Wonderland Creek by Lynn Austin

Alice Grace Ripley lives in a dream world, her nose stuck in a book. But happily-ever-after life she's planned on suddenly falls apart when her boyfriend, Gordon, breaks up with her, accusing her of living in a world of fiction instead of the real world. Then to top it off, Alice loses her beloved job at the library because of cutbacks due to the Great Depression.

Fleeing small-town gossip, Alice heads to the mountains of eastern Kentucky to deliver five boxes of donated books to the library in the tiny coal-mining village of Acorn. Dropped off by her relatives, Alice volunteers to stay for two weeks to help the librarian, Leslie McDougal.

But the librarian turns out to be far different than she anticipated--not to mention the four lady librarians who travel to the remote homes to deliver the much-desired books. While Alice is trapped in Acorn against her will, she soon finds that real-life adventure and mystery--and especially romance--are far better than her humble dreams could have imagined.

My Review:
Have you ever read a book that draws you in from page one? Well, this is one of those books! I understood the avid reader, Alice--or Allie. She floats through life letting circumstances guide her. She prefers characters and adventures from the books she reads. For instance, her boyfriend is a convenient guy she's known all her life. Alice accepts him since everyone thinks they are a good couple, but it's a loveless romance--not thrilling like the romances in her books.

The author gives a nod to Alice's Adventures in Wonderland; I loved connecting to the allusions. One day, she's dropped off in a strange land. Unable to communicate to the outside world, she has no choice but to make do--at least for a time. Her adventures are compelling. Read this one. You'll love it!

Thank you to Bonnie at Christian Fiction Blog Alliance and Bethany House for my copy.

If you would like to read the first chapter, click here.

If you would like to buy a copy, click here.