The Ice Cream Man (Chronicles #2)

ROMANTIC COMEDY:  Ted enjoys having his own business — working for himself, driving an ice cream truck — but he must admit his personal life is lacking. When he meets Laura, a pretty, single mom, with three vivacious children, he is more than interested.  As they begin to spend more time together, they discover a possible connection between Laura and the boat explosion that killed Ted’s cousin and his bride. The couple tries their hand at amateur sleuthing, never imagining the hornet’s nest they are about to stir up. In the meantime, Laura’s children, and their grandmother, test Ted’s patience at every turn, which has him worried he might have made a mistake and wishing he could have his solitude back. 

“The Ice Cream Man Chronicles” is laugh-out-loud funny, filled with plenty of witty dialogue, and screwball, slapstick antics that all comedy lovers will adore.  The romantic elements suffer a bit, as poor Ted is continually sabotaged by Laura’s mischievous children, who have a penchant for playing practical jokes. While Laura’s children are supposed to be annoying, some readers may find them, their grandmother, and their pranks, to be a little TOO hard on the nerves. This could be more of a weakness than an asset, depending on the reader’s perceptions and taste. The mystery is darkly comedic, slightly more sinister than it appears, hiding behind a whimsical atmosphere and plenty of quirky characters. All in all, this is a highly entertaining story, and is just plain fun to read!

Julie Whiteley