Little Town, Great Big Life »

So what if Winston Valentine is ninety-two years old? He isn't dead yet! And he's out to prove it. His exuberant show of life—coming to you live from radio dial 1550—revitalizes Valentine, Oklahoma, for its centennial celebration. The townsfolk are determined to make this an anniversary to remember.

Except Belinda Blaine, who, at thirty-eight, doesn't feel like celebrating. Suddenly she's carrying a child—and the guilt of an earlier pregnancy nearly twenty years ago. No one in her close-knit community knows of either, including her sweet-mannered husband, Lyle. But disclosing this pregnancy will mean revealing her past and opening her heart. And Belinda's not quite ready for that.

As Belinda struggles over what to do, she finds comfort in unexpected places. After all, in Valentine, neighbors are family and strangers are friends. And this small town holds secrets and mysteries, and takes care of its own.

Publishers Weekly

Valentine, Okla., is the kind of town where everybody knows or wants everybody else's secrets; a handicapped boy is appreciated for his deep wisdom; an old man and a dog get featured on a radio show; and when a stranger comes to town and stays, he's likely to be running from something. In the latest entry in Matlock's bighearted Valentine series (Chin Up, Honey), births, deaths, and the town's centennial celebration form the framework for insightful humor and a sense of close-knit community. Belinda Blaine at the drugstore might be pregnant and is wondering what to do. Seventeen-year-old Paris Miller keeps piling on makeup to hide the bruises inflicted by her grandfather, whom she nevertheless can't bear to lose. Fayrene Gardener, who owns the cafe, is falling for the stranger in town, but is he just another man who'll let her down? And then there's beloved 92-year-old Winston Valentine, who holds everyone together but might finally have to let go of life. Readers should hold on to their hearts; losing them to these unforgettable characters is a real possibility. (June)