Almost Home

by Valerie Fraser Luesse

With America's entrance into the Second World War, the town of Blackberry Springs, Alabama, has exploded virtually overnight. Workers from all over are coming south for jobs in Uncle Sam's munitions plants--and they're bringing their pasts with them, right into Dolly Chandler's grand but fading family home turned boardinghouse.

An estranged young couple from the Midwest, unemployed professors from Chicago, a widower from Mississippi, a shattered young veteran struggling to heal from the war--they're all hoping Dolly's house will help them find their way back to the lives they left behind. But the house has a past of its own.

When tragedy strikes, Dolly's only hope will be the circle of friends under her roof and their ability to discover the truth about what happened to a young bride who lived there a century before.

Award-winning and bestselling author Valerie Fraser Luesse breathes life into a cast of unforgettable characters in this complex and compassionate story of hurt and healing.

Genres: Historical Fiction, Fiction, Christian Fiction, Mystery, War, Historical, World War II

324 pages, Kindle Edition

First published March 5, 2019

About the author

Valerie Fraser Luesse is an award-winning magazine writer best known for her feature stories and essays in Southern Living, where she is currently a senior travel editor. Her work has been anthologized in the audio collection Southern Voices and in A Glimpse of Heaven, an essay collection featuring works by C. S. Lewis, Randy Alcorn, John Wesley, and others. As a freelance writer and editor, she was the lead writer for Southern Living 50 Years: A Celebration of People, Places, and Culture. Specializing in stories about unique pockets of Southern culture, Luesse has published major pieces on the Gulf Coast, the Mississippi Delta, Louisiana's Acadian Prairie, and the Outer Banks of North Carolina. Her editorial section on Hurricane Katrina recovery in Mississippi and Louisiana won the 2009 Writer of the Year award from the Southeast Tourism Society. Luesse earned her bachelor's degree in English at Auburn University in Auburn, Alabama, and her master's degree in English at Baylor University in Waco, Texas. She grew up in Harpersville, Alabama, a rural community in Shelby County, and now lives in Birmingham.

Reviews

[Katie B · Rating 3 out of 5]

It's the 1940s and Dolly Chandler is running a boardinghouse in her family home in Blackberry Springs, Alabama. Many people have flocked to the area to work at the plants producing military weapons and equipment. Some of the boarders have brought their painful pasts with them but maybe staying with Dolly and her husband and getting to know the other people in the house, will help set them on the path to healing. And of course discovering a secret diary from the 1800s will be interesting as well.

This book is probably best classified as Christian fiction although I wouldn't say religion is a huge part of the story. For me this was much more a story of friendship and people finding a way to move on from hurt and pain.

The book is pretty much split into two different parts. The first part involving Anna, a married woman from the Midwest who is having marital issues with her husband, held my interest more than the second storyline of a veteran returning home from war. I appreciate the author trying to shine a light on the effects war has on soldiers but I don't think she pulled it off very successfully. It was also frustrating that a character you spent half a book getting to know, is pretty much sent to the back burner in order to introduce a new storyline. Alternating chapters from the characters' perspectives might have worked better than first half, second half stories.

Even though this was over 300 pages, it was a pretty quick read. I think if you are in the mood for something that has characters with good hearts, this might be a safe bet.

I won a free advance copy of this book from the publisher and BookishFirst. I was under no obligation to post a review and all views expressed are my honest opinion.

