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Yesterday
Yesterday
Raised on her father's South Carolina plantation, Callie Parker wanted for nothing, and now she is about to marry wealthy local scion Wyn Archer. But her wedding wouldn't be complete without the three people she grew up with under the sheltering branches of the angel oaks at Parker Manor.
There's Bode Jessup, part brother and part idol, who has become a wildly attractive man. Next is Brie Canfield, Callie's freckle-faced playmate, now an FBI agent with a life of her own. Last is shy waif Sela Bronson, whose only reason for returning to Parker Manor is to escape an unhappy marriage.
As Callie's childhood companions gather to relive the charmed years they spent together, they discover how little they know of their beloved yesterday. . .and how one woman's darkest secret can tear them apart.
Raised on her father's South Carolina plantation, Callie Parker wanted for nothing, and now she is about to marry wealthy local scion Wyn Archer. But her wedding wouldn't be complete without the three people she grew up with under the sheltering branches of the angel oaks at Parker Manor.
There's Bode Jessup, part brother and part idol, who has become a wildly attractive man. Next is Brie Canfield, Callie's freckle-faced playmate, now an FBI agent with a life of her own. Last is shy waif Sela Bronson, whose only reason for returning to Parker Manor is to escape an unhappy marriage.
As Callie's childhood companions gather to relive the charmed years they spent together, they discover how little they know of their beloved yesterday. . .and how one woman's darkest secret can tear them apart.
460 pages, Mass Market Paperback
First published January 1, 1995
2392 people are currently reading
2890 people want to read
About the author
Fern Michaels
426 books6,527 followersFern Michaels isn’t a person. I’m not sure she’s an entity either since an entity is something with separate existence. Fern Michaels® is what I DO. Me, Mary Ruth Kuczkir. Growing up in Hastings, Pennsylvania, I was called Ruth. I became Mary when I entered the business world where first names were the order of the day. To this day, family and friends call me Dink, a name my father gave me when I was born because according to him I was ‘a dinky little thing’ weighing in at four and a half pounds. However, I answer to Fern since people are more comfortable with a name they can pronounce.
As they say, the past is prologue. I grew up, got a job, got married, had five kids. When my youngest went off to Kindergarten, my husband told me to get off my ass and get a job. Those were his exact words. I didn’t know how to do anything except be a wife and mother. I was also a voracious reader having cut my teeth on The Bobbsey Twins, Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, Cherry Ames and the like. The library was a magical place for me. It still is to this day. Rather than face the outside world with no skills, I decided to write a book. For some reason that didn’t intimidate me. As my husband said at the time, stupid is as stupid does. Guess what, I don’t have that husband any more. Guess what else! I wrote 99 books, most of them New York Times Best Sellers.
Moving right along here . . . Several years ago I left Ballantine Books, parted company with my agent, sold my house in New Jersey that I had lived in all my married life and in 1993 moved to South Carolina. I figured if I was going to go through trauma let it be all at one time. It was a breeze. The kids were all on their own at that point. The dump was a 300 year old plantation house that is listed in the National Registry that I remodeled. Today it is beyond belief as are the gardens and the equally old Angel Oaks that drip Spanish moss. Unfortunately, I could not get my ghost to relocate. This ghost has been documented by previous owners. Mary Margaret as we call her, is “a friendly”. She is also mischievous. It took me two weeks to figure out that she didn’t like my coffee cups. They would slide off the table or counter or else they’d break in the dishwasher. I bought red checkered ones. All are intact as of this writing. She moves pillows from one room to the other and she stops all the clocks in the house at 9:10 in the a.m. at least once a week. When the Azaleas are in bloom, and only then, I find blooms on my night stand. I have this glorious front porch and during the warm months I see my swing moving early in the morning when the air is still and again late in the day. She doesn’t spook the dogs. I always know when she’s around because the five of them line up and look like they’re at a tennis match. As of this writing we’re co-habiting nicely.
Most writers love what they do and I’m no exception. I love it when I get a germ of an idea and get it down on paper. I love breathing life into my characters. I love writing about women who persevere and prevail because that’s what I had to do to get to this point in time. It’s another way of saying it doesn’t matter where you’ve been, what matters is where you’re going and how you get there. The day I finally prevailed was the day I was inducted into the New Jersey Literary Hall of Fame. For me it was an awesome day and there are no words to describe it.
