Five Fortunes - by Beth Gutcheon (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

Witty, wise, and hope-filled, Five Fortunes is a large-hearted tale of five vivid and unforgettable women who know where they've been but have no idea where they're going. A lively octogenarian, a private investigator, a mother and daughter with an unresolved past, and a recently widowed politician's wife share little else except a thirst for new dreams, but after a week at the luxurious health spa known as "Fat Chance" their lives will be intertwined in ways they couldn't have imagined. At a place where doctors, lawyers, spoiled housewives, movie stars, and captains of industry are stripped of the social markers that keep them from really seeing one another, unexpected friendships emerge, reminding us of the close links between the rich and the poor, fortune and misfortune, and the magic of chance.

Review Quotes

"She has absolutely perfect pitch when it comes to capturing the lives of these remarkable women. This seems to be the quintessential American woman's tale. I loved it." -- Anne Rivers Siddons"This is the novel as we used to know it, with laughter, tears, true-to-life details and a must-know what happens next story line." -- Penelope Fitzgerald"Beth Gutcheon's novel is like your dream of a best friend: funny and sunny and wise, full of intimate news, never preachy or self-centered. This writer knows women, and how much we all want a book to comfort us. If ever there was proof that a delicious novel--cheer and sad and perfectly resonant--can be intelligent and serious, too--here it is, in hearts." -- Sandra Scofield"An unpretentious tale of freindship among the well-heeled that is both a page-turner and day-brightener." -- "Kirkus Reviews""Stylish new comedy...we are caught up in this fast-paced story as these women are in each other's lives." -- "Publishers Weekly"