[Deanne Patterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

Now I want a room at Dolly's Boarding House! Dolly and her husband Si run the boarding house and Dolly is a mother hen to her boarders. Nurturing is just what she does and she does it well her boarders feel comfortable there. When you take in boarders you never know who you will get, we all have our own thoughts and problems but Dolly will help you get through them. A turbulent time, America is going into the second world war and Blackberry Springs, Alabama is feeling it as well. If your staying at Dolly's you will get served a heaping helping of compassion and the PTSD veteran still coming to grips with what he saw, an estranged young couple and a widower need that stability this Southern home can bring. You are family here. A bit of a mystery here as well as we read a bit of a time slip in here as well. I love how this wrapped up. Great story planning, it was a smooth read that made me feel happy.
Published March 5th 2019 by Fleming H. Revell Company
I was given a complimentary copy of this book. Thank you. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Susan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Almost Home

Valerie Fraser Luesse



ALMOST HOME is the first book I've read by Valerie Fraser Luesse. She grabbed me right away, from the very first page and she never let me go. Now I'm kicking myself for not making time to read her first book, Missing Isaac! Blackberry Springs, Alabama is home to one of the many United States munitions plants during WWII. Workers from all over the country are coming down to work there. Dolly Chandler has an old family home that she has turned into a boarding house to accommodate many of the workers. Oh, the people you will meet at her dining room table. Her husband Si along with Dolly really captured my heart as they are very caring people who only try to help others.


Dolly's boarding house has so much history and it's almost as if the house is alive. There is also a huge mystery that comes with the house and some of the boarders try to solve what actually happened there. ALMOST HOME is a very captivating story and will have you flipping the pages quickly to see if they solve the mystery. I was instantly caught up in the story of Catherine and Andrew Sinclair. When I finished reading this wonderful story I was happy and sad at the same time. The story was great but I wasn't ready to leave all of the strong, caring characters.


ALMOST HOME is filled with twists and turns and had me swiping the pages way too late one night to finish! I had to know where Valerie Fraser Luesse was taking us and what would happen to all the people at the boarding house. There is so much heart in Valerie's writing that I was left with a huge smile on my face and my heart very happy. All of the characters are very interesting and believable, so much so that I felt as if I've known them for a long time. Fans of historical fiction will love this book!


I received a complimentary copy of this book from Netgalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

[Olivia · Rating 3 out of 5]

*This book was provided by Revell publishing through Interviews & Reviews.*

I anxiously awaited to read this and when I first started it, I literally read almost half of it right off. The gentleness of the characters and the way their lives become weaved together. There is a sweetness to the description and I just love how unique the characters are.

Something happened to my enjoyment of this book a little over halfway through. The fault may be mine, since I don't have as much time to read now, but there was a disconnect with the characters as well. I wanted to see more of Anna's story, although I loved Reed and Daisy's story. And then the mysterious story from the past came into play, and unfortunately, it distanced me more from soaking in each character.

Saying all that, the romance was sweet and made me happy. The spiritual content is good, although a couple strange "Pentecostal" moments that I didn't agree with. I love the setting and I could totally picture the style and way of life following the Second World War.

If you love a story weaved with several characters and a slight hint of mystery, then this one is just for you.

[Jayna Baas · Rating 4 out of 5]

I almost loved this book. Interesting characters, sweet relationships, the down-home feel that I enjoy in Southern fiction. I especially liked Reed's storyline, with its pain and hope and healing. The parts of the book were distinctly separate sections, yet tied together with a good overall arc. The pirate story was a lovely, romantic tale, even if we didn't get all the details. This book was published by Revell, but otherwise doesn't appear to be specifically Christian fiction, although it has threads about Christian subjects. Some readers might want to be warned about liberal euphemism use.

So what didn't I love? There were some borderline creepy parts about the house having a life of its own and people having visions and messages from God. I felt the story could have proceeded just fine without those elements. There was also one part of the plot that felt rather as if the story needed bad guys and the author just stuck in a couple without a lot of rhyme or reason. It's completely possible that I missed something, however. And speaking of missing things, I had a really hard time reading about two characters named Dolly and Daisy! Yes, I need to read more slowly, but I was forever mixing them up, and they were not interchangeable.

The boarding house premise set the perfect stage for this WWII story—the hurting and healing that had to be done on the home front. A bit of mystery, some romance, and a lot of friends and family. This is just the kind of story I like to relax with when I want something gentle.

