting box. He held them as hostages. Luckily, Mr. Pots came over and cradle Mr. Jones; he got hold of his gun. And then, Mike came all the way from New York; he followed Jen. Jen is very important to him that he was afraid to lose her. Jen and Mike got married, in Mortimer’s penthouse just like Max (Mike’s brother), and they lived together happily.
Climax Jen discovered a secret pocket on her Aunt Ivy’s old knitting box, handwritten lyrics of some famous seventies songs. She went to pursue the truth behind the mystery. Favorite Quotations “You can pick your friends, can’t pick your family. ” (Jen) “Follow your heart. “? (Allie) “Crazy or not it was worth a shot. “? (Jen) “You may be too old for romance but you’re not too old to have a new friend. “? (Mortimer) “Quit playing games and acting like a woman in a movie, be the (Emily) we all know and love. ” ? (Allie) Universal Truth
Not all men are going to cheat and not all women are going to kill the ones who do. Jen thought that each and every man is a scum and cheater, all, except her dad. Meeting Mike, who was physically attractive, was a big change for Jen. Meeting him and knowing him proved that the humor she wrote in her book was indeed a mock. Today, mostly women are left alone by men; fairy tales doesn’t exist. But in every rule, there’s always an exception, which means that we don’t have to assume that every men is a cheater there’s always someone who would be different from the others and will devout to you his entire life.
Allusions Casablanca, The Sound of Music and Titanic Emily Baker was craving for this kind of movie stuff, she had never been married. She knew every line from Casablanca, every lyric of the songs in The Sound of Music and held her breath endless times through the ending of Titanic. She has never been married that’s why she spends her time watching romance and fantasy; waiting for someone to say “you’re the only one for me, I can’t live without you’ to her. ” “Titanic” and “The Lake House” Jen had never cried, almost, not over sappy movies like “Titanic” and “The Lake House. This shows Jen’s strong personality. Nancy Drew Jen compared herself to Nancy Drew when she found out the secret pocket of the old knitting box, the way Nancy Drew solve mysteries; she felt like being Nancy Drew as she began to unfold the mystery behind the secret pocket. Personal Assessment The way Leslie Kelly made the characters into life perfectly fitted their personalities. They way she described them was like a piece of jigsaw puzzle; they uniquely fitted each other perfectly. They emphasize the main characters and less focused on the minors.
The author has no justice over the other sister; she should have given Mr. Roderick to Ida Mae and not to Miss Baker, she wasn’t portraying much in the story. The author had created a fascinating story and interesting characters. The twist that Mr. Jones is actually Leo is a breaker. The author’s imagination in writing the novel was wide, and it’s cute how Leslie came up with the idea of making Jen a writer in the story and even used Jen’s books for each chapter. The way how Jen and Mike’s personality differ with each other, had made them a perfect match.
The author has a different way of writing, which gave me a hard time identifying the climax. Just like other movies that I have watched, the climax was close to the ending of the story. I am a little short with how the author ended the story. Jen and Mike got married; I’m wondering what had happened to the other character’s love story. If I were the author, I want to have an all happy ending, because I am fond of fairy tales; I would suggest that Roderick and Emily had a double wedding with Mortimer and Ida Mae. And Leo changed and went back to Ivy.
