Paige is a 40-something woman dealing with the unexpected loss of her husband, Jesse.  She and her teenage son, Trey, have grief to work through.  On top of that, Paige is dealing with changes at work due to the death of her boss.  Paige plants a garden in her yard to help her cope, which is against the by-laws of the neighborhood.  What results from this conflict is both sad and humorous. 

 

What I like:  The plot and characters are interesting, and the writing is good.  I like how Paige decides to reach out to others and get to know them.  There are good messages about not judging others when you don’t know their circumstances, the importance of community and doing your best.  The way the new boss at Paige’s job, Lukas, is obsessed with a book about building a business by writer Petra Polly is funny.  The scene where Paige and her boss and co-workers meet Petra is a riot.  

 

The issues:  I didn’t care for the way the f-bomb is dropped throughout the book.  My reasoning is it’s possible to make your point without resorting to bad language.  I also didn’t like how the characters don’t think there is anything wrong with sleeping around.  I realize lifestyle is an individual choice.  I’m not trying to start a debate.  However, I’ve known people who chose this particular lifestyle and regretted it.

 

I did enjoy Digging In, but it’s not a book I’d care about reading again.  I would be interested in checking out some of the author’s other books.