[Melmo2610 · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an absolutely PHENOMENAL story! This one came out in 2019 and I regret it took me so long to get to it. I adored this book from its cast of characters which stole my heart(this group of characters was absolutely perfect!) to a historical mystery, to its sweet storyline, I can't say enough good things about this book. I will be getting a copy for my keeper shelf and I will revisit this one again. It's just the sweetest story. Definitely a favorite read for 2021!! It might just get top spot for my 2021 reads!

[Staci · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lovely! While the author's sophomore novel is different in a number of ways from her debut, what hasn't changed in her ability to pen an engaging story and loosely tie in a mystery.

In Almost Home, couples and individuals are brought together at a boarding house in Alabama at the start of America's entrance into WWII. The owners of the home are having financial difficulty as are the boarders. Together they form strong friendships and learn to love and live despite hard times.

There were so many fabulous characters in the pages. I'm not sure who I loved most. Folded neatly into the novel is a mystery about a resident of the town who disappeared a century prior.

I look forward to what Valerie Fraser Luesse will write next.

My gratitude to publisher Revell for a complimentary copy of the novel won through Goodreads. I was not required to post a review and all opinions expressed are my own.

[Lindsey · Rating 4 out of 5]

Full of southern charm and gave me Fried Green Tomatoes vibes.

[Paula Shreckhise · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you want a good cry, pick up this book!
Set in 1944 in Blackberry Springs, Alabama, this story is about how different people coped with the privations of war while here in the states. Filled with Southern Charm, it shows that struggles are universal, from veterans recovering from their war experiences to a young war widow, to a young married couple who had to leave their farm in order to save it. Diverse people find themselves at Dolly’s family home turned boardinghouse. Lasting friendships are forged and romance blossoms. Christian hospitality abounds and kindness and healing flourish. So many heartfelt moments and beautiful, descriptive language, but lots of light, funny, comforting scenes to encourage and entertain.
Favorite quotes:
*He had not list his faith, but he had lost the ability to cope with the powerful emotions it stirred.*
*What-ifs are big sticks with which we smite ourselves.*
*A cool, steady breeze was blowing, rustling the leaves overhead. They seemed to be whispering to each other, telling secrets from their undulating branches.*
*We see each other true, Anna. That’s what makes us sister-friends.*
This is the first book I have read by this author but will not be my last. I’ve found a new favorite.
*I borrowed this ebook from Prime Reading. All opinions are my own.*

[Tamara · Rating 4 out of 5]

Almost Home was a delight to read. Each character came to Dolly and Si's boardinghouse with issues, well at least the four main characters did, Reed and Daisy and Jesse and Anna. They all have losses to mourn and heal from during their time spent with Dolly and Si. I liked that it became a place of peace, growth, and healing amidst the horrors of WWII. It was the kind of place that I would've loved to go and spend time with the characters. There was also the added intrigue of journals that were found in Dolly's attic, but you will have to read the book to find out exactly what happened between Catherine and Andrew Sinclair.

[Abigail Harris · Rating 4 out of 5]

Genre: WWII, historical, Christian fiction.

My Rating: 4 stars.

My Recommendation: 16 up.

My Favorite Character/s: Each of the characters is one of a kind, and I love following each of their stories. I can't say I have a favorite though since each one made the other better. They were people bonded into a family by tragedy, friendship and an eternal Love.

My Thoughts: This story opened on an easy to follow and mesmerizing description of what life was like during WWII. I loved this story, it was so interesting and a new look at WWII for me. The whole book was so deep and the characters' struggles so real that the book just kept me swiping from one page to the next.

Warnings: There are suggestions of . . . not ghosts but I'm not sure really what to say what but like the house was "living". Which made me uncomfortable.

I received an ARC from the publisher in exchange for my honest review, and I am truly happy to provide it!

