1979 is getting on Piper Penn’s nerves. Struggling to survive past tragedies, she finds comfort in Old Hollywood movies in her native San Francisco. Seeing no reason to adhere to man-made rules after her first-hand look at the ultimate in hypocrisy, Piper does what she wants, and trouble follows. An unexpected inheritance on a tiny Midwest island in the Straits of Mackinac provides an escape. The … escape. The mandated stay at the island’s glorious Grand Hotel gives her spirits a much-needed boost, especially when she catches the eye of a handsome groundskeeper. Taking part as an extra during the filming of the island movie Somewhere in Time adds to her excitement about this turn in her life.
When mysterious accusations and headstrong residents send her into a tailspin, she finds friendship from a quirky, I Love Lucy loving nun who challenges her embittered look at life and faith. Can Piper survive the baffling attempts to derail her inheritance before it’s too late or has she fallen for a well-planned ruse while falling in love?
“What happens when you combine a love of Lucy, Nora Ephron, Old Hollywood, and the desire for true faith? You embark on an unforgettable 1979 journey to magical, Mackinac Island.”
– Author, Michele Olson, Being Ethel (In a world that loves Lucy)
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This was a wonderful story and not completely what I expected from the title. Piper is down on her luck being fined for shoplifting in San Francisco to an inheriting property in Mackinac Island. This is set in 1979 with romance, mystery, I Love Lucy, and a movie being filmed in the island. Worth the read.
A new start, a mystery, and romance – all on enchanting Mackinac Island, one of my very favorite places! This is a short read, or audio – I listed to the audio version – and it was simply adorable. Newcomer Piper arrives on the island where a reservation has been arranged for an extended stay at the Grand Hotel. The year is 1979 and a Hollywood film crew has just arrived, and she is given a minor role in “Somewhere in Time,” one of my all-time favorite movies. While there is troubled side of Piper, there is another side that loves movies and shares “I Love Lucy” reruns with one of the prominent characters in the story. Along with meeting new friends, getting tangled in the midst of a crime, and forming a new romance, the ideals of love, forgiveness and spirituality are presented in a light-hearted way. If you’re looking for an amusing escape, and enjoy this fabulous destination as much as I do, you will love this humorous yet thoughtful short read.
I really loved this book and immediately loved Piper Penn. She’s a sheltered young lady that has had a extremely hard time in life. This story, which is full of fun movie star quotes and wonderful descriptive surroundings, first brought me to San Francisco, then it brought me to the Grand Hotel located on Mackinac Island. I love the movies and movie stars mentioned throughout the book and enjoyed all the characters too. Even the not so nice ones. Plus I love Lucy too, but Lucy wouldn’t be Lucy without Ethel. I enjoyed the twists and turns and often wondered what was Piper going to do next, everything always seems to fall apart but with God it comes together, and with God all things are possible. I can’t wait to read the next book by the very talented author Michele Olson.
I love all of the Island memories of vacations there. It will entice people to visit. Piper is a fun character to follow as she deals with life’s questions. The book has a surprising ending!
Thankful for this book! It was an easy read and held my attention. I love that I can whole heartedly recommend Being Ethel: (In a world that loves Lucy) without fear of anything inappropriate. That means a lot to me. I have had numerous friends and family purchase Being Ethel and loving it as well. We are looking forward to the next book!!!
This book brought back many pleasant memories of Mackinac Island. I toured the island several times as a youngster with my grandma. We took a horse-drawn ride around the island, ate at the fancy Grand Hotel, and shopped in the cute tourist shops.
Olson creates a lovable and relatable character in Piper, a young woman who has experienced plenty of heartache. Piper comes to the island to claim a shop and property which were left to her by a relative who died. She works as an extra on the set of the movie Somewhere in Time. There she meets Cameron, who becomes a friend and then soon something more.
A nun on the island befriends Piper. Together they talk about life and it’s hardships and deep questions of faith while watching the TV show, I Love Lucy. Piper sympathizes with and sees herself more as Ethel rather than Lucy, feeling like she’s always played second fiddle in life. Piper’s nun friend and Cameron see something more in her. However, amidst an arson and theft, suspicions run high, and Piper is not even sure she can trust Cameron.
I found this faith-filled book an easy, cozy read with a little romance and mystery.
for plot, characters, and storyline
a more active voice in sentence structure would have added a richer depth to the book
for a clean read with meaning
I look forward to more books by Olson in the Mackinac Island Story series.