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Must Love Flowers–revival for a widow
Must Love Flowers
by Debbie Macomber
As may know, Debbie Macomber, after forty years of writing, put aside her pen for a well deserved retirement. That lasted for four months before she picked up her pen to compose Must Love Flowers, a sweet romance about a widow who is in her fifties and needs to move on with the grieving process and can’t seem to do so. I’m glad Macomber decided to tell this tale.
I don’t normally read anything about the Covid fiasco, but I could tolerate it in this book because it is not set during the restrictions, but shows the negative effects on someone who maintains feelings of being “safe” and “protected” by continuing to cut herself off from people and activities—life, in short. Family members want to help her, but are at a loss as she is in denial that she has a problem.
This novel tells Joan’s story as she takes a few steps at a time to rejoin the world and find her new place in it. Joan was pushed into these changes by threats from her HOA because in four years she has let the yard she was once proud of become an overgrown mess. Enter Phil Harrison, a former lawyer, who is currently a landscaper and a really nice person. She even decides to take in a boarder, Maggie, who needs to get out from under her alcoholic father. Along the way she joins a grief therapy group, which she had said she would never do. The ramifications of Joan’s decisions reach out to affect the lives of her two grown sons and their relationships with others.
I enjoyed this novel which contains several romantic threads. When one of the twists occurred, I was sad because it potentially meant good things for some characters and bad for others, but Macomber works the situations out for her characters in a way that is both realistic and satisfying for me.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Romance
Publication: July 11, 2023—Random House (Ballentine)
Memorable Lines:
It used to be… That was what her life had become: a series of all the things that once were but were no longer.
As silly as it sounded, she recognized deep down with a certainty that she didn’t question that she was meant to help Maggie Herbert. For whatever reason, God had put Maggie in her path.
“It didn’t take me long to realize it didn’t matter how much money I had in the bank, or what my career goals were; if I didn’t have someone to share life with, they meant nothing.
Ladies of the Lake–bonds of friendship
Ladies of the Lake
by Cathy Gohlke
Viewing the same characters in a split timeline is a good way to tell the story of four girls who formed life long friendships at Lakeside Ladies Academy in Connecticut. They dubbed themselves “Ladies of the Lake.” They were not similar in background, but over their years at the school, they developed a close bond which they sealed with blood signatures at a gazebo on the school grounds, promising to keep in touch and support each other. The split timeline varies between showing the ladies as young people and as adults with a mystery gradually unraveling as the backgrounds and events that shaped them as adults are revealed.
Unfortunately, mistakes were made and things were said that broke some of the bonds. Dot and Addie are the most prominent characters, but they harbor secrets that keep them apart. Loving the same man, the Great War, and the Halifax Explosion all play a tumultuous role in their futures. Can a teenager bring them together?
Ladies of the Lake has a strong Christian theme as the women struggle through seemingly impossible situations. Portia, Addie’s housekeeper, is a woman of faith who gently guides Addie through some difficulties. The author holds up for examination the perspectives of the times on German Americans and Blacks. She invites the reader to see more than one side of an issue For example, people of German descent, former friends and neighbors, might be viewed as the enemy. Blacks were often held in contempt by some as “less than” even though they were put in a position of nurturing white children.
Forgiveness is a strong theme in this book as there are several characters who need to ask and receive forgiveness. Family is another important theme as the girls form a family for each other regardless of their home situations.
Reading this book is an escape into another world, but not one without pain. The characters are described well, and readers can immerse themselves in their lives as the story is full of twists and turns. The author cleverly hides the identity of Dorothy’s husband, but as the book progresses the reader will take pleasure in deciphering who he probably is.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Historical Fiction, Christian, Women’s Fiction
Notes: There are lots of Scripture references and some particularly lovely and meaningful prayers at appropriate places in the story.
Publication: July 11, 2023—Tyndale House Publishers
Memorable Lines:
If I’d had a grandmother or a guardian angel, I would’ve wanted her to be just like Mrs. Simmons…I would have wanted her to be Mrs. Simmons.
She watched as he rejoined his brother, two halves of a whole, one with a slight limp and the other with a sleeve empty since the Great War, neither of which stole appeal from either man. That war had stolen much from the Meyer family, far more than the damage or loss of limbs.
Tears know no quota; mine couldn’t seem to stop.
