Having read a couple winter samples of this author’s amazing ability to make one love a season and a place as well as care about his characters, I was glad to dive into Famous in a Small Town set in the summer and once again showing small town Michigan at its best.

Famous in a Small Town introduces two main protagonists. One, a forty-year old St. Louis school administrator whose boyfriend of decades makes it clear he’s self-centered and likes the status quo, while she was hoping for something deeper and meaningful. Time to take a road trip with her ‘ride or die’ bestie and they land in the northwest region of Michigan’s Lower Peninsula in a small town for the summer, in time for all things cherry including an old general store. Our other heroine is an eighty year old woman, running the small town store alone, but ready to find the exact person she dreamed of as a child who will take over the Jackson women’s legacy- the historical Very Cherry family store.

At first, Becky isn’t sure what to make of Mary and the rest of the inhabitants of Good Hart, Michigan. She just wanted to regroup and figure her life out somewhere different, but she finds herself settling in and getting cozy. Mary is a lonely old woman whose son lives away and she has no one who can help during the tourist season. She sees in Becky her dream coming true, as wacky as it seems. Her claim to fame was spitting a cherry the furthest decades before. But, slowly these women and Becky’s bud Q find something special in Good Hart and each other. And, of course, the cherry on top is the smidge of romance, too.

Feel good and nostalgia, Michigan summer, cherries, small town, a little magic and Viola Shipman has done it again. I miss a place I’ve never been (though I know the region well and can vouch for all the cherry fun) and want to know the people and town of Good Hart. This story doesn’t get dramatic or intense, but shows the connections of friendship and Becky’s journey to self which includes old Mary. This is perfect for a lazy summer afternoon read at the beach, at the lake, or in the favorite comfy reading chair.

Every book I have read by Viola Shipman/Wade Rouse is better than the one before it. The small town vibes in this book make me want to visit Michigan during the Summer. I loved the characters in this book, and the friendship between the women. The yummy treats all sound wonderful and I wish the book included more recipes. Kind of makes me want to start cherry pit spitting!

Cherries and Michigan. The two go hand in hand like a warm summer day and a good book.
I liked how Becky finally took stock of her life and did something about it. Too often people become mired in the mundaneness and are afraid to shake the cherries off the tree to see what the pits might predict.
Cherry Merry was a good character and a very likable one. I knew what was coming. But it was still painful.
To every season there is an awakening and we have to keep turning to our own internal music.

As always, when I start one of Viola Shipman's books, I am immediately swept away to another world that I never want to leave. These worlds are filled with wonderful, caring people who all have interesting, beautiful stories. They start to feel like friends and I care about all of them so much.

Famous in a Small Town takes the reader to the Michigan world of cherries—everything cherries. When Cherry Mary meets Becky Thatcher, she feels like this is the woman she has been waiting for to fulfill a destiny. Becky also gets some answers to troubling visions she has had her whole life. Was this meeting 'meant to be'?

All of Shipman's stories are lovely stories with compassionate, memorable characters. And each one is such a wonderful escape from the real world, just for a little bit. And throw in a bit magic to the storyline and it's all good. I've loved all of Shipman's stories and always look forward to her new one. I highly recommend Famous in a Small Town as well as all of her other books!

I always enjoy the Viola Shipman books. They always seem like a visit to new friends. In this book, the new friends are in Michigan in a town renowned for its cherries. The characters are fun and well described, the location with its tower of trees is relaxing and peaceful. The plot is fairly predictable but I don't mind that - this is a story that lets you relax and dream about cherry pie!

Great beach read.

I love that the author honors his grandmothers and respects the elderly in all of his books. Wade Rouse aka Viola Shipman writes another beautiful story that is a love-letter to summers in Michigan, to his grandmothers, to strong women, to healthy relationships and to following your dreams! Makes me want to go to Michigan and eat a cherry pie!❤️ A heartwarming story with relatable characters and some good messages.

A quick read, especially good for a summer read. Loved the setting of Northern Michigan, a small town, cherries, farmer's markets, small shops, etc. Exactly what I am use to living in Wisconsin. Feels like home, story seems more real. Story of friendships, story of romance.