[Chris Jager · Rating 4 out of 5]

A beautifully written book about what it means to truly be some one’s friend. With a lovely southern spin to it, Almost Home feels like coming home. A perfect read to while away the hours. You will want a glass of sweet tea, a rocker and a front porch. It will make you long for a home along some bayou as you can catch the smells and sounds along with Dolly, Daisy and Anna. Ladies you will want to get to know and make your new best friends.

[Susan Godwin · Rating 5 out of 5]

ALMOST HOME is the first book I’ve read by Valerie Fraser Luesse. I loved it! The story takes place in a fictional town called BlackBerry Springs, Alabama. During World War II, Dolly and Si turn their home into a boardinghouse to help with their finances. I fell in love with the characters who rent from them. You learn about their struggles and want so badly to help everyone solve their problems. It’s a story that reminds you of the strength of faith and friendship. “The things that tear us apart can also bring us together.”

[Andrea Cox · Rating 4 out of 5]

Oh, the heartache! Every character in this book had some sort of heartbreak or regret or some other something that made their – and my – heart wrench and twist around. This Deep South story on the home front during WWII was an emotional journey worth taking.

Content: profanity, replacement expletives, alcohol, tobacco, expletive, suicide

[Kav · Rating 5 out of 5]

"All we can do is the best we can do, and all we can see is what's in front of us. So there's no point in looking back and judging ourselves based on things we know now but didn't know then." (p 54)

Wow -- this is one of my favourite reads of the year! Everyone needs a Dolly and Si in their lives! And I want to live in Blackberry Springs at their boarding house because 'little mama's' house has a personality all of its own! Loved the magical feel that brought to this heartwarming tale brimming full of love and loss and the hope of second chances.

I enjoyed the home front perspective of this World War II novel. I hadn't realized the impact the war had on different occupations and the migration that caused as workers moved to areas where munition plants had been established. Loved the diverse gathering that ends up at Dolly's house and the way their lives intertwine. It's told from multiple points of view, which I know isn't every reader's favourite but I had no trouble connecting with these characters and their stories. Such a true-to-life illustration of how unconditional love can heal the sharpest of wounds.

Friendships blossom and love ignites (or reignites as the case may be) -- three romances, in fact! And one of them comes in the form of journal entries from 1844. Lots of toe-curling and euphoric sighing from this avid romance fan! And the way all the pieces of their individual stories come together is sheer poetry.

The author's richly evocative writing style reveals the kind of depth and emotion that makes a reader feel like she's lived inside the pages of this book right alongside Dolly and her friends. There's even a bit of a mystery! Spellbinding from start to finish! Highly recommended.

"We don't get to see the whole map. We just have to cover our stretch o' the road best we can." (p 189)

[Michael · Rating 1 out of 5]

Bored

I simply could not get pass the initial pages without skimming the majority of this book. I will say that this would have been better if the story was more developed than this! I forgot about the characters as soon I turned the page,it was just far too exhausting to read through all the loopholes and inconsistencies.

[Jane · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thanks to Bookishfirst and Revell publishing for this ARC.

A sweet book set in 1944 in Alabama. People coming together in a home with their own problems during the War and Depression. I loved how the characters in this house became best friends and how close they were. The characters were sweet from Dolly and Si, owners of the house who took in people to continue to live there and the other residents who all got along. Love was in the air between a war-torn vet Reed and a sweet girl Daisy from Mississippi. There was Anna and Jesse who lost their farm and were going to AL for a break. Not sure if Jesse had a job there and knew about Dolly and Si's house or what from someone. A lot going on in this book -- along with diaries and treasure chests that were eventually found by accident. Love happy endings and this one was that.

[Amy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Almost Home is a pretty good read. I enjoyed this book. I give four stars. I recommend it for other readers who love a well written and clean fiction.

[Christian Fiction Addiction · Rating 5 out of 5]

Every once in a while a novel comes along that pulls you so deeply into the story that the characters literally feel like friends who you just can't spend enough time with. Such is the case with "Almost Home", a wonderfully told tale that drew me in from the get go. Every time I had to put the book down to attend to reality it was with much reluctance, and then when I got to pick it up again I couldn't help reading as fast as I could to see what was going to come next!

"Almost Home" offers a bit of everything - strong characterization, humour, some mystery, romance (but nothing too mushy), and one of those endings that leaves you both happy and sad, because you just won't feel ready to let these characters fade away after you've gotten to know them so well. I greatly enjoyed the setting of the story in the southern United States, and the novel perfectly captures the flavour of the day as the characters are dealing with the realities of war and financial hardship and grief and loss. As they struggle towards daylight and towards the hope that God is offering them, they experience the wonder of new beginnings even in the midst of hardship. As I was reading this book we are approaching the Easter season, and I found this book to offer up sort of parables fitting with the power of the resurrection and what God has accomplished for us. Luesse has crafted a tale filled with grace and I, for one, enjoyed every moment.

Valerie Fraser Luesse is a new author to me. But, I can tell you that I've been won over to her fan club with this winning tale. I award this novel 4.5 out of 5 stars. I can't wait to find out what she has in store next!

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.

[Elise · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was looking for a fun, easy, no stress read, and this book delivered!

Friendship, romance, war, mystery, loss, and some pirate's treasure! I love the southern charm of the characters and that everyone gets a happy ending. Is it realistic? No. Is it predictable? Yes. Was it an enjoyable read? Absolutely!

This would be a fantastic pool side read or a vacation read.

[Nicole · Rating 4 out of 5]

Almost Home will take readers back to the sights and sounds of Alabama in 1944 during World War II. This historical fiction novel tells the story of Dolly and Si Chandler and the people who came to stay at their home that they turned into a boardinghouse. Through their time spent with the Chandlers, deep and lasting friendships are formed and opportunities arise for healing from the emotional and physical scars from the past. Journals uncovered from a hundred years earlier lead the inhabitants of the Chandlers’ house on a quest to find out answers of what happened to the previous owner.

This was an enjoyable story that focused on new beginnings and hope for the future despite past heartaches. The epilogue tied up unanswered questions from the story nicely. Fans of historical fiction will thoroughly enjoy this novel.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from NetGalley and Revell Publishing and was not required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine.

[Anne Rogers · Rating 5 out of 5]

I've just finished this book and it has made me cry (in a good way!). I read a LOT of novels, but this one has to be in the top 10% for me, and that's saying something since it's not even from my favourite genres.

One of the books reviewers, Sid Evans, says "Valerie Luesse has a profound gift for storytelling" and he is spot on. This book is an absolute gem. In just one volume are the stories of three couples: Jessie and Anna, Reed and Daisy, and Si and Dolly. The first four all arrive at Si and Dolly's family home with various troubles on each of their shoulders. Si and Dolly have lived in their family home for years, and have opened it as a boarding house in order to try to make ends meet.

Jessie and Anna arrive barely speaking, their marriage strained and their future uncertain. Daisy is a young widow, and Reed an injured veteran returning from the war with severe injuries and PTSD. And underneath all of the stories runs the question of what happened to a bride who is rumoured to have disappeared immediately after her wedding a century before.

The stories are told absolutely beautifully, and genuinely. Jessie and Anna's story is told first, with that of Reed and Daisy following. Their emotions, hurts, and struggles are so well described and totally believable, but for me Reed and Daisy's story was the more powerfully impactful on me as a reader. Their individual struggles are so well told, and Reed's PTSD is graphically portrayed. The scene in the church during the funeral is cleverly and sensitively described, and is a neat and very believable twist on things. Their romance is beautifully developed, and the end of chapter 40 is PERFECT! The friendships between everyone, and especially that of Anna and Daisy, are lovely to read.

Throughout, the story of Catherine, the bride from 100 years prior, is interwoven in a wonderful way. The pauses in her story work very well indeed.