Two to Tango–clean romance
Two to Tango
by Kathleen Fuller
Join the residents of Maple Falls, Arkansas, for a romance between highly organized librarian Olivia Farnsworth and over scheduled pediatrician Kingston Bedford. It takes quite a while for them to get together because Kingston promises to contact Olivia and then can’t find the time to do it between his busy practice and his volunteer activities. He is filled with guilt, and she has a hard time trusting him.
A group of older women, including Kingston’s domineering mother, decide to play matchmaker. Comedy shows up in the situation when the pair decides to have a pretend relationship to get the ladies to back off. Of course, things don’t go exactly by plan. Others become involved as the matchmaking extends to some older residents. The couple’s contemporaries are excited for them, and the new dance teacher could be a potential match.
This is the fourth book in the Maple Falls Romance Series. Each one focuses on a different couple, but in Two to Tango all of the couples from the various books play a role.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Women’s Fiction, Romance
Notes: 1. #4 in the Maple Falls Romance Series. I don’t recommend this as a standalone. There are a lot of characters assembled from previous books. If you are interested in this clean, character-driven series, I suggest you start with the first one.
Publication: July 11, 2023—Thomas Nelson
Memorable Lines:
Aunt Bea was right. It was easier to hide behind the familiar and benign than to face the elephant in the room—life was changing, and she didn’t like it. While her life was staying routinely the same, the relationships she’d depended on had altered.
His mother was putting on her best social smile, but he could see she was simmering underneath the ruse. The woman considered punctuality the eleventh commandment.
But his mother’s expectation was clear. Being good wasn’t enough. He had to be the best.
Mischief Nights are Murder–another murder at Poppy’s B & B
Mischief Nights are Murder
by Libby Klein
Halloween themed Mischief Nights are Murder is a fun cozy mystery. At first glance it might appear to be a paranormal book because it is set in the Halloween season with a large group of inns and restaurants participating in ghost tours to attract tourists.because it is set in the Halloween season with a large group of inns and restaurants participating in ghost tours to attract tourists. Poppy runs a B & B and to her surprise finds that her 80 year old aunt signed a contract that obligates Poppy to be a part of the events. Poppy, who frequently discovers dead bodies, has been nicknamed the Murder Magnet and the B & B is being publicized as the Murder House. She is expected to make statements like “some have said they heard unusual noises” or “rumors are that someone was killed in this room a hundred years ago” to attract interest without actually saying there are ghosts or not. The B & B attracts several university professors and students who study paranormal activity, a team of 4 participating in the discovery and filming of ghost activity, a duo who don’t seem to quite fit, a tabloid writer, and a pet psychic who wears a colander on his head to enhance his connections and says he can tell what animals are thinking.
Poppy stays busy when a guest is murdered. She has to cooperate with the event planners and the police. She tries to keep peace with a temporary cook who used to bully her in high school and a new male housekeeper with designs on the acting field. Her aunt Ginny and her friends “The Biddies” keep things hopping and the reader laughing. Poppy also has to deal with her handsome Italian boyfriend and his mother who hates her.
My favorite part of the books in this series is the humor. It is woven throughout the book as we see in italics what Poppy is actually thinking and then in quotes what she says. Humor is integral to the text, and it comes in the form of the various characters and Poppy’s responses to them. Her Aunt Ginny and her cat Figaro are two of my favorites. Both are always up to shenanigans in this definitely not paranormal mystery.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Mystery, Humor
Notes: 1. #8 in the Poppy McAllister Mystery Series. It could be read as a standalone especially since there are new characters introduced in this book, but there is a lot of background information in the previous books that could make this book more enjoyable. I certainly recommend the whole series.
2. Poppy can not eat gluten which makes life hard since she is a trained baker. She specializes in gluten-free recipes and the author has included 7 delicious sounding recipes.
Publication: July 25, 2023—Kensington
Memorable Lines:
“You can’t believe anything she says. She’s the worst kind of liar. Lower than a politician.” Aunt Ginny clutched her pearls and gasped. “Good God. A telemarketer?”
The man grinned at his wife, then turned the wattage on me. It was the kind of smile that made you come out of menopause and lower your hair from a tower to be climbed.
“Somehow we need to keep the paranormal people away from Gladys, Gladys away from the pet psychic, and you away from murder victims.” Kenny blew out a breath. “We can do this. It’ll only last a week.” So did Hurricane Katrina.