A nostalgic small town Michigan summer beach read that if I'm honest wasn't my favorite by this author. The story follows three women, a beloved general store and the older woman looking for the foretold person she can feel comfortable replacing her as owner. Charming with relatable characters and okay on audio read by Nancy Peterson (this narrator wasn't my fav). Many thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an early digital copy in exchange for my honest review.

Viola Shipman (aka Wade Rouse) returns with a heartfelt story for summer...Famous in a Small Town. First off, I have to commend Wade Rouse, he does such a delightful job of understanding women, whether he is writing from the point of view of a young woman, middle aged or octogenarian, he just gets us, and it is very appreciated.

Famous in a Small Town takes place briefly in St. Louis and then in Good Hart, Michigan. We follow the lives of several characters. First, we meet Mary Jackson, 80 years old. Mary comes from a long line of women running the Very Cherry General Store. When Mary was a young girl of fifteen, she became "Cherry Mary" when she won the town's cherry pit spitting contest and breaking into the Guiness Book of World Records in the process, a record that still stands today.

We also meet Becky Thatcher, away on a girl's trip with her BFF. She is looking to have a summer of fun while escaping her stressful job and her just dumped boyfriend of 20 years! What follows is a heartwarming and inspirational story that is empowering to women everywhere.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advance copy of this gem!
4.5 Stars!

Another fabulous book from Viola Shipman. I was able to read this through NetGalley. I loved this Cherry themed Northern Michigan based book. Cherry Mary is the cherry spitting world record holder. She also runs a very popular tourist and local favored General Store. She is the third generation of woman to own it. Currently she is waiting for a fourth woman to walk in and be the next owner. Becky Thatcher from St Louis is making life changes. She and her friend are in Northern Michigan on a girls getaway. Becky is trying to recapture her youth summers spent in the area. During one encounter her life will change in all the ways possible. This was an excellent read.

Famous in a Small Town is a nostalgic story of summertime delights!How can you go wrong reading this well written story that has old friends and new friends with a little romance..Michigan has wonderful farmers markets and gift shops and this book is about a great one!Michigan cherries are the best and you will learn about cherry spitting contests .Get ready for a fun read by Viola Shipman!Thank you NetGalley for allowing me an advance copy of this book!

This book definitely gives me Virgin River vibes and is the perfect summer read! I absolutely loved the characters in this book and the bonds that they share. Best friends Becky and Q have always been there for each other and when Becky realizes that her long-term boyfriend has no intention of marriage, they head out on an unforgettable vacation. This is a book about friendship and love and the reminder that family is about who we choose.

Special thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC. This is definitely a fun beach read with a happy ending!

You cannot go wrong with a Viola Shipman novel! My go-to comfort reads, full of hope, a strong sense of place, and small town charm.

Viola Shipman is one of the authors that I automatically read. This book has love, friendship, destiny and most of all hope. This will make you laugh and cry and give you hope. This book is fantastic

Viola Shipman is a gifted storyteller as evidenced in this novel. I have read a few books penned by this author and I fall in love with the writing style and characters with each book. This one is the epitome of small-town charm, filled with lovable characters and a feel-good storyline.

Becky and her friend take off on a much-needed vacation to Good Hart, Michigan where they meet Mary Jackson and her delightful friends and family. I loved Mary and the Very Cherry General Store. Mary is a spunky 80 year old who is legendary in the small town, not only for her ability to run the post office, bakery and sandwich shop but for something much more interesting.

Famous in a Small Town brought a smile to my face but also tears to my eyes. I will always remember the town, characters, and the wonderful storyline.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through Netgalley. Opinions are my own.

It's hard to leave the characters in Famous In A Small Town. Strong women and family histories are just a few of the reasons this book will stick with you. Descriptions of picturesque Michigan will make you want to visit too. I loved this book!

Famous in a Small Town is a delightful story set in the summery Michigan. It is full of interesting characters, small town flavor and a little tension. And of course everything cherries.

Mary comes from a line of strong women who have run a little general story and post office for many years, but she is eighty now and it seems there may be nobody to carry on the good work. Arriving in this little community after some heartbreaking but maybe life changing happenings is Becky and her good friend Q. They've come to let their hair down and have a good time. Becky remembers with nostalgia the times spent in Michigan with her grandparents years ago.

Add into this mix a gnarly builder who once was a little thief and a grandson returned to visit with his grandmother and things begin to change and look up.

