You’re never too old for fun, faith, or love.Lavinia Lewis is a wealthy, Southern widow who enjoys a good prank. But when a resident at her posh retirement community in Southport, North Carolina gets sick at a potluck, Lavinia’s reputation as a jokester lands her in big trouble. How can she clear her name when her own daughter doesn’t believe she’s innocent?Neville McGrath is a long-in-the-tooth … long-in-the-tooth lawyer, afraid of being put out to pasture. Torn between his nephew’s offer to move to Maine to live with him and his desire to keep working, Neville discovers other options when he takes Lavinia’s case.
The jokes keep her young, but Lavinia remembers the true source of joy as she faces criminal charges. Can she help Neville find his faith for the first time, and can they both find love at eighty years old?
A humorous and inspirational story with lovable characters, a beautiful setting, fun mystery, sweet romance, family drama, and an ending that will leave you sighing in satisfaction.
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I enjoyed this story of family, the place called home, and romance for an elderly couple. I’m not going to lie, Lavinia’s constant pranks got on my nerves but she had a good heart, as did most of the characters in Smith’s book.
A couple of situations that were alluded to were a challenge to figure out. A bit of explanation would have caused me to give another star in the rating.
If you enjoy contemporary romance with humor and hope for life’s challenges, then give this book a read.
Shenanigans is a sweet, touching, humorous story about finding yourself, love, and forgiveness in the most unexpected places. I enjoyed the story, the characters, and the message. I highly recommend it!
I enjoyed the story line, characters, and setting in this new book! The plot was refreshingly different and I’m fond of Southport, so I had fun imagining the scenes by the harbor, on the pier, and at popular restaurants in the area. The mystery was fun to follow and guess at! And I applaud the author for her skill at weaving a retirement home, aging citizens, family issues, and renewed faith all in one story.
I think most readers will love the main character best, but I’m one of those unusual people who shy away from pranksters (I avoid jokes and riddles, too, but love clever wittiness!). So my first favorite character is Lee, her son-in-law, and next is Neville, her lawyer. The large cast of characters also includes retirement home friends with all kinds of personality, Lavinia’s grandsons, and some new church friends. The author sets a great example for senior citizens by giving the older characters active lives in this coastal setting. She doesn’t shy away from confrontation with the health issues that older people may fear, but she shows the characters facing them with courage, dignity, and grace.
I highly recommend this novel for those who want to read a fun story that will lift their spirits and make them laugh! There were a few things I wished for and missed in the story, such as a little more clarity and resolution with the main character’s daughter/granddaughter’s heart, and more specific insight that might help others who are in Neville’s place of needing spiritual change and fruitful growth. But it’s a tricky balance for authors to handle issues like that in a story without taxing the pacing and patience of readers.
Shenanigans by Heather Norman Smith is an absolutely delightful read, and the second novel I read by this author. After reading Where I was Planted last year, I knew I just had to read Shenanigans.
Lavinia Lewis is a retired grandmother living at a retirement home classy and chic retirement home in North Carolina. She’s wealthy and a southern lady, but she is not so proper as to be above a well-placed and well-timed Whoopi Cushion. She carries a large handbag full of tricks; a rubber chicken or perhaps a shocking pack of gum.
Her grandchildren adore her; her son-in-law understands her more than her own daughter, and her resident friends love her; well, most of the residents love her, except for her grumpy neighbor.
When her notoriety for silly pranks lands her in trouble with local law enforcement, she finds herself in need of an attorney, a good one. Neville McGrath is beyond retirement age by quite a few years; he refuses to retire from the law office he owns and has built by sheer tenacity, hard work and a knack for knowing if a case can be won.
Lavinia is not sure that Neville can successfully get her off the hook, but somewhere along the way a friendship began to develop with hints of something more.
I highly recommend Shenanigans, and if I thought I could I’d meet Lavinia, I’d be on the next train to North Carolina. She’s a hoot.
I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher and Just Read Tours, and am not required to write a positive review. All thoughts and opinions therein are solely my own, and freely given.
As I write this review, many of us across the country are having to “shelter in place”. This book is fun and light-hearted; just perfect for when you want to read something that will make you smile for awhile.
I love that the two main characters, Lavinia and Neville, are both active senior citizens in their 80’s. Lavinia has overcome some challenges in her life, and doesn’t want to lose her sense of fun. She carries around a purse full of “equipment” with which to play practical jokes. Neville still has a successful law practice and just can’t see himself slowing down. When Lavinia finds herself being accused by the police of a prank that she did not play, it’s up to Neville to help her prove her innocence. As they work together, they find that they make a good team. Can two 80 year old senior citizens find that love is still just as sweet at their age? This book answers this question in a heart-touching way that will delight the reader.
