Five Miles South of Peculiar takes place in the fictional town of Peculiar, Fla., where butternut squash festivals and potluck picnics rule supreme. Amidst the sweet tea and church intrigues, you're not quite sure what decade Angela Hunt's story takes place in, until a character makes a reference to Celebrity Apprentice.
Hunt's story focuses on three very different sisters. Darlene, the prickly type A, is a member of nearly every committee in Peculiar. Her twin sister, Carlene, a gifted Broadway singer, lives in Manhattan. When the estranged twins are brought together for a surprise 50th birthday party orchestrated by the wistful younger sister, Nolie, they must finally attempt to heal the 30-year-old rift between them.
The dynamics between any set of sisters are complex, and Hunt deftly shares the viewpoint of all three without playing favorites. The angry, sometimes spiteful Darlene is resentful of her twin's beauty and talent, but Hunt manages to reveal her vulnerable side, too. Carlene may be self-centered and entitled, but her love for her twin sister leads her to make a noble sacrifice. And you can't help but fervently hope that the kind yet timid Nolie will take life by the horns. And it's all done against a backdrop of mouth-watering Southern cooking--complete with a glossary of recipes. Yum! --Natalie Papailiou, author of blog MILF: Mother I'd Like to Friend