The ten stories in Carl Parsons’ short story collection, Town and Country, focus on the people of the Mid-Ohio Valley, a region that overlaps with the northwestern part of Virginia and eastern Ohio. It’s mostly known for charming towns, historical sites, and natural beauty. The stories revolve around the people who live and work here, and showcase their lives, loves, and the importance of community.
The first part of the book is titled “Stories from the Town” and keeps the stories inside city limits and highlights the humor and drama of town life, as well as those who both escape it and those who never do. The opening story, “Regrets”, is one of the latter. Joe returns home a widower, coming back to face the regrets he left behind years ago. He finds himself a stranger in his hometown as everyone he knew has moved on, so he ends up alone with his thoughts.
Other stories, like “Judith and Philip”, offer an interesting twist. This story plays out like a love story, but there’s more happening under the surface. Much like most lives in small towns, there is drama going on behind the scenes.
“Jocelyn’s Romance” highlights this, with an attractive married woman who is constantly being hit on by other men in the community. Some even go so far as to lie about who they are just to get close to her.
The second half of the book is titled “Stories from the Country” and shifts the focus to the rural communities, the isolated farms and country folk. The four stories here feel like they change in tone to match the setting and show that no matter where one may live, there is always going to be a story to tell.
Overall, the collection of stories in Town and Country carries the themes of rural and small-town life like the rumors and gossip, the helping hands and close communities, and the people who try to leave and the ones that stay. Parson does a great job of capturing all this on the page, in the characters, and in the dialogue.
I recommend this collection for readers who enjoy comfy stories that focus on people and relationships. There’s no action here, no explosions or car chases. It’s simply down-home fiction that shows life in the Mid-Ohio Valley.
This review was originally posted at Reader Views. For more book reviews and recommendations, check out my Reading List page.
RB