This well written, character driven novel has dual time lines that take place in 1928 and 1978 in a small Missouri town. The story line is based on thThis well written, character driven novel has dual time lines that take place in 1928 and 1978 in a small Missouri town. The story line is based on the Flowers sisters - identical twins Violet and Rose. In the 1978 time line, we also meet Lettie -Rose's daughter and Daisy - Rose's granddaughter.
1928 - Rose and Violet were twins in looks but had totally different personalities. Violet was always looking for a good time and loved to spend time dancing at the local dance hall. Rose was quiet and enjoyed being home. Despite their differences, the twins were very close and shared all of their secrets with each other. One night in August, 1928, their lives changed dramatically. Violet had gone to the local dance hall with her boyfriend. During that evening, a huge explosion at the dance hall claimed the lives of dozens of young people including Violet. Rose struggled with the loss of her sister and ended up marrying the son of the owners of the local funeral home.
1978 - Possum Hills was still a small town where everyone knew what was going on with all of the people in town. Rose still owned the funeral home and was estranged from her only child Letty, who had left town as soon as she could and never looked back. One day, Lettie arrived with a boyfriend and her 15 year old daughter. Lettie's stop in town was short -- she dumped her daughter with a grandmother that she never knew and then Lettie left town to start a new life in California with her boyfriend. Daisy wasn't happy with being in small town Missouri. She and her grandmother lived upstairs and the funeral home was below them. She didn't really know or understand her grandmother and didn't know anyone in town. She managed to get an internship at the local newspaper and learned about the dance hall fire fifty years earlier. She wanted to do a story about the fire to commemorate the 50th anniversary but when she tries to talk to the survivors, most of them don't want to talk about it. This small town holds some big secrets, and the more Daisy looks into the history of the town, the more secrets that come to light. Will the secrets that she uncovers bring the people in town closer to each other or will they continue to ignore the truth of the fire?
This book had some fantastic characters - Daisy was an inquisitive young girl who had a hard life moving around with her mother. At the beginning, she hated the small town and wasn't too impressed with her grandmother Rose. Even though Rose could be difficult and outspoken, she still wished for a relationship with her granddaughter. Rose was appalled when Daisy wanted to learn more about the fire fifty years earlier and wanted the town secrets to remain secrets. But are the prices that we pay for secrets worth avoiding the truth? The story is about grief and loss but also about love and forgiveness. This is a family of strong women that I won't forget. This is a debut novel for this author and I look forward to her future books. ...more
I love books set in Michigan but this book wasn't for me. It's a look at the brutality vs the sweetness of rural life. I love books set in Michigan but this book wasn't for me. It's a look at the brutality vs the sweetness of rural life. ...more
I started this book thinking that it would be a light fluffy romance and it ended up being way more than that. Yes, there is a romance but it's also aI started this book thinking that it would be a light fluffy romance and it ended up being way more than that. Yes, there is a romance but it's also a story about a small town and the wonderful people who live there and a look at a big city rich girl versus a small town boat builder.
Lillian is a workaholic. She started and owns a popular lifestyle show that is on television, magazines and specials. Her products are well known and have many followers. Her days are fully scheduled and she spends all of her time working or creating ideas for the program. When the co-host of the show, blows up on TV and accuses her of trying to make him look bad her sister, the co-owner of the brand, asks her to go on vacation for a few weeks until the scandal blows over. Niles is just the talking head of the program but has many fans who follow him on social media and think that he owns the company.
Lillian goes to Blink, Maine - population 204. She starts off wrong with Caleb who is a boat builder in town. He's well thought of by the people in town but was really nasty to Lillian because he thought that she was there for some nefarious reason. The anger and nasty remarks toward each other lessen as the sparks begin to fly between the two of them.
As Lillian spends more time in Blink and gets to know the townspeople better, she wonders if she can ever go back to NYC and her busy lifestyle when her heart wants her to stay with Caleb in Blink.