The Lucky Shamrock–working together
The Lucky Shamrock
by Carolyn Brown
This contemporary romance is set in Shamrock located in west Texas. Nana Irene calls three cousins back to the town they couldn’t wait to get away from to work the summer in her flower shop The Lucky Shamrock when Irene’s best friend Ruby breaks her hip. The three cousins couldn’t be more different, but Nana Irene wants them to see the value of being united as a family. None of the girls are happy to work with each other and live together so it is interesting to watch what happens when they are put in situations that require them to cooperate with each other. Taryn is former Air Force and works with computers. Straight laced Jorja is a Kindergarten teacher in a Christian school. Anna Rose is looking for happiness in cowboy bars. All of their parents have relocated out of Shamrock.
Clinton is a nice man who has been hired by Nana Irene to work in the shop when he is not busy counseling vets with PSTD. Local ladies have a contest going to try to snare him into marriage even though he has made it clear that he is not interested. He is supposed to be quite a catch as he comes from a rich family and is a war hero. As he lives in an apartment above The Lucky Shamrock, everyone at the shop benefits from the foods the ladies bring to try to win him over.
One of the vets Clinton is counseling has a baby, but is in no condition to care for her. Little Zoe is adorable. Clinton gets temporary custody of Zoe, and Taryn falls in love. But now she has to figure out if she is in love with Clinton or just Zoe.
Along the way in this romance there are some bombshells as the girls work through traumas they have experienced. Former “mean girls” who have not changed are after Clinton. Aging residents see what happened in the past and is recurring. They have ways of influencing those situations.
Although some serious subjects are addressed, the book in general is light. It would make a good summer read.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Women’s Fiction, Romance
Notes: 1. The Lucky Shamrock includes humor and a sprinkling of swearing.
Publication: July 4, 2023—Montlake
Memorable Lines:
“You are right. Confidence is mostly bluff with a little ego and fear thrown into the mix.”
“Hey, we’ve all got a past,” Clinton said “But we have a million futures in front of us, and it’s up to us to choose which path is right.”
“We may fight and argue amongst ourselves, but Lord help anyone who tries to come between us.”
A Cowboy’s Fourth of July–love you can count on
A Cowboy’s Fourth of July
by Melinda Curtis
I enjoy Harlequin Heartwarming books, and I favor books by Melinda Curtis. The Cowboy Academy series combines what I like in A Cowboy’s Fourth of July. In the prologue, the reader gets a peek at Allison Burns, a talented singing cowgirl, and Dixon Youngblood (Dix), her math tutor guarding a heavy crush on her, in high school. The rest of the novel focuses on them as adults, however. Allison is a single mom trying to manage a ranch floundering in debt, and Dixon has returned to his roots in Clementine, Oklahoma, working with his grandmother as a banker. Both characters have trust issues and long for the love found in a stable family. Most of the characters in this book have cowboy/rodeo connections and values rooted in family and the land. Dix, however, was abandoned by his parents and then his grandparents. He was taken in by a loving ranch couple who fostered lots of boys who chose to call them “mom and dad.” The ranch was their home, and they became brothers with all the teasing and support that comes with that relationship.
In his banking job, Dix has to work with people who are under water financially. They fear him because, despite his cowboying abilities, he dresses like a city slicker and has the power to foreclose on their loans. Allison inherited many loans when her parents died and doesn’t have the financial skills to get herself out of debt. Besides the obvious challenges of running a ranch and raising a child, Allison feels pressure to win out over “Pilates Queen” Evie in the yearly fair baking competitions continuing the Graces versus Burns feud, another family inheritance of sorts.
Dix has always been attracted to Allison and steps up as her fake boyfriend to help her in a difficult social situation. As might be expected in a Harlequin Heartwarming romance, sparks fly even as the two work on their own issues. Dix helps Allison discover why she is so far in debt and inspires her to recall the joy she once found in music. Throw into this plot Dix’s uncaring parents and sick grandmother, and Allison’s daughter’s self-obsessed baby daddy. The result is a fun romance with 4th of July fireworks.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Romance
Notes: 1. Allison’s daughter is Piper. She is 10 years old and enthusiastic about so many interests, especially as they relate to being “the best cowgirl ever.” Allison has never told her anything about her father and that comes to a head in this book when he appears in Clementine to sing. He is also unaware he has a child. Piper is a fun character, sweet but manipulative.