I’ve been telling stories and scribbling for 37 years. I hope I can continue for another 37 years. It wasn’t easy during some of those years. As I said, I had to persevere. My old Polish grandmother said something to me when I was little that I never forgot. She said when God is good to you, you have to give back. For a while I didn’t know how to do that. When I finally figured it out I set up The Fern Michaels® Foundation.
READ FERN MICHAELS' FULL BIOGRAPHY HERE: http://www.fernmichaels.com/biography/
As they say, the past is prologue. I grew up, got a job, got married, had five kids. When my youngest went off to Kindergarten, my husband told me to get off my ass and get a job. Those were his exact words. I didn’t know how to do anything except be a wife and mother. I was also a voracious reader having cut my teeth on The Bobbsey Twins, Nancy Drew, The Hardy Boys, Cherry Ames and the like. The library was a magical place for me. It still is to this day. Rather than face the outside world with no skills, I decided to write a book. For some reason that didn’t intimidate me. As my husband said at the time, stupid is as stupid does. Guess what, I don’t have that husband any more. Guess what else! I wrote 99 books, most of them New York Times Best Sellers.
Moving right along here . . . Several years ago I left Ballantine Books, parted company with my agent, sold my house in New Jersey that I had lived in all my married life and in 1993 moved to South Carolina. I figured if I was going to go through trauma let it be all at one time. It was a breeze. The kids were all on their own at that point. The dump was a 300 year old plantation house that is listed in the National Registry that I remodeled. Today it is beyond belief as are the gardens and the equally old Angel Oaks that drip Spanish moss. Unfortunately, I could not get my ghost to relocate. This ghost has been documented by previous owners. Mary Margaret as we call her, is “a friendly”. She is also mischievous. It took me two weeks to figure out that she didn’t like my coffee cups. They would slide off the table or counter or else they’d break in the dishwasher. I bought red checkered ones. All are intact as of this writing. She moves pillows from one room to the other and she stops all the clocks in the house at 9:10 in the a.m. at least once a week. When the Azaleas are in bloom, and only then, I find blooms on my night stand. I have this glorious front porch and during the warm months I see my swing moving early in the morning when the air is still and again late in the day. She doesn’t spook the dogs. I always know when she’s around because the five of them line up and look like they’re at a tennis match. As of this writing we’re co-habiting nicely.
Most writers love what they do and I’m no exception. I love it when I get a germ of an idea and get it down on paper. I love breathing life into my characters. I love writing about women who persevere and prevail because that’s what I had to do to get to this point in time. It’s another way of saying it doesn’t matter where you’ve been, what matters is where you’re going and how you get there. The day I finally prevailed was the day I was inducted into the New Jersey Literary Hall of Fame. For me it was an awesome day and there are no words to describe it.
I’ve been telling stories and scribbling for 37 years. I hope I can continue for another 37 years. It wasn’t easy during some of those years. As I said, I had to persevere. My old Polish grandmother said something to me when I was little that I never forgot. She said when God is good to you, you have to give back. For a while I didn’t know how to do that. When I finally figured it out I set up The Fern Michaels® Foundation.
READ FERN MICHAELS' FULL BIOGRAPHY HERE: http://www.fernmichaels.com/biography/
Ratings & Reviews
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 237 reviews
January 21, 2021
This was somehow okay and also somehow boring, though I liked the characters however I find it difficult to flow with it.
I prefer Family Blessings to it.
I prefer Family Blessings to it.
March 22, 2015
Awful. All the characters are stereotypes. Michael's gave Brie and Sela the same mother p. 6-8 and p. 18-19. From reading this book, I gather all single mothers in the south were waitresses who screwed, drank, and didn't touch or bathe their children or their clothes. I also don't see how Mama Pearl and Callie were able to survive on Bode and Brie's earnings from side jobs. Besides this Bode was able to save enough money to buy Callie a car. The dialog is excruciating, especially Michael's idea of how children talk and think.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 25, 2012
Very good book, tells how love can make a family .How those that thought they were all that and a bag of chips find out they aren't all they think they are.How someone who thinks they are'nt are more than they realized but it doesn't matter they are content with who they are.When really care about thats whats most important.Secrets can make or break you .Very good read.Read about four friends and how things worked out when the truth comes out. WOW!
