Miracle on the 17th Green    by James Patterson & Peter De Jonge Order:  USA  Can Little, Brown & Co., 2010 (1996) Hardcover, CD Read an Excerpt     Reviewed by Mary Ann Smyth A reader always knows that when he/she picks up a book by James Patterson and Peter De Jonge that it will be a good one. Done deal. And that's the case with this book, originally published in 1996. Though not the mystery usually expected from Patterson and De Jonge, Miracle on the 17th Green is a nice change of pace. It's a delightful story with a big heart. Miracle on the 17th Green is short and a bit like a dream come true. Things just don't happen this way. But Travis McKinley has hit a huge downturn in his life – his wife seeks a divorce, he's let go from his job, and to top it off, he's late for Christmas dinner at his own home. He turns to golf to help him through the biggest bad patch he has ever faced. When he is fired from the job he had hated his whole working life, Travis realizes he's free now to do what he always wanted to do instead of writing jingles for television ads. When his amateur golf picks up the pace, he tries out for the Senior Golf Tour. Life starts looking up a bit. Tip: You don’t have to be a golfer to enjoy this little gem. I have never held a golf club in my life. Well, maybe just that once to take a picture on the golf course in front of the Great Pyramid. I certainly have never set foot on a course with a golf bag on my shoulder. I still heartily recommend this charmer of a book. It has a message too - we will never know what is just around the corner waiting for us if we don't take a peek around that corner. Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons. Find more Contemporary books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews