Roxanne Platt is not perfect; she’s a heroine with foibles. But she knows there’s got to be more to life than scanning groceries. In the 13 years employed as a checker, she’s seen her share of managers, but none as tyrannical as Stan Kemplehoff, her current tormentor-in-chief. His micro-managing, bullying ways have driven her to reassess her life, an examination that leaves her feeling hopeless and irritable.
As she scours the Classifieds for alternative employment, she is struck by the lack of opportunities, contrasted by the almost endless real estate ads, boasting photos of eager realtors, all vying for the ever-dwindling pool of eligible buyers. Recalling an agent who’d been in her checkout line—short on sense and long on enthusiasm—Roxanne wonders why she couldn’t enjoy the same success as Lois Bronsen—top 2% in the county.
After first dismissing the notion as absurd, Roxanne boldly takes the plunge into the character-ridden world of real estate, disregarding all cautioning about the state of the economy and the record foreclosures. What she discovers as she wades into shark-infested waters is a talent for negotiating and problem-solving, and an inner strength she didn’t know she possessed.
Armed with an acerbic wit and the willpower to make a better life for herself and her son, Roxanne forges ahead despite all the obstacles and pitfalls, continually getting herself into one predicament after another. The more desperate her situation gets, the more determined she becomes, and the more she realizes her future lies solely in her own hands.
Golden State is a potpourri of characters—imperious bosses, screwy coworkers, steadfast friends, assorted male admirers, and a family full of over-educated, underachieving kooks. Roxanne deals with them all in her indomitable fashion, never giving up or compromising who she is or who she wants to become.