From the award winning Dinosaurs and Cherry Stems, the hilarious and beloved Cindy and Jay DeMatteo return in the sequel The Sugar Ticket, a tale that chronicles their marital journey as they attempt to alleviate a sour past and embrace a sweeter future together. Join these two midlife adolescents as they learn how to gently overcome their marital hurdles, especially with Christmas and a special … a special birthday on the horizon.
Cindy and Jay are always stepping out of the box of normalcy. Never a dull moment with these newlyweds as they explore new adventures, both the humdrum and exhilarating.
Enjoy their light-hearted humor and occasional rants, while they meet their daily tribulations head on. Cheer them on as they face the most fundamental challenge of all: Staying in love forever.
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I found The Sugar Ticket wildly entertaining. The story is fun and funny; it’s also poignant and touching. The dialogue is sings off the pages. And the Cindy and Jay? Well, they’re nothing short of fabulous! You can bet, I’ll be reading the other books in the Cindy’s Crusades series.
****** When Humor, Romance, Family & Adventure Combine
What a multi-faceted book. Starting out with a high-actioned purse and wallet snatch, the author then sets the reader on a course toward romance. And not just any romance. It’s the tale of funny, snarky Cindy, who, after two times out with selfish, uncaring husbands, she has found Jay––Mr. Right. Not only is he sympathetic to her, he also is patient and insightful with her schizophrenic brother, Bobby. Actually, I found this part of the book particularly touching and authentic. We learn about the volatile nature of someone like her brother—his meds needing to be monitored carefully, his fear of the unknown, and all the while, Cindy’s complete loyalty to him, no matter who she’s dating. In her mind, whoever is in her life romantically, he will just have to fit in with her brother and that’s that.
Soon, after Cindy and Jay get married, we find out what the reality of being newlyweds is…the ups and downs, the passion, as well as the adjustments. When they buy an RV, and one thing after another happens, they find out the meshing of personalities isn’t always so easy. Cindy is a bit of an OCD freak, and Jay is used to having his way––but all of this is described with good humor and love.
Then, to add to the mix comes a mystical element––lightly introduced in the beginning, then growing heavier as the book goes on. Apparently, Cindy’s Great-great Grandmother was a Lenape Indian princess and not only is that something for Cindy to feel proud of, it seems that she, herself, has inherited some special powers.
All in all, I certainly enjoyed this mixture of fun, romance, and drama. Definitely recommended.
This is the 1st book I read by Susan Jean Ricci. I’m sorry I stopped reading this story at chapter 4 because it didn’t grab my interest.
Written in Cindy’s voice with her lovely, self deprecating humor and straight, this book presents the hope that having gone through two marriages in the past, the third time is the charm. Do we learn from past experiences? Can we change the patterns of our behaviors the past? How do we deal with the imprint of out past, which seldom leaves us unblemished, and find a way to do it together with our loved one?
In Susan Ricci’s snappy, concise writing, she takes us through an honest look at the challenges of the relationship, starting here: “During Jay’s courtship, I spent a lot of time figuring out how to deal with his emotional support, simply because I wasn’t used to it. Now that we’re married… it’s not something I take for granted.”
One of the major difficulties is sharing her ‘baggage’ with Jay. “Try explaining to your new boyfriend you have a handicapped brother who not only thinks he’s a dog, but barks and growls like one, too.” When that secret is out of the bag, Jay rises to the occasion, not only because his work involves mentally ill persons, but because he is a warm, loving guy: “I’m so sorry, Cindy. Why haven’t you told me about all this before? Is there anything I can do?”
The complications that arise from trying to balance previous commitments to her children and grandkids and to her brother Bobby with this new relationship with Jay, especially around the holidays: “Between doing what I’ve always done for Bobby and wanting to do what I wanted to do for a change, I felt like the taffy getting yanked back and forth in a pull contest.”
Heading for their wedding in honolulu, everything seems to be ready: “Our divorce papers, travel documents, receipts for wedding insurance, were packed and ready for travel. Check. Weddng rings purchased. Check. Dog sitter hired… Check.”
It is after the ceremony that the real challenges begin: learning to live together, to adjust to the particular sensitivities of each other, for example: “Our ex-spouses soon joined the taboo topic list… Since he has never uttered a nasty word about either of his former wives, this kind of make me wonder why he ever divorced at all.”
These words summed it best for me: “The Sugar Ticket is the sweetness of your present when you alleviate the sour taste of the past.”