2. #2 in The Cowboy Academy series, but works well as a standalone because each book focuses on a different cowboy. There are four books so far in this series.
Publication: July 25, 2023—Harlequin Heartwarming
Memorable Lines:
“Even if you opened branches of the Clementine Savings & Loan across the state of Oklahoma, your mother would still look at you and see the boy she failed because she had to give you up. And until she can look at you without that filter, your relationship with your reals is going to be strained.”
“At some point, Dix, you’re going to have to make choices about your life based on what makes you happy, not what might mend that dysfunctional family of yours….Maybe then, you’d look around and find yourself a good woman, one who understands you’re always going to be watching for signs she’s leaving you to find a happier place in the world, because that’s what most fosters do.”
“If you wait until she’s worked through her issues and you’ve worked through yours, you might just be waiting forever…instead of finding your forever.”
As Waters Gone By–rescued lives
As Waters Gone By
by Cynthia Ruchti
Emmalyn has in many ways a tortured life. Her husband was sentenced to five years in prison, but she has built a prison for herself—captive to her desires to have a baby. Even before the car accident that resulted in his imprisonment, Emmalyn and her husband Max had exhausted their financial and emotional resources. Emmalyn had been a top chef, but having lost her job when the restaurant closed, she finds herself starting life again at a rustic hunting cabin that needs a lot of work to transform it into a livable cottage on Madeline, one of the Apostle Islands near Bayfield, Wisconsin. Max had cut off communication with Emmalyn so she doesn’t know if he will want to remain married when he is released from prison. With five months to go, Emmalyn and Max need to learn to communicate all over again.
When Emmalyn (M) arrives by ferry, she is quickly befriended by locals. She initially stays at The Wild Iris, a guest house and restaurant owned by the generous Boozie Unfortunate, a great cook and manager, who dispenses common sense and Christian wisdom and love, blessing all who encounter her. Another new friend, Cora, wears many hats, including roofer. Emmalyn desperately needs her help in closing a gaping hole in the roof. Cora has a team of workers, contacts to get building supplies at a discount, and a son with a tracking ankle bracelet who needs someone to take a chance on him. Reflecting on her husband’s future needs when he is released from prison, Emmalyn hires Nick to paint her house.
Just when renovations in the cottage are coming to a close, there is a major plot twist that turns Emmalyn’s world upside down, but also leads her on a journey of self-discovery as she realizes mistakes she made in her marriage and is drawn again into a relationship with God. This dramatic twist will remain a secret as this is a spoiler-free review, but it adds depth, despair, and delight to the plot.
Reading As Waters Gone By was a pleasure. It has quirky, lovable characters and a strong moral base. This book was a page turner for me. As I review M’s situation, I realize this character’s issues beckon the reader to exchange places with M and ponder her choices from a personal perspective, because all of us can suddenly find our world upended. Will we be able to stand the course as God reveals the plan behind the circumstances so that one day we can say too (Job 11:16 NIV) that “You will surely forget your trouble, recalling it only as waters gone by.” ?
Rating: 5/5
Category: Christian Fiction, Women’s Fiction
Notes: As one of the members of my book club said, “Although this is a Christian book, there is nothing “preachy” about it.” Several members commented on the rich descriptions. I agree with both assessments. It also had many instances of gentle humor that were very enjoyable.
Publication: 2015—Abingdon Press
Memorable Lines:
Introvert? Extrovert? Boozie fit under the Tidal Wave category. But with a gentle touch that made people forget they were being carried someplace other than where they were headed.
“We brought bacon, too, if that helps your mood.”…The moment christened the cottage with tears and a laughter chaser. “Smoked meat,” Emmalyn said between gasps, “fixes everything.” “The food world’s duct tape,” Cora added.
Hope’s laughter floated through the cottage, lighting the shadowed corners. No matter what age, a child’s laughter changes things.
“That’s the thing about messes,”…”It doesn’t matter what caused the trouble. The answer’s always the same. Call out to God. Watch His rescue. Then thank Him.” Emmalyn doubted it was that simple. But she’d seen it at work on the island. Her exile. Her refuge.
Flop Dead Gorgeous–action, mystery, dogs, and fun
Flop Dead Gorgeous
by David Rosenfelt
There are lots of things reading can and should be, but in the case of Flop Dead Gorgeous, it is FUN! I enjoyed this legal mystery with a dollop of cozy and a heavy dose of humor. The dogs add animal charm, and now I’m addicted. That is okay because this book is the 27th book in the Andy Carpenter Mystery Series!
