Good emotional story about family, forgiveness, and letting go of the past. I love the author's talent for creating characters that are easy to relate to and realistic situations for them to deal with.
Angela Marie has spent her entire life on Meadow Falls, the successful peanut farm that has been in her family for generations. It wasn't by choice. She wanted to go to college and see life away from the farm, but as her father's only heir, he pretty much kept her chained to the farm. He started training her "from the ground up" when she was four years old and cleaning tools to the current day, where she can do it all, which is a good thing when he suddenly dies from a heart attack.
The book opens as she and her elderly nanny/housekeeper, Mandy, attend her father's funeral. Angela Marie feels a bit bitter about being stuck with the farm. She feels no grief for her father, as he was a cold, unfeeling man who never showed her any affection. Her emotionally distant mother died years earlier. Mandy was Angela Marie's only source of love and attention growing up, while Mandy's great-granddaughter, Celeste, was like a sister to her.
Celeste, who joined the Air Force eighteen years earlier, shows up suddenly right after the funeral. She has left the military and her unfaithful husband and come home to regroup. I liked Celeste and her forthright and practical attitude toward life. She and Angela Marie have a terrific relationship, and I enjoyed their exchanges. Celeste is very good at getting Angela Marie out of her tendency to get lost in her thoughts and take action.
Devon Parker, a recently retired Air Force mechanic and friend of Celeste's, appears at Meadow Falls looking for a job. The hiring process had me laughing out loud, but it is evident that Devon was perfect for the job. Devon also brings in his cousin Jesse, a handyman Angela Marie hires for renovation work.
As Angela Marie settles into her new life, things begin to change. She and Celeste talk Mandy into sharing stories of the family's past, and Angela Marie learns things that surprise her. As light shines on the darkness of the past, Angela Marie finds that light finding its way into her heart. Devon is there to support her through the journey, and she discovers hope for love and a family for herself. I liked Devon's easy-going ways, kindness, and understanding. Their growing feelings for each other are sweet and a bit steamy.
I loved Mandy. She is a wise old lady who has taught Angela Marie and Celeste many lessons over the years. She doesn't mince words when she has something to say. I ached for her as she dealt with her "memory disease" and loved that she handled it with humor and good grace. She and her friend Polly are a hoot together.
A little bit of a mystery about Celeste has haunted her all her life. Angela Marie is just as curious, and I enjoyed watching her thought processes as she tried to learn the truth. I figured it out early in the book but enjoyed it anyway.
The book wraps up with a terrific epilogue that updates us on life at Meadow Falls a few years later. It's a mixture of happiness and sadness, just like life itself.
#netgalley
Angela Marie has spent her entire life on Meadow Falls, the successful peanut farm that has been in her family for generations. It wasn't by choice. She wanted to go to college and see life away from the farm, but as her father's only heir, he pretty much kept her chained to the farm. He started training her "from the ground up" when she was four years old and cleaning tools to the current day, where she can do it all, which is a good thing when he suddenly dies from a heart attack.
The book opens as she and her elderly nanny/housekeeper, Mandy, attend her father's funeral. Angela Marie feels a bit bitter about being stuck with the farm. She feels no grief for her father, as he was a cold, unfeeling man who never showed her any affection. Her emotionally distant mother died years earlier. Mandy was Angela Marie's only source of love and attention growing up, while Mandy's great-granddaughter, Celeste, was like a sister to her.
Celeste, who joined the Air Force eighteen years earlier, shows up suddenly right after the funeral. She has left the military and her unfaithful husband and come home to regroup. I liked Celeste and her forthright and practical attitude toward life. She and Angela Marie have a terrific relationship, and I enjoyed their exchanges. Celeste is very good at getting Angela Marie out of her tendency to get lost in her thoughts and take action.
Devon Parker, a recently retired Air Force mechanic and friend of Celeste's, appears at Meadow Falls looking for a job. The hiring process had me laughing out loud, but it is evident that Devon was perfect for the job. Devon also brings in his cousin Jesse, a handyman Angela Marie hires for renovation work.
As Angela Marie settles into her new life, things begin to change. She and Celeste talk Mandy into sharing stories of the family's past, and Angela Marie learns things that surprise her. As light shines on the darkness of the past, Angela Marie finds that light finding its way into her heart. Devon is there to support her through the journey, and she discovers hope for love and a family for herself. I liked Devon's easy-going ways, kindness, and understanding. Their growing feelings for each other are sweet and a bit steamy.
I loved Mandy. She is a wise old lady who has taught Angela Marie and Celeste many lessons over the years. She doesn't mince words when she has something to say. I ached for her as she dealt with her "memory disease" and loved that she handled it with humor and good grace. She and her friend Polly are a hoot together.
A little bit of a mystery about Celeste has haunted her all her life. Angela Marie is just as curious, and I enjoyed watching her thought processes as she tried to learn the truth. I figured it out early in the book but enjoyed it anyway.
The book wraps up with a terrific epilogue that updates us on life at Meadow Falls a few years later. It's a mixture of happiness and sadness, just like life itself.
#netgalley
