The Madness of Celia Summers by Charlotte Chalmers

Celia Summers’s romantic life is lackluster and going nowhere. Martin, her baby’s father, won’t commit to marriage. Still, she’s not unhappy. She finds satisfaction working as an art therapist for a group of elderly independents living at The Harbour until the town council decides to close the facility and turn it into office buildings. Taking matters into her hands, Celia stages a sit down strike and leaps from a church steeple to call attention to the residents’ plight. Enter Police Constable Alex Burrows, the handsome son of Harbour resident Colonel Burrows. He has troubles of his own, relationship scars and newly paraplegic daughter, but he makes Celia laugh. She can’t get him out of her mind, still she doesn’t mean to fall in love with him. She has a senior living center to save and there’s her rocky relationship with Martin. When both Martin and Alex turn out to be liars, will Celia’s heart survive?

Despite the serious nature of Celia’s battle, The Madness of Celia Summers is a light, delightfully funny read. I loved Celia’s son teenage son Luke with his hip attitude and devotion to his toddler brother. I adored the elderly independents: cranky Eleanor, consciously delusional May, oversexed Colonel Burrows, and Her Royal Highness Rosemary. I cheered on Alex and booed Martin. But mostly I liked Celia. She’s funny, generous, caring, a little phobic, and wonderfully human. Charlotte Chalmers’ The Madness of Celia Summers is a fun way to spend an afternoon.