This week’s book recommendation is homegrown here in Northwest Arkansas! The author is an nwaMotherlode founder, Gwen Rockwood. (The book’s editor just happens to be the other nwaMotherlode founder, Shannon Magsam.) You may have also read Gwen’s work as a weekly columnist in the Arkansas Democrat Gazette. Her column, The Rockwood Files, appears on Thursdays. But THIS book, titled Checked Out, is her first novel. It’s available in paperback, hardcover, and an Audible version we love!
Book title: Checked Out, by Gwen Rockwood
Author: Gwen Rockwood
Genre: Contemporary Women’s Fiction
What it’s about (without spoilers):
A post-graduation stopover in her small hometown turns into career quicksand. Can love help her climb out?
After college, 23-year-old Kelsey Whitaker expected a dream job—not a one-way ticket back to her small hometown with nothing but a psychology degree her dad predicted would be useless. By day, she scans groceries and silently analyzes the contents of shopping carts. By night, she scours job boards, desperate for her Big Career Break.
Then a customer slips her a receipt with a desperate plea for help scribbled on the back. Soon, Kelsey is running a secret counseling service from her checkout lane—where her “clients” keep multiplying, the risks keep rising, and the guy in produce keeps making her wonder if escape is really what she wants.
When a long-distance dream job finally comes calling, Kelsey must decide: race toward the future she’s always imagined, or hold on to the unexpected purpose—and love—she’s found in the last place she thought she’d belong.
Why readers like it:
Readers love the slow-burn chemistry, the hometown vibes, the grocery store setting, the new adult job angst, and the witty dialogue combined with quick pacing that keeps you turning pages. (Keep an eye out for the horse statue part of the story because the idea behind it originates from a horse right here in Northwest Arkansas!)
What reviewers say:
“Checked Out is first and foremost a romance, but it is also a book about family, friendship, and home. I rarely read past my bedtime because my sleep is sacred, but I couldn’t put it down until I read the last word. I loved it.” ~ Tammy in Fargo, North Dakota
“Fabulous book. I just could not put it down. Can’t wait for the next book!” ~ Lisa from Atlanta, Georgia
“Checked Out is funny and friendly and touched all my emotions! It’s a great read and I can’t recommend it enough.” ~ Alaina in Nashville, Tenn.
About the author:
Gwen Rockwood makes her fiction debut with “Checked Out.” She is also the author of the award-winning newspaper column “The Rockwood Files,” published in newspapers across Arkansas, Missouri, and Oklahoma. Her first book, “Reporting Live from the Laundry Pile,” is a collection of fan-favorite essays from her column. Gwen is a cheese dip addict, a late-night reader, and a mom to three incredible humans. Born in the Rice Capital of the World and a graduate of the University of Arkansas, she currently lives in Arkansas with her husband Tom and their bossy dog.
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