Pamela Morsi has been one of my favorite authors for a long time. She is a great go to for a sure read that will not dissappoint. The Lovesick Cure is a sweet country story about a young woman named Jessie who has been dumped by her groom. She decides a visit with her Aunt Wills is just what she needs. When she gets there she finds that Aunt Will now lives in the mountains in a run down cabin. Aunt Will has always been a "Granny Woman" who dealt with "Yarbs". She spent her whole life taking care of others prescribing tonics and folk cures. But Aunt Will needs help now & she won't ask for it. Jessie's heart needs mending and there is a young doctor in town who is recouping from a heartbreak himself who can help them both. Pamela Morsi weaves a story that just falls in place page after page until you reach the last one and say..."aaahhh that was a great book".
Jesse Winsloe, fresh from losing her job and her fiancée to another woman, is reeling from the shock and stress of her new situation. As a way to think things over and get away from the painful memories, Jesse decides to visit her Aunt Will in the Ozarks.
Aunt Will is known as a granny woman a healer who has shared her talents far and wide over the area. She is 85 years of age and has retired up the mountain to a more secluded spot. She realizes that Jesse needs the lovesick cure and some work. Before long, Jesse is adept at doing farm chores; shes not so crazy about the 6 day lovesick cure (a horrible smelling chest poultice worn overnight).
Jesse takes her Aunt Will to the clinic, down the mountain. There she meets anther recipient of the cure a physicians assistant named Piney. He has lived with his teen basketball star son; his wife ran away and broke his heart, then returned years later and broke it again. Piney realizes that he will never marry again; its hard to find a woman hes not related to in this small town.
Piney and Dr. Mo have been treating Aunt Will and keeping her secret that she is dying. Piney encourages Aunt Will to tell Jesse soon she will not be able to care for herself. Jesse is planning on staying a couple of weeks; what will Aunt Will do then?
Piney soon realizes that hes interested in Jesse and she lets him know that the feeling is mutual. I was a bit shocked about how this conversation came about; otherwise, the dialog was humorous and fun. When Piney starts a friends-with-benefits arrangement with Jesse and his son finds out, things get a bit uncomfortable.
One of the subplots concerns Trees (Pineys son, a senior in high school; hoping for a basketball scholarship) and his girlfriend, Camryn. It is both realistic and interesting.
The major characters were well-drawn and helped move the plot. I enjoyed this book the Ozarks community was a character in the book. Of course, with Pamela Morsi, humor is an important ingredient in this story.
Marrying Stone
1. Marrying Stone (1994)
2. Simple Jess (1996)
3. The Lovesick Cure (2012)
