I’ve been a big fan of the author’s work under her pseudonym, inhaling just about everything she’s written in the last 7 years. When I saw this show up in NetGalley, I grabbed it immediately, knowing that her stories have bordered on contemporary fiction for a long time. My instincts did not fail me as I loved every minute spent reading this story.
Something happened 17 years ago to splinter the McAvoy sisters. Lindy, the “wild” one left their Port Lorraine, Ohio home and carved out a life for herself in Cleveland. Younger sister, Delia, stayed in town, married her sweetheart but abandoned her college plans to raise her baby and take over the family business. Now Delia is juggling a new baby, a difficult teenager and their mother who is struggling following a “brain event.” Lindy hasn’t been home in five years but shows up when she accidentally receives a call and learns about her mother.
We’re given a gift of not only Lindy’s and Delia’s points of view but mother Meredith’s and 15-year old daughter Brin’s as well. Meredith’s stroke has left her transitioning at will between past and present with unpredictability and I found her passages extraordinary, providing insight about how terrifying it must be to know, or not know, what’s going on when all your life you’ve been completely in control of your faculties. It was artful in how the same events were taken in by each character, giving us a unique perspective about how each of them perceived each other and its impacts. What drove the sisters apart was slowly revealed, which can sometimes be maddening but in the right hands, create an extraordinary reading experience.
I loved everything about this story, how these two sisters found their way, how their mother factored into their reunion and the strong sense of place created in the story. I could smell Lake Erie and the fish in the shop, see the quaint stores in the heart of the town, feel the thunder and turmoil of the storms. I felt everything these women felt, even Brin’s frustrations with the adults around her harboring all these secrets. It’s a lovely story, often heartbreaking but more heartwarming as this family triumphs. But, that unexpected twist at the very end left me stunned. I know Fader wanted me and other readers to be conflicted about it, and I am. That’s a perfect conclusion to a lovely, lovely story.
Book Info
- Release Date: July 16, 2019
- Page Numbers: 384
- Publisher: Graydon House
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(Thanks to NetGalley for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)
Blue Mood Café 
Loved your review, Jonetta. I will definitely keep an eye out for this book.
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Thank you, Marialyce💜 I do hope this crosses your path.
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Wonderful review Jo! I have this one and am moving it up the stack!💙
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Thank you, Susan! I hope you love it, too💜
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Great review, Jonetta! Multiple perspectives are usually so enlightening.
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Thank you, Toni! I really enjoy multiple points of view as they add layers to the story.
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Wonderful review, Jonetta! I’ve not read anything by this author but this sounds really good! Glad you enjoyed it. 😊
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Thank you, Stephanie! She’s written under the name Molly O’Keefe. Amazing writer. I’m going to post some of her earlier stuff. This is the first under her real name.
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I’ll have to look her up then-I am sure if you like her (under any name) that I probably will too!
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This sounds like a good read..thank you!
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It truly is, Diane!
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This one obviously hit all the right notes for you, Jonetta. Lovely review!
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Thank you, Alexandra! It definitely did. She’s one of my most favorite authors. I was so excited when I saw this book.
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Oh, I know what it’s like to find a new book by a fav author. I’m waiting on Louise Penny’s next in her series, at the end of this month.
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Fab review! xx
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Thanks, Yvo!
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Aww, I love this review, Jonetta! I had started reading this one and put it down just because of some other deadlines. Now I definitely want to get back to it. I loved the setting too. It took me back to the year I lived in Erie, PA, and oh how beautiful that lake was in the summertime! Lovely review, my friend!
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Thank you, Jennifer! I do hope you can get back to it. It’s such a good story.
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This sounds like a wonderful read. I love the focus on sisters and the Lake Erie setting.
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It was a great story, Suzanne!
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Great review Jonetta. I have only read positive reviews of this one, so have added this to my TBR.
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