The happy camper /

Enhanced descriptions from Syndetics:

Home is the place to heal, right? At least, that's what Dillon Michaels is hoping as she leaves her disappointing career and nonstarter love life behind to help her grieving and aging grandfather on his small Oregon farm. The only problem? Her eccentric mother beat her there and has taken over Dillon's old room. After a few nights sleeping on a sagging sofa, Dillon is ready to give up, until she receives an unlikely gift--her grandfather's run-down vintage camp trailer, which she quickly resolves to restore with the help of Jordan Atwood, the handsome owner of the local hardware store.

But just when things are finally beginning to run smoothly, Dillon's noncommittal ex-boyfriend shows up with roses . . . and a ring.

Full of quirky characters, family drama, and sweet romance, The Happy Camper will have you scouring Craigslist for your own diamond-in-the-rough camper to restore and haunting your local hardware store for a handy guy to help your dreams come true.

Reviews provided by Syndetics

Library Journal Review

Dillon Michaels slaves away at an office job that she doesn't care much about while she dates a guy she's trying a little too hard to love. In the space of a few days, she walks away from both the man and the job to live on her grandfather's farm in Oregon. There, she finds that her grandpa is depressed, her mother is as dysfunctional as ever, and the house is a mess. Rediscovering the joy of manual labor, Dillon tries her hand at refurbishing a vintage camping trailer, with help from a handsome hardware store owner, and discovers that, with a little diligence, just about anything can be restored. At times a lovable cliché, this story is a satisfying, light spring break read. VERDICT Packed with a lot of small-town charm and a little bit of faith, Carlson's latest (Christmas in Winter Hill) delivers a fun romance with crossover appeal. The author is prolific, but she hasn't lost her touch for modern romantic fiction. Recommended as a stand-alone for new Carlson readers and fans of Courtney Walsh and Sandra D. Bricker.--Christine Barth, Scott Cty. Lib. Syst., IA

Publishers Weekly Review

Carlson (Christmas in Winter Hill) delivers a light romance in this cute inspirational. Inconsiderate and unpunctual Brandon Kranze has made Dillon Michaels wait one too many times. After she ends their relationship, she asks God for help and leaves her job in Colorado Springs to head home to Oregon to care for her grandfather. There she finds her newly single mother has moved into Dillon's old room, leaving Dillon to sleep on the couch. When Dillon's grandfather gives her an old trailer on his property, she loves it and quickly gets to work fixing it up. It doesn't hurt that doing so gives her a reason to see Jordan Atwood, the handsome owner of the local hardware store who also happens to own a vintage trailer. She's eager to get to know him better, but someone else is competing for Jordan's affections. Brandon also shows up, determined to win back Dillon's heart. Dillon, through it all, relies on God's strength to see her through. Memorable characters and a satisfying inspirational core make this one a winner. (Mar.)

Author notes provided by Syndetics

Melody Carlson was born in San Francisco, California on March 2, 1956. She graduated from Lane Community College. Before becoming a Christian author, she volunteered in teen ministry, taught preschool, and worked briefly in interior design and in international adoption. She has written over 200 books for children, pre-teens, young adults, and adults including Revell, Finding Alice, The Christmas Bus, the Diary of a Teenage Girl series, and the Carter House Girls series.

(Bowker Author Biography)