Romance, lies, trickery, abusive love, divorce, affairs, having-it-all and losing-it-all - what doesn't "Dune Road' by Jane Green have? From the rich and famous to the not-so-well-off and virtually unknown, the cast of characters in the town of Highfield will leave you feeling grateful you aren't a resident.

A great beach read, I read it during a fall weekend, the book had enough to keep me interested despite its light and simple storyline. I usually prefer books with more complexity but I was in the mood for something less challenging and I had a pretty good idea this book would fill the bill. I could definitely see "Dune Road" as a Lifetime movie - perhaps that was Green's goal.

There were too many women for my liking who couldn't stand up for themselves and found themselves being taken advantage of in a variety of abusive situations. But we are all a work-in-progress so hopefully many have learned their lessons and this book will be an inspiration to readers who find themselves in similar situations. And hopefully they'll become more than just survivors but actual heroes in their own life stories.

I rate "Dune Road" 3 out of 5 stars.

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