Member Review

Half-Finished by Lauraine Snelling will transport readers to Fond du Lac, Wisconsin. Mari Jean Bronson aka MJ is in her craft room trying to fit a bin with another unfinished project onto her already overflowing shelves. Roxie, her best friend, suggests that they start a UFO group and she is not referring to space ships. They invite people with a problem similar to MJ’s to get together so they can work on their unfinished projects. The attendees can help keep each other on task and provide positive feedback when a UFO is finished. MJ and Roxie are hoping that at least eight to ten people at their first meeting which is being held at Annie’s Fountain City Café. The pair are shocked by the response to their flyer. The room is overflowing with people who have unfinished projects which include crewel embroidery, quilts, afghans, and a pea pod (a small boat). The individuals soon become friends and help each complete daunting incomplete projects. MJ and Roxie are surprised at how their idea develops into so much more. When tragedy strikes one of the members, the group comes together to aid her in her time of need. Pick up Half Finished to find out what happens to the UFO group.

Half Finished is not quite what I expected from Lauraine Snelling. It is a sweet, heartwarming story geared toward a mature audience. It is a story about a group of people (women and men) who come together to help each other. It starts with an idea to get unfinished projects completed and develops into so much more. It is nicely written with a gentle pace, but there was a great deal of repetition. There are a variety of characters (too many) with MJ, Roxie, Ginny and Amalia being the featured ones. I wish the author had taken the time to establish the main characters. We are given scant information on them. Finding their last names was a challenge. There is conversation, eating, drinking coffee & tea, walking dogs, finishing projects, cooking, and friendship (day to day activities). It develops into friends helping friends through good times and bad. One of the members suffers a terrible loss and we see how the others rally to help her. God used the group to touch so many lives. Two of the most memorable phrases from Half Finished are “grab your moments, every moment you can and be thankful” because “life changes in an instant and we have no control over it”. Half Finished is a positive novel that features friendship, helping others, having faith and encouragement. It is amazing what can be accomplished when you have positive reinforcement and good friends. I liked that the author included an epilogue so we could see the changes wrought by this creation of the UFO group. Half Finished is a relaxing, upbeat novel.