Mary was once celebrated for her prowess as a cherry pit spitter, she beat all the men in the contest and ever since has been famous in this small town. Now the cherry season celebrations are about to take place and possibly the promise of someone who can spit like Mary in this year's contest.

As well as Mary's concern over who might follow her in the general story is the fact that her best friend is considering selling up and will someone rush in and build on the property in a way that takes from the local surroundings. Plus there is a long standing feud with someone who was once her best friend.

The story is a celebration of Michigan and cherries, with strands of wisdom and humor woven through. The journey each of the characters make along the way will leave your heart warmed and wondering are you making the most of this one wonderful life. As a reader you'll be longing to go visit Michigan and find such a small town  and experience it all yourself, where  perhaps you might come across such a general store as Mary's one.

Viola Shipman (surprisingly perhaps the pen name for a man) knows how to write the women’s fiction stories that readers crave. That streak is continued with this title.

Eighty year old Mary Jackson has run the general store in her small community. She is following a family tradition in doing so with a store that has been run by women for generations. Who will succeed her?

Becky Thatcher (hmm, isn’t that a name from Tom Sawyer?) comes to town. She is forty, just half Mary’s age. How will her life intersect with Mary’s?

The store is a hub for the community and the many folks who populate the story. Readers will wish that they could shop and eat there.

Shipman does an excellent job in creating a setting and characters whom readers will want to know. Recommended for women’s fiction lovers. By the way, watch out for the cherry pits!

Many thanks to Harlequin Trade Publishing for this title. All opinions are my own.

FAMOUS IN A SMALL TOWN by Viola Shipman is a wonderful women’s fiction story with romantic elements that is full of Michigan summertime vacation nostalgia, generational family drama, the bonds of friendship, and the discovery and belief in the power of women all delivered with a cherry on top. This is the perfect summertime read, especially if you are a fan of all things tart cherry.

Mary Jackson became “Cherry Mary” as a girl of fifteen when she won the cherry pit spitting distance contest in her small hometown of Good Hart, not only beating all the men, but also obtaining the Guinness World Record. Sixty-five years later, she is now eighty years old, still undefeated and runs her family’s Very Cherry General Store and waits for the girl she was told in her visions would come to carry on.

Becky Thatcher has turned forty and feels stuck in a monotonous life, with nothing to show for it. She and her best friend, “Q” take off for a vacation in Good Hart to relive the fun childhood holidays she remembers with her grandparents. When Becky spits a cherry pit, Mary witnesses the record breaker and believes Becky is the girl she has been waiting for. While not the vacation she was expecting, Becky works under Mary’s wing and soon discovers peace and beauty in the small town and the belief that Mary may be right, and this is where she is meant to be.

Enchanting, emotional, and memorable characters and landscapes are all present in this story. It is summertime memories, trips with grandparents, small town nostalgia all intertwined with everything tart cherry. The strength and power of women is a recurring theme throughout. The sweet romance is a relatively small subplot in this story, but it is relevant to both main characters. I feel this is the perfect summertime read and I loved it.

Famous in a Small Town by Viola Shipman is a women’s fiction title that was being compared to Fried Green Tomatoes so of course I had to give this one a try. The story in Famous in a Small Town is one that does have two timelines of the present and the past and different points of view.

Mary Jackson has a lived a long, good life in her small town of Good Hart, Michigan. When Mary was young the town dubbed her with the nickname Cherry Mary. Mary had set a record in the town’s festival cherry spitting contest and to this day no one has even come close.

Becky Thatcher has come to the small town of Good Hart, Michigan with her best friend to recover from a break up and figure out what she wants in life. Becky had always stuck by her man but she just figured out sticking by was turning into settling for something she didn’t want. When Becky crosses paths with Mary the women wonder if it wasn’t their destiny.

A lot of times I see books advertised as being for someone who loved a specific popular book and I think to myself why, this is nothing like what is mentioned. Famous in a Small Town however did have similarities to Fried Green Tomatoes and being a fan I found myself enjoying this one too. The story was a charming one of friends and family and finding oneself in the midst of it all and with lovely characters the pages just flew by. Great story that I’d also recommend to anyone who enjoyed Fried G sreen Tomatoes so for once I agree with their marketing and would definitely return to this author myself.

I received an advance copy from the publisher via NetGalley.