I'll admit that I wasn't really impressed with Caleb in the first third of the book -- Yeah, he'd had a tough life after his wife left town and left behind their daughter, now a teenager - but he was really snarky to Lillian and made no secret of his dislike of her. For me the story picked up after they got more friendly. The other plus in the book for me were the townspeople. There's a store owner who loves spreading secrets, a female 'handyman' who befriends Lillian and an entire group who welcomes Lillian to town even before they know who she is. Lillian was a great character and changed over the course of the book as she learned to relax and enjoy life. This was a heartwarming story about love and family and a town full of great people. It's a heartwarming story and everyone gets their happily ever after.
This is the first book in a new series and I look forward to going back to Blink, Maine with another story in the future.
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own....more
Mary May is in trouble. She works for a rich woman as a maid and covets her lifestyle. Mary is about to lose her home and has been fired from being caMary May is in trouble. She works for a rich woman as a maid and covets her lifestyle. Mary is about to lose her home and has been fired from being caught trying on her employers clothes and jewelry. She doesn't like her life and wishes for a husband and children, friends and a better life than she's living now. She ties a wish to the Wishing Tree that changes her life. When she wakes up in the morning, her yard is full of money - lots of money that have fallen from her maple tree. This continues day after day. She rakes the money up and uses it to do renovations on her house, buys better clothes and a car and hopes to be accepted by the richer people in town. But the money does not make her happy and she tries to discover what her tree wants her to do with her new riches. However, when other people find out about her new riches, she is arrested for stealing from her previous employer. Will she go to jail or will she learn the importance of sharing her money with people less fortunate?
Ashley Farley always writes book with great characters and Mary May is a wonderful, caring character who is learning valuable lessons in her life. This is a great story about friendship and sharing.
Liz is a popular New York artist who is burned out from all of the attention and decides to spend the summer in Bar Harbor to decide what her next steLiz is a popular New York artist who is burned out from all of the attention and decides to spend the summer in Bar Harbor to decide what her next step is. She stops in Linden Falls to deliver a painting that was done for Neva at the Bed and Breakfast. When she arrives, Neva gives her a room for the night and they have a picnic under the Wishing Tree. Liz is very skeptical over Neva's belief in the tree but agrees to take a wish from the tree. When she reads the wish -- Help me Find a Mom, she knows that this isn't a wish that she can make happen. As she is leaving, Neva asks her to return a wallet to one of her previous guests since it's on the way. She meets Mark and his son Cameron there and decides to spend more time with them instead of going to Bar Harbor. When she finds out that Cameron wrote the wish she took from the tree, she wonders if she'll be able to grant him his wish.
This is a great story -- Mark is too good to be true and Cameron is a loving little boy. Will they help Liz determine what direction she wants her life to go? ...more
Pam and Steve are childhood friends and now they work at the same gym as personal trainers. They've both had messy divorces and decide to make a pact Pam and Steve are childhood friends and now they work at the same gym as personal trainers. They've both had messy divorces and decide to make a pact not to date anyone. A couple that they both train as well as lots of people in town think that they belong together and with the help of the Wishing Tree, they all know that they can be successful - at least everyone but Pam and Steve.
Pam's mom and friends convince her to try on-line dating after her ex- husband visits Linden Falls with his new girlfriend. She's reluctant but agrees to try it for 30 days. She meets some real losers on some very humorous dates and is glad when the 30 days is over. Will the Wishing Tree and the people in town get their wish of seeing Pam and Steve end up together?
I enjoyed both of the main characters in this story. No tears in this one but some laughs over Pam's disastrous dates....more
Paige lived in Boston with her husband. After he died in an accident she moves back to Linden Falls to live with her mom and help her at the bookstorePaige lived in Boston with her husband. After he died in an accident she moves back to Linden Falls to live with her mom and help her at the bookstore she owns. Paige is looking forward to future plans with her mom and is devastated when her mom died unexpectedly. At first she isn't sure what do but decides to stay in town to take care of her mother's bookshop. She thinks that the Wishing Tree is only folklore but when she finds one of the wishes in her dog's wet fur, she decides to do what she can to grant the wish. When the local nursing home calls, Paige finds out that her mom had been going there weekly with her service dog to spend time with the residents. She decides to try it one time with plans not to go back but is so thrilled with the residents love for the dog, she decides to continue going weekly in memory of her mom.
