Mildred Budge in Cloverdale

By: Daphne Simpkins

Narrated by: Virtual Voice

From the author of Lovejoy and Blessed comes a series about church ladies of the South. After reading this first novel in the series, fans of Southern fiction write, "I want to live next door to Mildred Budge."

A retired school teacher, Mildred Budge just wants to live a quiet life in her hometown of Cloverdale. But retirement does not mean she can say no to a friend--not a friend in trouble. Mildred Budge knows how. A disciplined woman, Mildred can breathe the word "no" to a second cup of ice cream. Can resist drinking too much champagne. But when it comes right down to a friend needing a favor, she may say no first, but if someone really needs her—really needs her! —she always said yes.

That’s how Mildred ended up with strangers camped out in her spare bedroom while helping her friend Fran to start a new business at the antique emporium.

The only real 'no' Mildred had said in recent history was to a man who loved her. Hugh wasn’t the first man to pursue her. But he was the most recent. And she had been flattered but not interested—not in the way he wanted her to be interested. Hugh didn’t give up right away. He lodged himself near her at church. Found her in the church kitchen after a fellowship supper to aid in the clean-up. And finally, her would-be lover had just asked her to say 'yes' to him outright. That was the moment when Mildred had to say a final 'no.' Only her best friend Fran understood. Fran said when Mildred finally felt the regretful effects of that no, “We’re all of us such fools.”
But they aren’t fools. Mildred Budge and her friends are just people trying to live inside the faith released from heaven through the One who didn’t say no.
This is the first novel in the series about Mildred Budge and her friends—just ordinary people trying to live out an extraordinary hope available to anyone who realizes what kind of help he or she really needs. That hope has a name, and Mildred Budge knows it. Need hope? Need a friend. Mildred Budge is a very good friend. If you like spending time with people who are just ordinary but extraordinarily hopeful, then you’ll love this story. Get a copy of this first novel in the series and find out for yourself what church ladies really think.

About the author: Daphne Simpkins is an Alabama writer who writes about a variety of subjects and often on the secret lives of church ladies. Befriend her on Facebook, Twitter, or Linkedin.com. To sign up for new release information go to DaphneSimpkins.org.
Other Mildred Budge titles include: Mildred Budge in Embankment, The Bride’s Room and Kingdom Come. Early short stories which were published in the United States and Canada are in two books: Miss Budge in Love and The Mission of Mildred Budge. A stand-alone Christmas story featuring Mildred Budge and her friend Dixie is Miss Budge Goes to Fountain City.
Other titles by Daphne Simpkins are: The Long Good Night, A Cookbook for Katie, What Al Left Behind, Blessed, Lovejoy, a novel about desire.

The story was good, a Christian fiction that was without the typical foul language that is so tiresome.

I did not appreciate the "virtual" narration. It was devoid of emotion. The story was supposed to be set in Alabama. No southern accents detected. Very flat and almost monotone. I probably won't listen the next one in the series.

Good clean reading!

I enjoyed this book, it wasn’t super exciting, but the story was good and kind of a surprise ending.

The artificial AI voice was horrible.

It was impossible to listen to the computer generated voice. The computer had very little inflection. It did not recognize certain words, i.e., “tsk, tsk. I’m so disappointed.

Unfortunate horrible, robotic, virtual voice.

The virtual voice ruined the listening experience. It was horrible! And because of that, I won’t be continuing the series. It is such a shame because the storyline and characters were good.

Narrated by AI

This is my first book to be narrated by AI. I definitely prefer to have a person reading the books. It just lacks the emotion that the writer put in their book.I loved the story! Well written!

AI narration misses the mark

The “narrator “ was unable to pick up on many nuances of expression or variations in affect, making the entire reading rather flat. I listened to all of the book, thinking the story might have some redeeming quality which would make the listening less unbearable, but the book itself was not worth the listen.

This book is no Mitford place, as it was advertised.

It’s a good southern Baptist book with a very small amount of humor. It’s just not a very good book. I gave it 2 stars because I didn’t want to be cruel.