REVIEW: “Peri in Progress” by Cat Lavoie

“Peri in Progress” by Cat Lavoie

Blurb: You know what they say about best-laid plans…

After a disastrous thirty-first birthday party where she gets stood-up by a man she isn’t supposed to be dating, Peri McKenna decides it’s time to change what hasn’t been working—which is pretty much everything. Her love life is going nowhere fast, she’s bored to tears by a job that makes her the office pariah, and the lifelong junk food addiction that used to be somewhat quirky is now positively problematic. To top it all off, her newly-purchased home is falling apart and wishful thinking hasn’t done much to fix the leaky roof.

It’s time be an adult now that she’s officially ‘thirty-something.’
But when the first step of Peri’s self-improvement plan backfires, she starts to wonder if change might be overrated.

Enter Milo Preston, an up-and-coming chef who’s in town to take over a local restaurant. When Peri and Milo begin working together, she finds it hard to ignore his easy charm and captivating emerald-green eyes. Since Milo is her best friend’s estranged brother, Peri has to keep reminding herself that he is completely off-limits. As they grow closer, Milo introduces Peri to new foods, the joy (and pain) of jogging, and makes her think her luck might finally be turning.

But when the past catches up with them, Peri finds herself back at square one. Will she be able to sort herself out—or will the roof cave in on her once and for all?

My Review: I started “Peri in Progress” in late 2015, and while this book is a quick-moving one, the times in my busy schedule I found time to pick it up–even for just a chapter or two–it was very enjoyable! Thankfully, I finished it, making it my first completed read this year, (“Peri in Progress” will definitely be on my favorite reads of 2016!).

Right away, I fell in love with Peri! She knows she’s got issues–her childhood is falling apart, she’s a little overweight, and her relationship isn’t what she’d like it to be–but I admired her for wanting to change the negative things in her life. Having a her friend by her side to help make these changes–one who was only there to help, not sabotage–was a major plus, and I loved how they interacted. As for her job, being asked to take some time off my well-paying job to work at a restaurant that is struggling, I wouldn’t do it, being tempted to stay home in bed the entire time, but Peri accepted the challenge. It was rewarding to see how Peri overcame learning something that was not ordinary to her–including being around a handsome man like Milo, who introduces her to running.

Near the end, I was holding my breath (sorry, no spoilers), but I was cheering for Peri all the way, and loved how it ended.

As one who’s read all of Cat’s books, her writing gets better and better, making me more of a fan of hers, each book she releases. If you’re wanting a quick, fun, delightful read, I recommend this brilliantly-written page-turner!

I give “Peri in Progress” 5 stars!