I am not much of a chick lit fan. When I do pick up a book from that genre, I want the characters to be robust (not fluffy), the plot to be strong (not saccharine) and the dialogue to have at least a passing resemblance to the way the women I know (including myself) actually talk. To my pleasant surprise, That Crazy Little Thing, the debut novel by Kate Bracy, hit the mark on all three points.

The novel opens with Melanie, the narrator, in a mediocre and unchallenging job, twenty pounds overweight, and raising a good hearted but rebellious teenage daughter. When her best friend, Donna, is diagnosed with cancer something clicks in Melanie and she sets out to lift a burden Donna has been secretly carrying for decades – before it is too late.

That Crazy Little Thing is a well-crafted piece of work. Bracy has spent time putting this story together for us. The story is believable and we can relate to it. (Who among us, for example, has not found ourselves waiting for an urgent call on our cell, only to find, as we stare at "3 missed calls" in horror, that the phone has been on "silent" the whole time?) Yes, That Crazy Little Thing is a session in girl talk, but it speaks to more than "just us girls."

That Crazy Little Thing by Kate Bracy is the story of Melanie Davis, a divorced mother who seems to lead an ordinary life working in a psychiatric clinic. Abandoned by her husband for a blonde, she is raising her sometimes difficult teenage daughter, Jessie. In the same week when her childhood friend Donna is diagnosed with cancer and reveals a surprising fact from her past, Melanie also discovers that her boss has a little romantic secret. Thus starts Melanie’s path to learning the real meaning of love. As she sets out to make the lives of the people she cares about happier, she transforms her personal story into something extraordinary.

Kate Bracy is a gifted writer. As we follow Melanie’s narration, we cannot help but be touched by her tale. Sometimes naïve but always humorous, Melanie is an endearing story teller who becomes very real. Indeed, it is amazing how the author is able to paint her characters so vividly in a few straightforward words. We empathize with the novel’s characters because we deal with people like them in our own lives, too.

This is a novel about friendship and love – a dangerously familiar theme. However, through Kate Bracy’s unique voice we find ourselves – in spite of ourselves – hopeful about that crazy little thing called love.

Loved the book. It made me laugh and cry!