The reading circle

the long version

With one year to show her library's value to the community, librarian Maura Beth Mayhew tries to raise the library's profile through a book club, while clashing with a councilman determined to divert library funds for another project. "Welcome to the quirky town of Cherico, Mississippi, where potluck meetings at the local library provide a feast for mind and stomach alike. . . If some folks had their way, the Cherico Library would have shut down long ago. Councilman Durden Sparks aims to divert funding to a cause dear to his heart--and his wallet. With the aid of gumption and good friends, librarian Maura Beth Mayhew has finagled a one-year reprieve, and the burgeoning book club is raising the library's profile one mouthwatering meeting at a time. But more members mean more opinions. . . While the Forrest Gump-themed shrimp dishes are a universal hit, meetings don't always go according to plan. Between spirited debate over book choices and surprising revelations and relationship hiccups--including Maura Beth's fledgling romance--there's a lot to discuss. And just when bad luck threatens to finish the library for good, the Cherry Cola Book Club may learn that the best stories have twists--and heroes--you never expected"--