December 25, 2022
Awful, predictable yet unbelievable. Characters were ridiculous.
November 17, 2022
Just ok.
Two stars for the effort. The premise of the story was good but the writing style left a lot to be desired. Much of the story wss told through conversations between the characters, which wss rather awkward and very juvenile. The women were supposed to be such close friends but they are constantly screaming at each other than professing lifelong friendship and love. The writing did not seem to be that of an experienced author. I'm sorry to say but I did not like it.
Two stars for the effort. The premise of the story was good but the writing style left a lot to be desired. Much of the story wss told through conversations between the characters, which wss rather awkward and very juvenile. The women were supposed to be such close friends but they are constantly screaming at each other than professing lifelong friendship and love. The writing did not seem to be that of an experienced author. I'm sorry to say but I did not like it.
July 2, 2012
I usually like Fern Michaels for an easy, beach-type read. I don't expect intriguing plots or character development. However, this book was beyond awful. Poorly written- it jumped all over the place and little to no character development. I keep trying to make myself finish it and not sure I will be able too.
November 28, 2021
Just read this on vacation - was on my grandmas bookshelf. Hence .. is my first book by this author and I loved it!! This was a more complex and longer story but I think it was well written and never boring or slow spots.
I really like her writing in general and will look for other short stories by her.
I really like her writing in general and will look for other short stories by her.
June 5, 2022
Can someone please just quickly summarize what actually happens in this story.
I couldn't get through it. I really want to like this and I think the story line could be interesting but I HATE the way it's written. This is my first Fern Michaels novel and maybe it's just her writing style, but I hate it. It's all over the place and hard to follow. There's almost zero character development. It's annoying to read the dialogue of the children. I think I'm going to put this one to the side.
A quick summary from anyone who actually read it would be much appreciated! Thanks
I couldn't get through it. I really want to like this and I think the story line could be interesting but I HATE the way it's written. This is my first Fern Michaels novel and maybe it's just her writing style, but I hate it. It's all over the place and hard to follow. There's almost zero character development. It's annoying to read the dialogue of the children. I think I'm going to put this one to the side.
A quick summary from anyone who actually read it would be much appreciated! Thanks
December 21, 2019
This was a bad book. The dialogues are stiff, stilted and artificial. There is no flow. And so much unnecessary information and tidbits that need to be culled out. This book really really needed a good editor. It seems like the first draft was published. Sorry but I struggled to get to the end of it.
March 8, 2021
Yesterday is a historical fiction romance written by Fern Michaels. Coming together for a wedding, four friends share memories of childhood set in South Carolina.
This book serves as an entry (Re-do one of the previous 51 categories from 2021 challenge) in The 52 Book Challenge 2021. I am re-doing entry thirty-one (Book that shares a similar title to another book), which shares its title with another book written by Felicia Yap, which I have already finished reading.
Blonde Southern belle Callie Parker is to wed arrogant Wynfield Archer, with her childhood friends in attendance: Brie Canfield, San Diego cop and prospective FBI agent; Sela Bronson, interior designer and recent divorcee; and attorney Bode Jessup.
Bode became Callie's foster brother when her father brought him home from an orphanage and made him promise to make sure Callie got what she wanted – always. Brie and Sela were considered white trash by the local girls and was brought in daily as playmates to form the rest of Callie's adoring court. Mama Pearl, an aging black woman employed at Parker Manor, lovingly cared for the poor waifs, but she also reinforced Callie's princess complex.
Now, emotional turmoil rise to the surface when Bode evades attending Callie's wedding, questioning if Bode is in love with his foster sister. The question fades in the wake of a car crash that leaves Callie comatose, an accident caused and covered up by an inebriated Wyn on the way to their wedding rehearsal. Brie explores her memories and her feelings for Bode, and maudlin nostalgia runs rampant as each character bemoans the perfection of the past.