This book is one I was really, REALLY sorry to finish, because it was an absolutely wonderful read. I miss the characters in it as though they were my friends, and I'd love to hear more about them if Valerie should ever write a sequel.

A full on five star read!

Note: I read a pre-publication manuscript of this book, so some elements may have been revised in the final version. I work with the publisher in the UK, but I am not required to write a positive review. All the above comments are entirely my own.

[Kristina Anderson · Rating 4 out of 5]

Almost Home by Valerie Fraser Luesse has Dolly and Si Chandler opening their home to boarders during World War II. In April of 1944 Anna and Jesse Williams arrive in Blackberry Springs, Alabama and get the last bedroom available at the Chandler home. Jesse begins work at the local munitions factory which leaves Anna at loose ends and feeling homesick. Dolly takes Anna under her wing and introduces her to the other ladies in the house as well as the neighborhood women. Dolly and Si can see that the young couple need a help with their marriage and give them subtle nudges in the right direction. One day Dolly tells Anna the story behind the original owner of her home. Anna is intrigued when she learns that no one knows what happened to Catherine and Andrew Sinclair. She decides to look for the answers and maybe find the missing treasure along the way. Almost Home is a satisfying Southern novel. It is well-written with developed characters set in a charming small Southern town. Dolly Chandler has a gregarious personality. She is friendly and nurturing. Dolly and her husband, Si opened their home to help pay the property taxes. They also have a roller rink across the street with dancing and refreshments and Si is building a pond for people to swim in (for money, of course). Dolly has a way of making her boarders feel welcome. There was just one couple who did not fit in and Si soon took care of them (it was a hilarious scene). I liked the variety of residents in the home. There are two college professors, a veteran with PTSD, and a widower as well as Anna and Jesse Williams. There is also Daisy Dupree who becomes close friends with Anna and Lillian the blind woman who lives on the same street. I enjoyed the mystery of Catherine and Andrew. We learn what happened to the couple through diary entries. The search for the so-called missing treasure was great. I love how Almost Home ended. All the storylines in Almost Home blended together into one lovely, heartwarming story.

[Olivia · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 stars

Another beautiful story from Valerie Fraser Luesse.

I seem to love each of her books just a little more than the last, which is saying a lot, since I think they're all basically perfect... And while I'm gushing, let me also say that I love that she publishes a spotify inspiration playlist / soundtrack for each of her novels on her website. With heavy influence from The Trio: Emmylou Harris, Linda Ronstadt and Dolly Parton, to Dwight Yoakam, to The Blind Boys of Alabama and The Staple Singers... be still my beating heart. Who knew the intersection of music and literature could be so universal! I mean, I knew, but... rhetorically speaking...

Kindred spirits are out there, even if we may never meet.

Anyway, I digress...

Almost Home is a tender examination of the homefront experience during WWII. It is, at its heart, a story about friendship, resilience, and faith. An absolute gem of a book that I will treasure and recommend for years to come.

A couple of quotes that touched me deeply:

~ "I think it's a good thing that we can't see what's comin'," Daisy said. "If we could, it'd scare us so bad we might run from it, and then we'd never get to see how good it could be."

~ I'm babbling on and on about nothing, but I sat down here with a purpose, Violet. What with all the comings and goings at home, I've decided a thing or two. I think God gives us soul mates-not many but enough to get us through. And I'm not just talking about husbands and wives. I'm talking about those one or two people we meet on life's journey who see straight through all our nonsense and love us one hundred percent, no matter what. You're my soul mate, sweet sister. And I never fully appreciated that till now.

[Rebecca · Rating 3 out of 5]

"What's the hardest part o' coming back?"

Sometimes leaving is easier than coming back. Sometimes giving up is the only way to start over. Within the walls of an Alabama boarding house, broken hearts find their way back to whole, and battlefield memories find a way to co-exist peaceably with new ones.

