Terrific story of friendship, family, love, and new beginnings. I love this author's books, and this one kept me hooked until I finished reading it at three o'clock this morning. Her characters are relatable and have believable personalities with good and bad traits.
Though they've stayed in touch over the past twenty years, these four best friends scattered to the winds after high school graduation. Now circumstances have brought them all home again. Jessica retired from the military and returned to decide what to do with the church building she inherited from her Uncle Eli. Risa returned home with her twin daughters after leaving her controlling husband. Mary Nell was kicked out by her selfish man-child of a boyfriend, and Haley returned to bury her mother and uncovered a shocking secret.
The story opens as Jessica sits in front of the old church, waiting for her friends to arrive. There are several pages of her thinking about her life and what comes next. After twenty years of living on the move, she wants to put down roots. While she's thinking about that, an unexpected visitor arrives. Wade was a few years ahead of them in school, while his brother Danny was in their class. Both joined the military. Danny recently died overseas, and Wade is still dealing with his grief. He and Jessica spend a little time catching up before the others arrive. He's invited to join them, and we get a quick look at what's happening in everyone's lives. The question of the night is, what should Jessica do with the church? Someone floats the idea of turning it into a bar, though they all agree it would raise a ruckus if they did.
But that thought sticks in Jessica's mind, encouraged by Wade's confession that he and Danny would open a bar together. I loved the next get-together as the idea gathered steam among them. Wade offered to become a partner, Risa would be the cook, Mary Nell would run the business end, Haley would help when she wasn't working, and Jessica would wait tables and tend the bar. Wade would also tend bar. Even Mary Nell's father, Oscar, gets into the act. He makes his own wine and moonshine (legally) and would sell them to the bar and help with the renovations.
You just know, listening to Risa talk about her mama, Stella, that she will make everyone's life difficult. Wade and Jessica barely finish talking to the lawyer about their plans before Stella hears about it. Uptight and super-religious, Stella wastes no time kicking Risa and the girls out of her house for being part of it and swears that she'll do everything in her power to stop them. She also gets Risa's soon-to-be-former mother-in-law involved long distance. There are several virulent confrontations as Stella does her best to get her way. There's a hilarious scene where the twins, Lily and Daisy, come up with the perfect response to the demonstration Stella sets up at the church/bar.
I loved seeing everyone grow closer as they worked together to make the bar a reality. Everyone has brought baggage to the party, but there's plenty of support as each person deals with theirs. After being controlled by her husband and his mother for years, Risa finds the strength to stand up to them and Stella. She finds much of that strength in cooking for her friends and knowing they have her back. Mary Nell finds herself again after giving up everything to help her boyfriend follow his dream. He was a user, and I was happy to see her call his bluff when he tried to get her back. I loved her relationship with her father, Oscar, who is there for her but doesn't hesitate to say, "I told you so." Haley's trip home gives her a chance to reevaluate her life after a relationship goes wrong. Besides dealing with the shocking family secret, she's facing other unexpected changes. Having her besties there for support makes it easier.
Then there are Jessica and Wade. Each of them had a crush on the other in high school but never did anything about it. As adults, the sparks of attraction are there, but they initially try to resist. Neither wants to ruin their partnership if something goes wrong. They find comfort in talking about their shared experiences in the military, which helps them grow closer. I loved their relationship's slow, realistic development as they got to know each other before giving in to their growing feelings. I especially enjoyed Wade's gentle, compassionate nature as he cared for Jessica when she needed it and watched over the others. I ached for him and his grief over the loss of his brother and loved how making Danny's dream come true helped him heal.
I had a lot of fun watching the aspiring bar owners deal with the antics of those opposed to them. Stella is a holier-than-thou, self-righteous prig, and I laughed every time the gang got the better of her. The crowning touch was at the bar's grand opening as Oscar found the perfect way to deal with her once and for all.
I loved Risa's daughters, Lily and Daisy. They are sweet and sassy and have a great sense of humor. They are amazingly well-adjusted considering their bats**t crazy grandmothers. I loved how observant they were and quick to comment on the things they saw. I frequently laughed out loud at their words and actions. They were never truly rude, but they could be blunt when they needed to be. I especially loved their support of their mother.
I loved seeing everything that went into turning the church into a bar. From using reclaimed wood from the pews to build the bar to all the other large and small steps, I felt as though I was right there with them. I loved being there for their grand opening and witnessing their well-deserved success. The epilogue was a terrific wrap-up, and I liked seeing where they were a few months down the road.