Yesterday is written moderately well. Stereotypes abound with Sela's a tramp with a heart of gold; Callie is a prima donna and Mama Pearl is the typical Mammy of the South. Michaels stirs up love-drama between the old friends and wangles revelations out of Mama Pearl about Bode and Callie's secret origins and racial heritage.
All in all, Yesterday is a moderately written historical romance, predictable in some cases, yet interestingly enough to keep readers attention. Having very little to no experience in reading a romance-centric book, it is difficult to rate and review.
This book serves as an entry (Re-do one of the previous 51 categories from 2021 challenge) in The 52 Book Challenge 2021. I am re-doing entry thirty-one (Book that shares a similar title to another book), which shares its title with another book written by Felicia Yap, which I have already finished reading.
Blonde Southern belle Callie Parker is to wed arrogant Wynfield Archer, with her childhood friends in attendance: Brie Canfield, San Diego cop and prospective FBI agent; Sela Bronson, interior designer and recent divorcee; and attorney Bode Jessup.
Bode became Callie's foster brother when her father brought him home from an orphanage and made him promise to make sure Callie got what she wanted – always. Brie and Sela were considered white trash by the local girls and was brought in daily as playmates to form the rest of Callie's adoring court. Mama Pearl, an aging black woman employed at Parker Manor, lovingly cared for the poor waifs, but she also reinforced Callie's princess complex.
Now, emotional turmoil rise to the surface when Bode evades attending Callie's wedding, questioning if Bode is in love with his foster sister. The question fades in the wake of a car crash that leaves Callie comatose, an accident caused and covered up by an inebriated Wyn on the way to their wedding rehearsal. Brie explores her memories and her feelings for Bode, and maudlin nostalgia runs rampant as each character bemoans the perfection of the past.
Yesterday is written moderately well. Stereotypes abound with Sela's a tramp with a heart of gold; Callie is a prima donna and Mama Pearl is the typical Mammy of the South. Michaels stirs up love-drama between the old friends and wangles revelations out of Mama Pearl about Bode and Callie's secret origins and racial heritage.
All in all, Yesterday is a moderately written historical romance, predictable in some cases, yet interestingly enough to keep readers attention. Having very little to no experience in reading a romance-centric book, it is difficult to rate and review.
February 2, 2023
Not my cup of tea, but my sister, mom, and I created a book club since we all live in different states it's a fun way to stay connected. This was a free read via Amazon (I suspect that's why my sister chose it) it was an engaging story of a group of southern, childhood friends and their black nanny. Issues of class, race, adoption and what true friendship and making your own family means are threaded throughout the book. I'd always thought this author's work was like Lifetime movie channel in book form and I still think that after reading this. It was an intriguing story, I was always curious what was going to happen next. I didn't like the way a character was presented one way through 90% of the book then, at the end her actions are not at all in line with what I would have expected out of her -over the top behavior just to make the story juicier - that really took away from what I thought was a pretty good novel- it lost a star, until the last chapter I was prepared to give it 4 "pleasantly surprised" stars, but that unrealistic character change brought it down to 3. I'm glad I got a chance to read something different, but unless she writes a mystery/ detective story, I will not be reading her books again. If you like Lifetime movies or Hallmark channel this one is probably for you!
December 19, 2022
wonderful book!
One of the best I’ve read in a long time! Held your heart close! You could see every character as if they we’re sitting with you! A few curse words appropriately used! Please take time to read it!
One of the best I’ve read in a long time! Held your heart close! You could see every character as if they we’re sitting with you! A few curse words appropriately used! Please take time to read it!
July 11, 2023
What a incredibly good story!
I loved this book, partly because it gave a little of the storyline about Hatch Littletree who was in the Kentucky Rich series! What a mixed up life those kids lived! Amazing writing!
I loved this book, partly because it gave a little of the storyline about Hatch Littletree who was in the Kentucky Rich series! What a mixed up life those kids lived! Amazing writing!
August 28, 2023
This is a great story and so many surprises!
August 24, 2020
I enjoyed this book. Nice story, easy to read.
