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April Aasheim
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The Universe is a Very Big Place Paperback – April 2, 2013

by April Aasheim (Author)
3.7 3.7 out of 5 stars 64 ratings
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As the daughter of a fortune-telling mother and a scam artist father, Spring Ryan wants nothing more than to leave her carnival roots behind her, fall in love, and live the normal life she’s always dreamed of. But things aren’t working out exactly as planned. For starters, the love of Spring’s life, Trevor Donnelly, has disappeared without a phone call, an email, or even a message in her Twitter feed. To make matters worse, her mother, an eccentric nudist, moves in ‘just until she’s done with menopause.’ And finally, Spring’s boss has decreed that she must escort a life-sized condom around town to promote teen abstinence in the community. So much for normal. Heartbroken and resigned, Spring agrees to marry Sam Wayne, a balding banker with an appreciation for God, books, and a well-mashed potato. He may not be her Prince Charming, but at least he can give her the stability she thinks she needs. But as her nuptials to Sam draw nearer, an intriguing stranger enters the picture who soon has Spring questioning everything she thought she wanted. In the end, Spring must decide if she should stay the course or trust in The Universe and take a second shot at love.
Previous page
  1. Print length
    258 pages
  2. Language
    English
  3. Publication date
    April 2, 2013
  4. Dimensions
    6 x 0.65 x 9 inches
  5. ISBN-10
    0615757103
  6. ISBN-13
    978-0615757100
  7. See all details
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Editorial Reviews

Review

"Laugh-Out-Loud-Funny." -Bestchicklit.com

About the Author

April Aasheim did not have a conventional childhood. When she wasn't traveling the carnival circuit with her parents, she was exploring ghost towns in the Superstition Mountains or learning to read Tarot with her mother. The second oldest of six children, April hails from a zany family and brings her diverse life experiences to every book. The Universe is a Very Big Place is her first novel.

Product details

  • Publisher ‏ : ‎ Dark Root Press (April 2, 2013)
  • Language ‏ : ‎ English
  • Paperback ‏ : ‎ 258 pages
  • ISBN-10 ‏ : ‎ 0615757103
  • ISBN-13 ‏ : ‎ 978-0615757100
  • Item Weight ‏ : ‎ 13.4 ounces
  • Dimensions ‏ : ‎ 6 x 0.65 x 9 inches
  • Customer Reviews:
    3.7 3.7 out of 5 stars 64 ratings

About the author

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April Aasheim

April Aasheim

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***USA Today Best Selling Author. Avid Reader. Amateur Ghost Hunter. Author of Witchy Things.***

April Aasheim is an avid researcher, and a believer in all things magick. April lives in Portland, Oregon, with her family and her familiar: Boots the Cat.

Books by April Aasheim

(MAIN SERIES)

The Daughters of Dark Root Series.

Book 1: The Witches of Dark Root (2013)

Book 2: The Magick of Dark Root (2014)

Book 3: The Curse of Dark Root: Part 1 (2015)

Book 4: The Curse of Dark Root: Part 2 (2016)

Book 5: The Shadows of Dark Root (2017)

(DAUGHTERS OF DARK ROOT SEQUEL SERIES)

The Children of Dark Root Series:

Book 1: Inherited Magick: Coming Fall 2018

Book 2: Gifted Magick: Coming Fall 2019

(DAUGHTERS OF DARK ROOT PREQUEL SERIES)

ALCHEMY OF A WITCH-PART ONE: Calcination and Dissolution

ALCHEMY OF A WITCH--PART TWO: Separation and Conjunction

ALCHEMY OF A WITCH--PART THREE: Fermentation

ALCHEMY OF A WITCH--PART FOUR: Distillation and Coagulation

Dark Root Companion Short Stories and Novellas

Prequel: The Council of Dark Root: Armand (Novella, 2014)

Prequel: A Dark Root Christmas: Merry's Gift (Novella, 2015)

Prequel: A Dark Root Halloween: The Witching Hour (Short Story, 2016)

Prequel: A Dark Root Samhain: A Lesson in Magick (Short Story, 2017. Available in Witch or Treat multi-author anthology)

Prequel: A Dark Root Solstice: Aunt Dora's Dilemma (Short Story, 2017. Available in Jingle Bells and Spells Multi-Author anthology)

The Pumpkin Problem

Magick Mistletoe

The Reed Hollow Chronicles:

Touch of Light: A Baylee Scott Paranormal Mystery

Touch of Shadow: A Baylee Scott Paranormal Mystery

Touch of Lace: A Baylee Scott Paranormal Mystery Short Story (Available Summer 2018 in Spell or High Water)

Also available from April Aasheim:

The Universe is a Very Big Place (A quirky romantic comedy)

The Good Girl's Guide to Being a Demon (Part of The Woodland Creek Series).

The Last Soldier (A short story in The Ghost and the Cigarette.) June 2018.

Follow April Aasheim on Facebook:aprilaasheimwriter

Sign up for April's newsletter at aprilaasheimwriter.com to receive information on new releases, book promotions, contests and giveaways, and more about the author and her books.

Customer reviews

3.7 out of 5 stars
3.7 out of 5
64 global ratings

Top reviews from the United States

Dr. Gregg E. Townsley
5.0 out of 5 stars Real people, real situations, in a fictional setting sure to remind you of your own.
Reviewed in the United States on November 23, 2013
Verified Purchase
I'm new to reading fiction. So my appreciation for books like April's springs from a life-long habit of reading non-fiction. Quickly said, I've made a nearly 50-year habit of reading books I felt I could trust to be true.