Paige is a fantastic character and this book brought me to tears several times. It's a story of love lost and found and a story of finding happiness by helping other people. It's a great addition to this series. ...more
Henry and his wife Greta have been married for 60 years. She has dementia and he is taking care of her by himself and refuses any help that is offeredHenry and his wife Greta have been married for 60 years. She has dementia and he is taking care of her by himself and refuses any help that is offered by friends in Linden Falls. Greta and Neva used to be friends but cut ties with each other years earlier. She decides that helping with Greta is more important that holding on to long term bad feelings. During the same time, Neva hires help for her B&B - Janie and her two daughters. She knows that they have a secret but is happy with their help and their friendship and offers them a permanent place to stay.
Neva is the character that ties all the books in the series together. She is a well written believable character who cares about the town and the people who live there. ...more
The first book is a prequel to the series and gives the background of the town and some of the major characters. The Linden tree in the town square ofThe first book is a prequel to the series and gives the background of the town and some of the major characters. The Linden tree in the town square of Linden Falls, Vermont is thought to be at least 150 years old. The folklore about the tree granting wishes has been passed down from one generation to the next. Neva, the oldest person in town and the owner of the B&B is considered to be the curator of wishes. She protects the small papers that people have written their wishes on and brings them to her house if there is a storm. She is a firm believer that the tree grants wishes - not by magic but making sure the right people find and grant the wishes of others - often with her help....more
Verity and her husband Sonny own a restaurant in London and Sonny is becoming a well known chef. When Verity finds out that he is cheating on her withVerity and her husband Sonny own a restaurant in London and Sonny is becoming a well known chef. When Verity finds out that he is cheating on her with a food critic, she and her teenage daughter, Sophie, decide to disappear from London and spend three months in the US and end up in Linden Falls. Verity's goal is to spend time with her daughter and recover from her husband's infidelity. But as she starts to meet the people in Linden Falls, she begins to enjoy herself. Her neighbor, Jack, becomes a good friend and there is a romantic spark between them but they both know that she'll be leaving. Will she go back to London or stay in Vermont where she has made some great friends? Will she follow her heart or her head?? ...more
This romance novel is a fun read. It's got two great main characters, possessive families and a happily-ever-after ending that will make the reader smThis romance novel is a fun read. It's got two great main characters, possessive families and a happily-ever-after ending that will make the reader smile. It takes place in the small town of Blossom Glen were everyone knows and interferes with what's going on in everyone's life.
Tess is a pastry chef and works at her family boulangerie. She longs to make more than just bread - she wants to bake beautiful Parisian pastries. But her mother insists that the bakery is a bread store only and she won't allow her daughter to follow her dream. Growing up, Tess wanted to be a pastry chef and she dreamed of attending school to learn the craft. When her father died unexpectedly when Tess was in high school, his wife and three daughters had trouble coping so Tess stayed at home to help her family and put her dream on hold. She still has the dream and knows if business picks up she'll finally be able to pursue her dream of going to school.
Next door to the boulangerie is a family run Italian restaurant. The son of the family, Leo, has come home from his job in Boston to try to make the restaurant profitable again. But his father refuses to try anything new and wants to stay with his outdated menu even though the restaurant is empty most of the time. He finally tells his son that if he would get married, his father might listen to his advice. Leo has no desire to get married but then he has a great idea. If he and Tess would get married, they could help each other make changes to the bakery and the restaurant. The main problem with this idea is that Tess and Leo knew each other from high school where they were rivals and didn't like each other much plus their families had a generations old feud and refused to even speak to each other.
This was a light and easy romance. Both of the main characters were well written and very likable. Plus the people in the town added a humorous vibe to the story. This story had love, family and an HEA ending - everything that makes a romance novel become more than just a run of the mill romance.
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own....more
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