Out to dinner with a starlet, lawyer Andy and his retired cop wife Laurie experience some real life drama when Jenny’s demanding and irrational ex-boyfriend shows up. Thanks to Laurie’s reflexes, all seems well until Jenny discovers his body on the floor of her kitchen in the middle of the night. Andy, who dated Jenny a few times in high school (as he humorously reminds the reader multiple times), is convinced Jenny did not kill Ryan, but the only way to persuade the jury of her innocence is to find out who did kill him. Sam, his cyber investigator who has a way of “entering” off limit computers is called upon to track phones, to find out what the authorities know, and to learn what those active in the dark web are up to. Andy also has his team safe guarding himself and Jenny—a smart move since some really nasty foreign mobsters may be involved.
I enjoyed Andy’s persistence and his straight-faced wise cracks in the face of a probably negative outcome for his lovely client. He has a number of loyal friends that include a police chief and a local newspaper editor. They are ethically sound, but they also will help when they can. Andy has an excellent record as an attorney, but he maintains a fairly rundown office above a fruit stand that successfully throws some off guard.
The author’s love of rescue dogs is reflected in this mystery in which he has three dogs living with him. Mamie, Jenny’s dog, adds to the pack when Jenny and Mamie live with his family during the trial to avoid the press. As a Basset hound aficionado, I particularly enjoyed these quotes about his Basset Sebastian:
“…Mamie runs around him, trying to get him to play. She doesn’t know it yet, but she has more chance of getting a response from a clothes hamper.”
and
“Ricky always holds Sebastian’s leash because there is no danger that Sebastian will pull free and run off. It’s like walking a barking turtle.”
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Legal Mystery, Humor
Notes: 1. #27 in the Andy Carpenter Mystery Series. This could definitely be read as a standalone. This is my first book by David Rosenfelt, and I had no problem with bouncing into this large series.
2. There is some inappropriate language which could have been left out, but not enough to keep me from reading another in the series.
Publication: July 4, 2023—St. Martin’s Press (Minotaur Books)
Memorable Lines:
“I’ve got water, flavored water, and flavored carbonated water.” “None of the above,” I say. Just because I’m in California, it doesn’t mean I am going to abandon my principles and start being health conscious.” …“You’re representing the person who killed Ryan.” “Apparently the innocent until proven guilty concept hasn’t worked its way west?” “It’s probably somewhere over Nebraska at this point,” he says.
…people who invest in movies are not usually the killer types. They certainly are not above stabbing people in the back, but they do it metaphorically.
He spit at Marcus Clark. As stupid maneuvers go, that ranks well above tugging on Superman’s cape and pulling the mask off that old Lone Ranger.
A Shadow in Moscow–Cold War spies
A Shadow in Moscow
by Katherine Reay
As you can guess from the title A Shadow in Moscow, this book is about spies—two women in particular—and is told in two timelines with a third included in an epilogue. I didn’t like the two timelines for a lot of the book, but by the end I understood why the author chose that style. She purposely does not reveal the connections between the two women operatives until late in the book. She, in fact, keeps a lot of clues from the reader. The whole book is interesting, but a little unsatisfying until the author reveals the relationships to the reader and to the characters themselves. At that point I was shaking my head at the courage, intelligence, and loyalty of these women.
Almost any summary of this work of historical fiction would include spoilers, so I will instead relate some of my impressions. I have read other books by Reay and appreciate her as a writer. She has researched her topic well and has shared information about the Cold War in a way that makes it understandable to the reader. It is hard to comprehend from our position in North America the length and depth of the spy organizations and culture that permeated the world during that era, especially as it involved the Soviet Union, the United States, and Great Britain. This is a story of intelligence agencies (CIA, MI6, and KGB) and counterintelligence agencies. We learn of the extent the KGB went to in their efforts to control the actions and even the thoughts of their people. We see this on an organizational level, but also a personal level as individuals and families are unable to express themselves or know who to trust. As Reay states in her notes to readers, “only in truly understanding our pasts will we be able to navigate—with empathy, humanity, and wisdom—our presents well.”
