When I started reading this novel I wasn't sure that I was going to like it. I kind of felt like the "ladies" featured were a little bit too sassy and a little bit too willing to open up to each other despite the fact that two of them were virtually strangers to Lisa, the central character. Lisa is divorced, estranged from her beloved daughter, and working part time as a nurse at a local nursing home, Palmetto House. She meets Suzanne and Carrie through Kathy Harper, one of her favorite patients, who also happens to be terminally ill. After Kathy's death the three form a bond and become involved in solving the mystery of Kathy's life and settling her estate, which is complicated by Kathy's dishonest landlady, Wendy.
Once I got into the book, I fell in love with all of the main characters. The three ladies are caring, honest, funny, and generous, and the addition of Suzanne's great aunt, Trudie, to the mix is delightful. Their common bond is that they have all been or are being badly hurt by people that they love and trust, yet they soldiered on to make satisfying lives for themselves. They demonstrate that there is strength in numbers and power in common goals and determination, and together they form a strong friendship and a bond that extends to the new men in their lives. While All the Single Ladies is not "realistic," it is an homage to women who deal with problems head on and with humor and determination. I'm really liking Doroathea Benton Frank!
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