May 10, 2020
I didn’t care much for this book. I didn’t care much for the story because I felt it could have been so much less, meaning race didn’t have to come into play, and Bode could have made up his mind on who he was in love with earlier. There could have been a real love story; not the fling with Sela and Wyn, who was supposed to be married to Sela’s friend Cassie who is lying in a coma.
So the background of the story is four children grow up together on a plantation in the south. Callie and Bode live in Parker Manor. For lack of complications, let’s just say they aren’t related, and Bode is the son of the owner of the house. (But he doesn’t know that until he’s grown.) Callie thinks she is the daughter of Clemson Parker, the plantation owner, but he took her in because her parents had too many children to take care of. Clemson also made arrangements to have two other girls come and visit to play with Cassie and Bode. Brie and Sela came from poor families. Mama Pearl, nanny and housekeeper, took care of each of the children, becoming a mother who loved each of them like her own.
So a reunion of the four comes to be when Callie is getting married to Wynfield Archer. The night before the wedding, Callie tells Pearl she’s going to call the whole thing off. She seems to think she’s in love with Bode or Bode’s in love with her. But she has Wyn drive while he was drunk and they get into an accident leaving Callie in a coma. Wyn says Callie was driving.
Callie is in the coma for months. Pearl, Brie, and Sela visit all the time. Pearl wears herself out, and becomes very sick, dying. Before her death she reveals her secrets about where Callie and Bode came from.
A miracle happens when Callie comes out of her coma. Wyn has a nervous breakdown and confesses that he was the one driving the car in the accident. As Callie gets better she becomes her nasty spoiled self again wanting people to wait on her hand and foot like Pearl used to. She tells Bode off as well as Sela. Since Bode doesn’t want anything to do with a racist snobby girl Callie calls Wyn who is out of jail and tries to get back with him again. Little does she know he’s broke.
In the end, Sela gets married to Bode’s friend Hatch and Bode confesses his love for Brie in the hospital where she is taken after getting shot in an FBI take down. I hope Bode is sure of his love since it seemed he never knew who he was in love with throughout the story.
So all I can say is there was a lot going on, too much to even mention. Since this was published in 1995 I hope with the many books I have by this author her stories improve.
So the background of the story is four children grow up together on a plantation in the south. Callie and Bode live in Parker Manor. For lack of complications, let’s just say they aren’t related, and Bode is the son of the owner of the house. (But he doesn’t know that until he’s grown.) Callie thinks she is the daughter of Clemson Parker, the plantation owner, but he took her in because her parents had too many children to take care of. Clemson also made arrangements to have two other girls come and visit to play with Cassie and Bode. Brie and Sela came from poor families. Mama Pearl, nanny and housekeeper, took care of each of the children, becoming a mother who loved each of them like her own.
So a reunion of the four comes to be when Callie is getting married to Wynfield Archer. The night before the wedding, Callie tells Pearl she’s going to call the whole thing off. She seems to think she’s in love with Bode or Bode’s in love with her. But she has Wyn drive while he was drunk and they get into an accident leaving Callie in a coma. Wyn says Callie was driving.
Callie is in the coma for months. Pearl, Brie, and Sela visit all the time. Pearl wears herself out, and becomes very sick, dying. Before her death she reveals her secrets about where Callie and Bode came from.
A miracle happens when Callie comes out of her coma. Wyn has a nervous breakdown and confesses that he was the one driving the car in the accident. As Callie gets better she becomes her nasty spoiled self again wanting people to wait on her hand and foot like Pearl used to. She tells Bode off as well as Sela. Since Bode doesn’t want anything to do with a racist snobby girl Callie calls Wyn who is out of jail and tries to get back with him again. Little does she know he’s broke.
In the end, Sela gets married to Bode’s friend Hatch and Bode confesses his love for Brie in the hospital where she is taken after getting shot in an FBI take down. I hope Bode is sure of his love since it seemed he never knew who he was in love with throughout the story.
