Other People's Business: The Romantic Career of the Practical Miss Dale

Persis Dale is the kind of woman who can turn a chaotic household into a well‑ordered workshop with a single, brisk glance. When her neighbor, Mrs. West, arrives in a flurry of tangled fabrics and frantic questions, Persis steps in with dry humor and a knack for untangling both seams and personal dilemmas. Her practical mind and quick wit keep the household’s “anvil chorus” at bay, even as she juggles the eccentric demands of a brother whose health hinges on darkness and endless literary quotations.

The story follows Persis as she navigates her brother Joel’s obsessive quest for obscure scriptural meaning, a pursuit that threatens to overwhelm the calm she cultivates. While she steadies the household, a subtle, unexpected attraction begins to surface, hinting at a romance that could challenge her steadfast practicality. With sharp dialogue and a warm, small‑town backdrop, the novel invites listeners into a world where everyday chores become the stage for humor, heart, and the promise of something more.