ALL FOR ONE [Paperback]

All For One is the third entry in Melody Carlson's The Four Lindas Series. The four protagonists were childhood friends all named Linda. They went by their middle names, so it's easy to keep track of them. After drifting apart, the women reconnected as adults and have reunited in their coastal hometown of Clifden. Some never left, others have returned for the second half of their lives.

Abby's husband is recovering from a heart attack and she can't sleep because she's afraid he's going to die. She's also rehabbing her old family home to open it as a Bed & Breakfast Inn.

Janie will rent the bottom of the inn for her new law office. Her boyfriend's ex-wife just showed up in town, saying she wants to reconcile and she's certain God expects them to honor their marriage vows. Even though she had an affair and left the marriage years ago. Janie struggles to give Victor space to deal with his ex.

Marley is busy with her art and helping her friend Jack with his granddaughter. Her son is experiencing his own heartbreak and she brings him back to Clifden to heal.

Caroline is worn out caring for her Alzheimer's afflicted mother. When she does take a rare afternoon off, tragedy strikes.

Carlson does a good job weaving each of the stories together. Each chapter is from one of the Lindas point of view.

I like that Carlson's characters deal with issues and topics that are real. Marley's son is gay, Caroline's childhood was abusive. The women have a glass of wine with dinner. Abby and Paul are seeing a marriage counselor.

I had a hard time connecting with the characters. This is the first of The Four Lindas series that I've read and I think I would have enjoyed it more if I'd been with the women from the beginning of their journey.

This is the story of four friends all named Linda who formed their own little club back in first grade, and started going by their middle names. Each woman has her own issues to deal with, but all love and support one another in whatever they go through. I haven't read any of the other books in the series but it was easy to pick this one up without confusion.

Abby is trying to find the balance between starting her new bed and breakfast business and taking care of her husband who is recovering from a heart attack. Their relationship brings the issues of marital counseling, dealing with health issues, and the interaction of a long-time married couple to the book.

Caroline is temporarily living with her mother who has Alzheimer's. She's single and never married. Her story brings other issues to light: caregiving, singleness, grief, dysfunctional family relationships and more.

Janie is a widow and has started dating a divorced man when is ex-wife shows up begging to reconcile. Her story brings the reader into the middle of a dilemma: should Victor go back to his former wife? Is it biblical or not? She struggles to figure out her role while dealing with a slightly emotionally imbalanced woman in the picture.

Marley is healing her wounded heart from a divorce after her husband was unfaithful. She's dating again, but unsure of whether she should commit. She has a son who is a homosexual, so her story brings that issue to the mix as well as blending families.

I loved the characters in the book and I like how well the author develops them. The story is complex and multilayered with unexpected surprises, mystery, and heart-warming relationships. Everyone needs a friend like Linda. Each chapter is dedicated to a different Linda, and it's indicated by chapter title.

I think conservative Christians might take issue with some of the views presented in the book. The author was so careful about being politically correct that she implies some things that I'd disagree with. For example, she's spot-on with talking about how some Christians are judgmental about homosexuals, and she talks about how much God loves them, but she fails to also talk about how the Bible does call it a sin.

In several places, she presents the church as harsh and judging, and she's heavy on the loving side of God, but she fails to present a balanced view of a loving God who is also just. This can be done without being harsh, and I wish she would have tackled that if she was going to tackle some tough social issues from a Christian viewpoint.

All in all, this is a feel-good book that readers shouldn't count on for solid theology. The preview of the 4th book in the series (in the back of this book) looks good too.

Many years ago, four little girls named Linda met in the same first grade class. They became friends, and went by their middle names in order to avoid confusion. Now, years later, the Lindas are all grown up, and all living in the same town. Their friendship has survived, but they all have different challenges.

Abby's husband has had a bad heart attack, and now Abby is afraid to sleep in case he has another one. Caroline's mother has Alzheimer's and she's weary of caring for her, but doesn't want to put her in a nursing home. Janie's boyfriend's ex-wife is trying to win Victor back, and Janie wonders if she'll have to find a new relationship with someone else. Marley has some issues with her grown son.

This is the third book in Ms. Carlson's The Four Lindas series, and I recommend reading them in order as they all are closely tied together. I enjoyed reading more about the Lindas in ALL FOR ONE, but some of the events in the book saddened me.

Ms. Carlson is a prolific writer, and her characters are very well developed. Any of these women could be someone you know. And they each have their own distinct personality. The fourth (and final) book in this series will release in the fall of 2011.

If you are looking for a good women's fiction, don't miss ALL FOR ONE. Discussion questions and a sample chapter of the fourth book are included at the end of this book.

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