Mark can always make me laugh! Passmore is a charming little town populated with interesting and eccentric folk. Makes me wonder what could have been found behind the closed doors of the small town I grew up in! LOL!

*My copy of this book was won* ( )

This book is filled with humor, lots of quirky characters, and a message about tolerance that is all the more effective for its simplicity. Imagine a town full of people who would be considered somewhere between slightly odd and very strange by most average humans. They range from a nudist who likes to do his gardening, uhm, in the nude, to a woman who believes she's the world's best cook but produces inedible meals, to the mayor with a somewhat embarrassing fetish. And amongst all this craziness, a gay verger (vicar's assistant) is then told he is the odd one out.

Wilson is the new verger, moving to Passmore to assist the local vicar in his job, and he happens to be gay. He is slightly worried that might become an issue, but he isn't prepared for the storm of righteous and other indignation he ignites. The vicar may reassure him all will be fine, but he is sorely lacking in faith. Being the good assistant he is, he still follows his boss's lead - and ends up more than surprised with the outcome.

Edmund is Wilson's romantic interest, and let me tell you, the hunky country doctor is a great catch! He is tender, passionate, and loyal to a fault. His interest in Wilson brings him out of the slight social isolation he'd put himself in, and once he enters the public eye, he isn't going to pull back again. He supports Wilson all the way, and that was a wonderful addition to this somewhat crazy tale.

This book makes it very clear that "normal" is an extremely relative term, and that those in glass houses really shouldn’t throw stones. Even though it made me laugh – a lot – and is highly entertaining, it also made me think about the really important things in life. Love and acceptance, as well as a good dose of tolerance are needed for that, and the vicar embodies these principles beautifully. He is the one bringing everybody back on track and ensuring that this little flock continues to function like any average town would.

If you like romantic comedies with a message, if small town life fascinates you and you’re ready to visit one of the more unusual ones, and if you're looking for a touching love story, then you will probably like this book. I'm certainly looking forward to reading the sequel (Christmas in Passmore).
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