This was something that I would not have normally read, however my book club suggested it. It turned out to be very good.
Helpful Score: 4
This was one of those rare books that you don't want to put down. Set in a smalls southern town; the story revolves around the town doctor. He chose to work in the small town, but his wife feels slighted to have given up her big city life. Then one night the doctor wonders into the arms of Angela Belle and everything changes.
Helpful Score: 3
This book was nothing like I expected. It had such great characters and Ms. Wall has a great way with words. The book was highly enjoyable. One of a kind.
Helpful Score: 2
The Rock Orchard, set in the 30s and 40s, is about a family of women who have the reputation of using men and moving on and the men who loved them. The legend started with Great Grandmother Musette Belle whose cemetary stone was a life size nude of Musette. Down through the generations the Belle women were rich, wild and owned half of the land around their Tennessee country home. They never flaunted their wealth, in fact the youngest Belle, Angela was usually seen in well worn skimpy clothes and no shoes as she wandered the home town area. The characters are well developed, very likeable and have good humor. Although I would not call the book a page turner, you'll definitely want to know what is going to happen next.
Helpful Score: 1
The Rock Orchard is the debut novel by Paula Wall about five generations of the Belle family women in Leaper's Fork, Tennessee who are well-known for attracting men's attention like a magnet. Rarely is anything the Belle women doing unnoticed by most of the town residents.
A young, recently established doctor from up North opens a clinic and becomes quite smitten with the youngest Belle female, Angela, his neighbor, despite the pending arrival of his Boston-bred, snobbish fiancé, Lydia. Finding the lifestyle in Leaper's Fork uninspiring, both Adam and Lydia seek some excitement with the most colorful residents, Angela and the town's handyman, Boone.
As a first novel, there are a couple of obvious gaps in the plot and the ending doesn't seem to work as well as it should. There is still plenty to enjoy about Wall's humorous portrayal of life in Leaper's Fork and its residents.
A young, recently established doctor from up North opens a clinic and becomes quite smitten with the youngest Belle female, Angela, his neighbor, despite the pending arrival of his Boston-bred, snobbish fiancé, Lydia. Finding the lifestyle in Leaper's Fork uninspiring, both Adam and Lydia seek some excitement with the most colorful residents, Angela and the town's handyman, Boone.
As a first novel, there are a couple of obvious gaps in the plot and the ending doesn't seem to work as well as it should. There is still plenty to enjoy about Wall's humorous portrayal of life in Leaper's Fork and its residents.