Though they've stayed in touch over the past twenty years, these four best friends scattered to the winds after high school graduation. Now circumstances have brought them all home again. Jessica retired from the military and returned to decide what to do with the church building she inherited from her Uncle Eli. Risa returned home with her twin daughters after leaving her controlling husband. Mary Nell was kicked out by her selfish man-child of a boyfriend, and Haley returned to bury her mother and uncovered a shocking secret.
The story opens as Jessica sits in front of the old church, waiting for her friends to arrive. There are several pages of her thinking about her life and what comes next. After twenty years of living on the move, she wants to put down roots. While she's thinking about that, an unexpected visitor arrives. Wade was a few years ahead of them in school, while his brother Danny was in their class. Both joined the military. Danny recently died overseas, and Wade is still dealing with his grief. He and Jessica spend a little time catching up before the others arrive. He's invited to join them, and we get a quick look at what's happening in everyone's lives. The question of the night is, what should Jessica do with the church? Someone floats the idea of turning it into a bar, though they all agree it would raise a ruckus if they did.
But that thought sticks in Jessica's mind, encouraged by Wade's confession that he and Danny would open a bar together. I loved the next get-together as the idea gathered steam among them. Wade offered to become a partner, Risa would be the cook, Mary Nell would run the business end, Haley would help when she wasn't working, and Jessica would wait tables and tend the bar. Wade would also tend bar. Even Mary Nell's father, Oscar, gets into the act. He makes his own wine and moonshine (legally) and would sell them to the bar and help with the renovations.
You just know, listening to Risa talk about her mama, Stella, that she will make everyone's life difficult. Wade and Jessica barely finish talking to the lawyer about their plans before Stella hears about it. Uptight and super-religious, Stella wastes no time kicking Risa and the girls out of her house for being part of it and swears that she'll do everything in her power to stop them. She also gets Risa's soon-to-be-former mother-in-law involved long distance. There are several virulent confrontations as Stella does her best to get her way. There's a hilarious scene where the twins, Lily and Daisy, come up with the perfect response to the demonstration Stella sets up at the church/bar.
I loved seeing everyone grow closer as they worked together to make the bar a reality. Everyone has brought baggage to the party, but there's plenty of support as each person deals with theirs. After being controlled by her husband and his mother for years, Risa finds the strength to stand up to them and Stella. She finds much of that strength in cooking for her friends and knowing they have her back. Mary Nell finds herself again after giving up everything to help her boyfriend follow his dream. He was a user, and I was happy to see her call his bluff when he tried to get her back. I loved her relationship with her father, Oscar, who is there for her but doesn't hesitate to say, "I told you so." Haley's trip home gives her a chance to reevaluate her life after a relationship goes wrong. Besides dealing with the shocking family secret, she's facing other unexpected changes. Having her besties there for support makes it easier.
Then there are Jessica and Wade. Each of them had a crush on the other in high school but never did anything about it. As adults, the sparks of attraction are there, but they initially try to resist. Neither wants to ruin their partnership if something goes wrong. They find comfort in talking about their shared experiences in the military, which helps them grow closer. I loved their relationship's slow, realistic development as they got to know each other before giving in to their growing feelings. I especially enjoyed Wade's gentle, compassionate nature as he cared for Jessica when she needed it and watched over the others. I ached for him and his grief over the loss of his brother and loved how making Danny's dream come true helped him heal.
I had a lot of fun watching the aspiring bar owners deal with the antics of those opposed to them. Stella is a holier-than-thou, self-righteous prig, and I laughed every time the gang got the better of her. The crowning touch was at the bar's grand opening as Oscar found the perfect way to deal with her once and for all.
I loved Risa's daughters, Lily and Daisy. They are sweet and sassy and have a great sense of humor. They are amazingly well-adjusted considering their bats**t crazy grandmothers. I loved how observant they were and quick to comment on the things they saw. I frequently laughed out loud at their words and actions. They were never truly rude, but they could be blunt when they needed to be. I especially loved their support of their mother.
I loved seeing everything that went into turning the church into a bar. From using reclaimed wood from the pews to build the bar to all the other large and small steps, I felt as though I was right there with them. I loved being there for their grand opening and witnessing their well-deserved success. The epilogue was a terrific wrap-up, and I liked seeing where they were a few months down the road.