I also liked the fact that the author has included a faith lesson in this story: it’s never too late to turn to God for help, and He’s always ready for you to return to Him. This book is not only entertaining, it’s also encouraging. I know I’ll be reading this one again.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
Shenanigans … Or She-nana-gans that is, is an interesting title.
And that is a good word for this book; interesting.
Heather Norman Smith is a newer author, first publishing to my knowledge in 2019, which had me slow to read her books but I enjoyed reading her first book, Where I Was Planted, last year.
Lavinia is not your common heroine, she loves a good laugh and she especially loves to give people a reason to laugh, she plays many many jokes on people. Which ends up getting her in deep trouble with the police.
Though she didn’t do it, did she?
I loved how this book progressed with interesting turns even though it wasn’t a full mystery novel. It was a romance, a comedy, and had a suspenseful side plot of mystery.
Without giving anything away I loved Lavinia and Neville’s relationship. They had a cute romance that I wondered if they would have a happily ever after or not … I’m not saying they did or didn’t but I was happy with this book.
I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book which I received from the author. All views expressed are only my honest opinion.
I love that I never quite know what to expect when I pick up a Heather Norman Smith book. I mean, I know there will be a good story that will entertain me, but will it be set in the past or present?Will it be set in the mountains or the coast?
Shenanigans is Smith’s third book and different, yet similar, to her first two. I loved that the main characters are up there in years. Lavinia is spunky and outgoing despite her age. Her sense of humor keeps her young enough to entertain her grandsons and many of her neighbors alike.
But not everyone appreciates her pranks and when she’s accused of trying to harm someone, Neville McGrath steps in. The lawyer is the opposite of Lavinia in so many ways, yet they form a friendship.
The romance in this book is subtle and sweet. And while Lavinia is close with her grandsons and her son-in-law, there are some fractures in her relationship with her daughter and canyons in her relationship with God.
This story is filled with humor, a bit of suspense, unforgettable characters, and reminders to live life to the fullest and trust our futures to God.
Disclosure statement: I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions are my own.
Heather Norman Smith is quickly becoming one of my favorite writers. Her stories are well written, rich in character depth, filled with gentle romance and spiritual themes applicable to daily living, and always entertaining.
Smith’s newest release, Shenanigans, is pure delight. The lead characters may be 80 years old, but the story will appeal to readers of all ages. The first sentence in the book’s description – You’re never too old for fun, faith or love – couldn’t be more relevant.
Lavinia is one of my favorite fictional characters – caring of family, a genteel southern lady to the core, and loves to have good-hearted fun. Although beloved by many in her North Carolina retirement community, not all appreciate her pranks. Like a very funny dear friend in real life, Lavinia had been “relying on things she could control, namely the jokes. The jokes distracted her from things she couldn’t change.”
Neville, a lawyer who doesn’t want to retire and agrees to represent Lavinia when one of her supposed jokes goes horribly wrong, is a complete contrast to her and the chemistry between them works beautifully. I loved this gentle man and enjoyed things about him that were revealed as the story progressed, such as the reason behind his coldness toward God.
Lavinia comes to realize that she has distanced herself from God over the years, which leads to one of my favorite scenes as she and her family visit a church recommended by Neville’s secretary. The church service, filled with people of varied ages and cultures “reminded her of flowers, picked from all over the garden, bunched together, and placed in a crystal vase to make a gorgeous bouquet.”
Shenanigans is a heartwarming story to which every reader can relate and goes on my favorites list. I look forward to many more stories from the talented hand of Heather Norman Smith. Highly recommended.
I received a copy of this book through JustRead Tours. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.
This is such a delightful read that will have you snickering, crying and rooting for the characters.
Once again, Smith delivers an entertaining story of love, laughter and second chances at least for two special people in this story.
I was delighted to read another novel by this author having first “met her” in Where I was Planted.
I loved Lavinia from the get go. I think the reason is because of her zest for life. I laughed at her for some of the things she did. She really made my day. She’s like my grandmother was. She never quite grew up so to speak. Just like me. I don’t want to grow up. It’s no fun at all!
Neville was a little harder in getting to know. But after awhile I enjoyed him too. I didn’t want to let him go. I’m glad he made the decision that he did.
Sometimes life’s decisions are hard aren’t they? This is where prayer comes in. Is it what you want to do or is it the Lord’s will?
I am sometimes headstrong and I want to do things on my own instead of divine intervention. It gets me into trouble too. But, I am learning to lean on the Lord a little more each day.
I highly recommend this book. It has some great messages in it and gentle reminders.
Take each day as it comes and enjoy it because you’ll never know what will happen tomorrow. We aren’t promised tomorrow.
My thanks to Just Reads for a complimentary copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review and all opinions are my own.
One of the sweetest books I have read. Love the vitality and fun. What a great joy to read a story with older characters as the main focus. This story is filled with mystery, laughter, love and faith. Great read. Looking forward to reading more by Heather Norman Smith. I received a complimentary copy of the book. No review was required.