At two-thirds of the way through this book, I would have given it a moderate stamp of approval. At the end I was overwhelmed with the writer’s talent, with the way the various threads were drawn together, and with the motivations and resolutions for various characters. It will transport you to a difficult time in history when choices, whether based on ethics or on greed, led to life and death decisions.
I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
Rating: 4/5
Category: Historical Fiction
Notes: Discussion questions are included in the back of the book and Reay references other resources on her web page. If this is chosen as a book club selection, I would advise that the members read the whole book before discussing it.
Publication: June 13, 2023—Harper Muse
Memorable Lines:
Jamison’s cramped and stuffy book-lined office is my favorite spot on campus. Something about its dusty, ink-and-paper smell takes me right back to my bedroom and my all-night read-a-thons—because at home you get the best books in secret and only for one night.
Our conformity gives an illusion of power and peace as we are raised to believe our way of life is superior and virtuous. Illusions are powerful things. If you believe them hard enough, they can become one’s reality.
“They’re Americans, Sasha. They have constitutional rights agains that kind of stuff.” The memory is bright and convicting, blinding me with truth. That’s the difference, I think. Forget the bedazzled clothes, the neon colors, the malls, the plentiful vegetables. Forget it all. It’s window dressing hiding the truth. None of that matters because only one thing counts. Rights.
Jayber Crow–Life Story
Jayber Crow
by Wendell Berry
Some books are hard to encapsulate in a book review. Jayber Crow is one of those books. I am grateful to have book club members willing to share their insights and perspectives and give me opportunities to reflect on my own.
Author Wendell Berry is a Kentuckian through and through as is demonstrated in his Port Williams series of 11 novels and additional short story collections with a Kentucky setting. A novelist, poet, agrarian, activist, essayist, and farmer, Berry tells the story of Port William through the lives of his characters. Not a lot “happens” in Port William, but individuals like Jayber Crow are on display for the reader to understand how their experiences determine their strength of character. Jayber Crow has a series of rough circumstances as a child and as a young man; but never viewing himself as a victim, he develops the mental, emotional, and even physical fortitude to become a strong and introspective person. As is often the way in small towns, he is still considered an outsider even after many years of residing in Port William. With the goal of never being under the control of “the man across the desk,” Jayber, who considers himself the town’s most “ineligible bachelor,” has his own business as the town’s barber with side jobs as grave digger and church sexton.
Jayber was born in 1914, so he and all of Port William were affected by both World Wars and the Depression. He was witness to the technological changes that some called progress and others perceived as movements away from self-sufficiency and a difficult, but very satisfying way of life. In the process, they replaced a slower existence powered by manual labor with a more stressful one with a never-ending cycle of debt.
Jayber’s spiritual life is explored in the novel as he was placed in an unloving church orphanage where he thought he was called by God into the ministry. He was given a college scholarship to that end, but had a change of heart as he progressed through his studies. Jayber’s story shows the hand of God working behind the scenes as events from his early days help him as an adult. He is quiet, doing a lot of listening as a barber. As you read this book, you will watch Jayber navigate literal and metaphysical floods. There is a lot of symbolism in the book as related to water and course of direction. His relationships with women are interesting as he finally comes out of his shell by visiting a neighboring town where he will be subject to less town gossip. His marriage covenant is a most unusual one and may leave the reader with more questions than answers.
There is so much to think about in Jayber Crow that it is not a quick or easy to read book. I did enjoy it and recommend it. It takes the reader on a journey across Jayber’s lifetime, but never far from Port William.
Rating: 5/5
Category: Historical Fiction
Notes: 1. #6 in the Port William Series, but works well as a standalone
2. Contains a map and a genealogy of the families of Port William featured in the series.
Publication: 2000—Counterpoint (Berkeley)
Memorable Lines:
Back there at the beginning, as I see now, my life was all time and almost no memory. Though I knew early of death, it still seemed to be something that happened only to other people, and I stood in an unending river of time that would go on making the same changes and the same returns forever. And now, nearing the end, I see that my life is almost entirely memory and very little time.
The talk went the way I love it, so quiet and unhurried I could hear the dampened fire fluttering in the stove.
Her hearing was as sharp as Miss Sigurnia’s was dull. Aunt Beulah could hear the dust motes collide in a sunbeam; she could hear spiders chewing on flies.
The Branches seemed uninterested in getting somewhere and making something of themselves. What they liked was making something of nearly nothing.
Why is hate so easy and love so difficult?
education pathways 