In the small coastal town of Hubbard, Oregon, your man may let you down, your boss may let you down, life may let you down . . . but your best friend never will.Welcome to Hubbard, where Petie Coolbaugh and Rose Bundy have been best friends since childhood. Now in their early thirties, both are grappling to come to terms with their age and station in life. As they struggle to make ends meet and provide for their children and the good-hearted but unreliable men in their lives, they take jobs cooking for a brand-new upscale restaurant, Souperior's Cafe, starting from scratch every morning to produce gallons of fresh soup from local recipes. The proprietors of the cafe, Nadine and Gordon, are fraternal twins from Los Angeles with adjustments of their own to make, but Rose's warmth and the quality of the women's soups quickly make them indispensable despite Petie's abrupt manner and prickly ways.The strains of daily life are never far, however, and the past takes its toll on the women. Petie's childhood as the daughter of the town drunk--a subject she won't talk about--keeps her at a distance from even her best friend, until an unexpected romance threatens to crack her tough exterior. And despite Rose's loving personality, the only man in her life is a loner fisherman who spends only a few months of the year in town. In this fishing village, friends are for life and love comes in the most unexpected ways. As the novel draws together lovers, husbands, employers, friends, and family, each woman finds possibilities for love and even grace that she had never imagined.First book by an author that I hope to read again. I would compare her style of writing to that of Kent Haruf. Rate this 4.5 out of 5.
While this was an interesting story set in a fictional Oregon coast town, I was hopeing for more "Going to Bend." I enjoyed the characters and the realistic situations they found themselves in. Sometimes it made me laugh out loud and other times I was nervous about what they were going to do. The title didn't fit for me and was the reason I bought the book so I guess it was disappointing even though the writing was really good. I am considering this author's novel following the same town. It has new characters in it and may be pretty good because the town of Hubbard definately grew on me.
Do You like book Going To Bend: A Novel (2005)?
I didn't start off in love with the characters, it took me a little bit to warm up to them but once I did I found I could really did find myself wanting to know what happened next to them. The town was interesting enough but really it was a the characters that kept me involved in the book. Rose and Petie were flawed and lovable and very human people. Their lives, kids, friends, and loves were all very real and left me glad I had met them. Not always a warm and fuzzy story but very uplifting and a very good take on female friendships.
—Martha Davis
Petie Coolbaugh and Rose Bundy were best friends during grade school. They are 31 years old now and still the best of friends. They are clearly different poeple in every way. Rose is kind, loving, patient and eager to help and please people. Petie is prickly, has no patience and has many past hurts and that have drawn her into herself making her somewhat unlikeabe to others. Once you read her story you find out why. The novel is about these two ladies and the people (for good or bad) who influence their lives.The novel takes place in the town of Hammond, Oregon. Rose and Petie are just trying to get by, living their lives without too much suffering and poverty and we get to see their small triumphs, moments of survival, and in the end you see the power of friendship and healing.Author Diane Hammond brings all her characters to life to the point that you feel you are in the story with them. Her writing style is somewhat like that of Fanny Flagg... with one big difference. Diane used profanity all through her novel to the point that I will probably not read another of her books. I got so tired of the F word that I almost put it down but the story was so compelling that I did finish it. None of the characters were without flaws, and most had very big flaws. You learn what down and out means, what living without happiness (ever) means, what good friends can do for you and just what a treasure a good family is. I cried a little knowing that there really are people out there suffering trials just like the characters in "Going to Bend". If you are not offended by swearing of all kinds, you will probably really enjoy this novel. I think I will stick to Fannie Flagg novels.
—Joan