During the years of Great Depression, Dolly and Si struggle to continue paying taxes on an old homeplace. Only by renting out rooms and converting empty spaces into entertainment venues do they stand a chance. When a beaten down young couple arrive, followed by a young veteran whose physical and mental injuries are a daily struggles, they put their hospitality into full gear. Gently feeding their boarders food for the body and wisdom for the soul, the couple guides their young guests along a road called hope. Simmering in the background is a decades old mystery; will it ruin their dreams or bring the answers that they so desperately need in order to survive?

Such an inspiring story!

[Hawley Stewart · Rating 5 out of 5]

This sweet story just ranked above Fried Green Tomatoes on my love list and that is SAYING SOMETHING! Such precious characters that you wish you could be friends with!

[Elisabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

Almost Home is a tender novel about new beginnings and moving on from haunting pasts. Brought together by the Great Depression and War, the characters who board at Dolly and Si Chandler's historic home become friends and family in many ways. As we meet these lively characters, we learn not only of their pasts and what brought them to Blackberry Springs, Alabama, but also the house's past. Luesse skillfully weaves the house's mysterious past into the lives of these new friends, who attempt to solve the century old mystery.

I was touched by the authenticity of these characters, who each battle their own demons brought about by the hard times that plagued the nation and the world. I enjoyed Anna and Jesse's relationship, but I loved Reed and Daisy's. I found myself laughing out loud on many occasions from the wit and banter between these two. Daisy is great example of how to treat others who are haunted by their past- I loved her no-nonsense approach to discussing difficult topics, but also her sensitivity to those same painful memories. Perhaps what struck me the most was how young these individuals were- at the young age of 21, they were already firmly established as adults, saying goodbye to their broken pasts, and learning how to pick up the pieces and move on. What a courageous thing, something I don't think we see nearly enough in our current generation.

I do wish the second part of the book would have spent a little more time with Anna and Jesse. After devoting the first part to their broken but healing marriage, it was kind of an abrupt switch to Daisy and Reed's story. Of course Anna and Jesse were still involved in the plot, especially Anna and Daisy's fast friendship, but I wish we could have spent a little more time with Anna and Jesse as a couple.

Although this book is classified as Christian fiction, I would call it "Christian Light". Faith, and Christian theology, are not the driving points of the plot, although they do influence some conversations and events in the book. This is the kind of Christian fiction I find well done-where faith plays a role in the well-developed imperfect characters' lives, but there is not an effort to convert the reader through misplaced evangelism.

By the end of the book, I felt like I could just walk down the loop and join everyone on the Chandler's front porch. This book didn't shy away from the less glamorous parts of living in mid-1940s Alabama, but it did make me wish I lived back then- or maybe just travel back in time for a nice, long visit.

[Dawn · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the first book I've read by this author and it won't be my last! This book was beautiful. It was rich in details and I loved the characters. I also loved the search to find out the secrets of the past. While this novel isn't really a dual-time line book, it did delve into a separate timeline of the past through journals. This is one of those books that will sit with me and I'll remember for a while. It has a similar feel to several of Nicholas Sparks' books.



I received a copy of this book from the publisher to share my honest opinion. My thoughts and opinions are my own.



Recommended to fans of Laura Frantz, Dandi McCall, Lisa Wingate, Nicholas Sparks



Rating - 5 stars

[Carol · Rating 5 out of 5]

I usually stick to Mystery & Suspense novels but something about this one drew me to take it home from the library. From the very first page I found the story captivating and the authors writing style so very easy to read. She told Anna and Jesse story in such a way that you immediately loved them and hoped that their lives were going to have a change for the better. I will admit that I never expected the type of change that their lives took or that of any of the other characters...but it was a relaxing and enjoyable read. If you want a change of pace or if you are already a fan of this type of novel...give this one a chance. I'm going to look for Valerie Luesse's other books.

[Lauren Denton · Rating 4 out of 5]

Very sweet story of friendship, heartbreak, and healing, set in Shelby county, Alabama, during WWII. Loved the genuine characters the author created and the setting of Blackberry Springs.