Mrs. Saint and the Defectives Audiobook By Julie Lawson Timmer cover art

Mrs. Saint and the Defectives

A Novel

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Mrs. Saint and the Defectives

By: Julie Lawson Timmer
Narrated by: Elizabeth Wiley
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Critically acclaimed author Julie Lawson Timmer returns with a tale of how community can heal the brokenness in all of us.

Markie, a fortysomething divorcée who has suffered a humiliating and very public fall from marital, financial, and professional grace, moves, along with her teenage son, Jesse, to a new town, hoping to lick her wounds in private. But Markie and Jesse are unable to escape the attention of their new neighbor Mrs. Saint, an irascible, elderly New European woman who takes it upon herself, along with her ragtag group of "defectives," to identify and fix the flaws in those around her, whether they want her to or not.

What Markie doesn't realize is that Mrs. Saint has big plans for the divorcée's broken spirit. Soon, the quirky yet endearing woman recruits Markie to join her eccentric community, a world where both hidden truths and hope unite them. But when Mrs. Saint's own secrets threaten to unravel their fragile web of healing, it's up to Markie to mend these wounds and usher in a new era for the "defectives" - one full of second chances and happiness.

©2017 Julie Lawson Timmer (P)2017 Brilliance Publishing, Inc., all rights reserved. Family Life Fiction Genre Fiction Women's Fiction Feel-Good Heartfelt

Editorial reviews

Editors Select, August 2017

From the first day recently divorced Markie and her teenage son, Jesse, move into their downgrade of a bungalow, the curmudgeonly, busybody little woman with a French accent who lives next door will not leave them alone. Meet Mrs. Saint: a kind of mysterious matriarch who employs a quirky but loyal group of oddballs. Her skills of manipulation are exemplary, her unsolicited parenting advice unwelcome, but the intent behind her scheming will ultimately melt your heart. Narrator Elizabeth Wiley perfectly captures Markie's hurt and frustration, Jesse's teen angst, and Mrs. Saint's unapologetic directness. This is a light listen, perfect to devour in a summer day or two, with characters that stick out and hold tight long after the story ends. —Tricia, Audible Editor
Heartwarming Story • Unexpected Twists • Excellent Narration • Emotional Depth • Meaningful Message • Clear Voice
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Sometimes we find a book that really touches our souls. This one touched mine. It was not a romance, nor a thriller, not science fiction or fantasy. Family was the main theme while trying to make up for the past. Mrs. Saint and the Defectives is definitely a book I will read and listen to again. I definitely recommend this book.

Don't let the title throw you! Read this book.

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Though the plot was pretty predictable, I didn't find it boring. I actually liked how the story unfolded, and even though I really wished certain things turned out differently, it was still a good story that showed how different people deal with depression and change and cutting ourselves off from the world around us. Lots of interesting characters and the dynamic that builds between them is wonderful.

I want to be a serial adopter when I grow up

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An entertaining, emotive, life lesson. Gives you pause for thought and self examination without recrimination or preaching. A happy, hopeful story.

Everybody should listen to this.

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The characters are very relatable. I enjoyed the story it was a little hard to get into at first but then you find yourself in love and rooting for Marky. Mrs.Smith is fisty and loveable as well. It's a good heart warming story that reminds you there's a place for everyone.

Great story.

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I truly enjoyed this book. it was a change from what i normally read and I found it refreshing and funny. I would read more of her writing.



Good read

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While I enjoyed story, the writing of the book was droll in the constant regurgitation of the philandering husband. The book would have been amazing had a little more time been spent telling the story of Mrs. Saint. All the drama was held back for the last few chapters and while it was a great reveal, it left me wishing less time had been spent on talking about Kyle (husband) and more time about Mrs Saint.

Get to the point

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as much as I enjoyed the story, the narration was extremely annoying to listen to.

I enjoyed the story

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In retrospect it is kind of odd that I purchased this book to begin with. From the appearance of the book cover I had expectations of a lighthearted, tongue-in-cheek book, with a hardy-har-har type of humor ~ which is not my normal choice. I would guess that there are others that did not buy this book because of the misleading cover.
As for the actual book, the narrator is the primary character, Markie. She (Markie) spends a large portion of the book complaining and seeing all glasses as suspiciously half-full. This gets tiresome.
The redeeming portion of the book is the last several chapters, where everything comes together and is revealed. Although not a 'storybook' ending, it is mostly upbeat and with a positive message.
I wish that Audible had a 10-star rating system rather than 5. This book would have fallen in around a 7.

The book cover is misleading

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I enjoyed this story about second chances filled with quirky characters and all with a connection to the intriguing Mrs. Saint. Going in unexpected directions the novel kept me interested and on a bit of an emotional roller coaster ride - yet left me smiling at the end.

The world needs more Mrs. Saints

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this book was surprisingly good. I actually misread the title and thought it said detectives instead of defectives. it was a very cute book that showed that everyone has flaws inspite of what we may think.

surprised

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