A couple of years ago things changed. And in the course of one year -- hard to believe, I know, but I was driven -- I read nearly everything by Kurt Vonnegut, Carl Hiaasen, Randy Wayne White and Tim Dorsey. April's first book reminds me of Tim Dorsey's work -- a popular Florida author with some laugh out loud characters and story lines that you know to be truer than most people would expect or like.

To be frank, April's book was on the top of my reading list because I knew her late father. An extraordinarily talented martial artist, and a wonderfully interesting man married to an equally fascinating woman, I didn't expect to see so much of their story skillfully woven into someone else's. But that's what makes good fiction, I think. In my own writing -- I write historical fiction, set in Nevada in the 1880s -- I put it this way: "real people, real places, the way the West was won."

April does just that. Real people, real situations, in a fictional setting sure to remind you of your own. I recommend her work. This first book of April's is still my favorite.
One person found this helpful
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The Bionic Stan
3.0 out of 5 stars It's okay
Reviewed in the United States on March 29, 2015
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This started well enough -- not laugh-out-loud funny as some reviewers said, but it kept me turning the pages. It did take me a while to get into it, both because the opening chapters alternated between Spring's story and John's, and because within each chapter the narrator alternated between some past year and the present. But that wasn't too distracting.

Somewhere around the two-thirds mark, though, the story bogged down. Partly, it had become obvious who was going to end up with who, so there was no dramatic tension left. I did finish, but only because I had insomnia.

Also, though I've seen books that are worse in this regard, the author's mistakes of English began to grate on me more and more. Spring had to deal with "envelops", so spelled twice in a paragraph. And the past tense of "lie on the bed" should be "lay on the bed", not "lie on the bed". There were plenty more of that sort, basic stuff that an editor would have fixed instantly. The less-interesting fnal third just needed a major rewrite to be more interesting.

If you see this on a day when it's free, and you want something pleasant and unchallenging to read, go for it.
4 people found this helpful
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Robynhasthree
4.0 out of 5 stars funny
Reviewed in the United States on October 17, 2014
Verified Purchase
I enjoyed the humor in this story. This book didn't suck me in like some others have but it held my interest. I did want to find out how it all played out with each of the unique characters.
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Rachel Barnard
5.0 out of 5 stars Coincidence and Karma
Reviewed in the United States on December 29, 2017
Verified Purchase
Spring is having a mid life crisis and she's only in her thirties. She's settled for the life that she thinks is what she wants: normal. She has her boring fiance, her two rambunctious twins, and a job she doesn't like. Everything is perfect. Except that life has other plans for Spring. First her mother moves in and then she meets a nice stranger who can't forget her.

This book was a fun and easy read, but it also contained an interesting and not your run-of-the-mill main character. The dialogue was super fun and sometimes really cheeky. I loved every scene where people talked to each other. Everything they said was realistic and entertaining. I would love to see a play written by this author.

Spring is a loveable mess. Sam is boring on the outside, but has his interesting secret quirks. Sam treats her like a fixer upper and their exchanges are hilarious. Even the ex from Spring's carnival upbringing had his own distinct personality. Spring's mother was a hoot and so was the neighbor.

Every character had a full personality. The attention to detail for the characters' backstories and quirks and little tics was amazing.
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GinnyReader
3.0 out of 5 stars Cute book!
Reviewed in the United States on November 6, 2014
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This was a cute book (would make a nice beach read) but at times the characters were confusing. I liked Spring, even though she seemed a bit too ditzy to have the smarts she did have. I loved the feel good ending - won't give away the plot because it's a surprise!
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Heideegirl
4.0 out of 5 stars I thought this book was a fun read.
Reviewed in the United States on August 28, 2014
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I thought this book was a fun read...the characters were a hoot - especially Lanie. Give it a try - I think you'll enjoy it.
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Anjena
2.0 out of 5 stars Hm
Reviewed in the United States on December 11, 2015
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This was not for me. Written in another way I might have enjoyed it more. But as it was now it didn't appeal to me at all. It started off kind ok but turned really weird.
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Miranda
5.0 out of 5 stars The Universe is a Very Big Place and I want to be a part of it!
Reviewed in the United States on August 15, 2012
Verified Purchase
Reading, The Universe is a Very Big Place by April Aasheim, was like stepping into another world! If you are looking for a great summer read, this book provides!

This book was written in a way, that I was able to step inside this vivid, beautiful and creative place and see the world through the eyes of the child that grew up traveling with the carnival, craving stability and normalcy. I was able to become the woman with the zany, but loving mother, who always had her daughter's best interest at heart. And step into the shoes of that woman with the love problems we can all relate to.

This book made me laugh, fight with the characters, smile and not want to stop "turning" the pages. It was a delightfully, easy read that I didn't want to end. I cannot wait to read more of April Aasheim's books!
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Top reviews from other countries

Pamela Taylor
5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome
Reviewed in Australia on January 16, 2018
Verified Purchase
I haven’t enjoyed a book this much in a long time. I just loved Spring's story and my God, her mother was hilarious I had to laugh out loud almost every time she spoke. I loved the ending John is gorgeous and I even ended up liking Sam. Have to get the next book.
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Lyn Wilson
5.0 out of 5 stars LAUGH OUT LOUD
Reviewed in the United Kingdom on September 19, 2013
Verified Purchase
I absolutely loved this book. Had me laughing out loud and smiling the whole way through. Very easy reading and not too many characters to remember. I would definitely recommend to chick lit fans and I can't wait to read more by April Aasheim.
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