So all I can say is there was a lot going on, too much to even mention. Since this was published in 1995 I hope with the many books I have by this author her stories improve.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 12, 2013
Yesterday is a really good book!I really enjoy how it's about 4 friends whose parents either didn't really care about them , one character was an orphan, and they were dropped off at the judges house for the day. They all became friends and played with each other and helped each other out every single day. There is this black person,Mama Pearl, whose a maid and takes care of the children. She would love and cherish them every moment of the time she spent with them. The kids LOVE Mama Pearl to death! Well the 4 friends grew up and went there separate ways,but stayed in touch with each other.They finally meet up at the old house and talk about their life and the past, known as Yesterday. They each think about wanting to go back to yesterday and change what went on. Major things go on while they meet up. Both good and bad. However they always forgive each other and thank everyday for each other. They thank not only each other ,but also Mama Pearl. If it weren't for Mama Pearl they wouldn't be who they are today. The only bad thing about the book is once you start reading it, you never want to put it down!It's a lesson of love,friendship,loyalty,gratefulness, and most importantly, Family.
December 15, 2016
Yesterday is a novel teeming with adult secrets, betrayals, parental neglect and cruelty. This book clearly illustrates that the road to hell is indeed paved with good intentions. Yesterday will remind you of the resilience of children, the loyalty of friends, and that home is definitely where the heart is. Bode, Brie, Sela, and Callie meet at the young ages of 6, 5, 4 1/2, and 4. The one constant source of love and comfort in their lives from that point on, is Mama Pearl; the giver of endless hugs and kisses. The laughter, tears, redemption, forgiveness and love, both romantic and platonic, found within the pages of this unforgettable story, will stay with you long after the ending.
August 5, 2010
There were some interesting issues covered in this book and I was anxious to learn what would end up happening to all these people. On the negative side, I couldn't really grasp the reasoning for everyone kowtowing to one of the main characters...and towards the end the emphasis on "yesterday" got pretty heavy-handed.
I didn't realize until after finishing this one that the author has an entire series of sisterhood books, which is understandable given her emphasis on relationships especially between women.
I didn't realize until after finishing this one that the author has an entire series of sisterhood books, which is understandable given her emphasis on relationships especially between women.
November 8, 2017
This was a tale different than most I have read. Four people are all looking for something different, and all go to the same place to find it. There lives were greatly intertwined as children, but they have drifted apart over the years. They are all back together again, and old emotions are tangled with new ones. A very entertaining mix.
Ms. Michaels has always been one of my favorite writers. I did not find this novel a disappointment in the least, and hope to see more with this level of quality writing in the near future. This is a must read.
Ms. Michaels has always been one of my favorite writers. I did not find this novel a disappointment in the least, and hope to see more with this level of quality writing in the near future. This is a must read.
January 4, 2023
The first few chapters led me to believe this might be a great book. Unfortunately, as I continued to read my opinion changed. I realize many readers enjoyed this book but I did not. I found the conversations and interactions between the characters to be awkward and juvenile at times. The dialogue seemed to fit children or teenagers more than thirty year-old adults. I did not like Callie
from the start and I loathed her by the end. She was so shallow and pompous. How in the world did the other characters continue to call her their friend?
from the start and I loathed her by the end. She was so shallow and pompous. How in the world did the other characters continue to call her their friend?
June 29, 2015
I picked this up at a leave one/take one library. I've never read anything by Fern Michaels and not sure I will again. The story itself was ok, but incredibly slow paced. It was great when I needed something to put me to sleep.
February 8, 2019
True friends.
You don’t have to be blood to have the family bond. Love, compassion, trust and caring make the book a great read. We all would of made decisions differently knowing what we now know and you can’t go back to yesterday.
You don’t have to be blood to have the family bond. Love, compassion, trust and caring make the book a great read. We all would of made decisions differently knowing what we now know and you can’t go back to yesterday.
October 2, 2021
Yesterday, don't we all wish for that.
This book started out perfect. I could not put it down. Even at work all I could think about was going home and reading this book. Ms. Michael's you are the best author. Contra on a another best seller.
This book started out perfect. I could not put it down. Even at work all I could think about was going home and reading this book. Ms. Michael's you are the best author. Contra on a another best seller.
May 7, 2009
Thinking of you, Nancy, as this takes place in SC.
It dragged on and on. Very intertwined story line. And an abrupt very unsatisfactory ending.
It dragged on and on. Very intertwined story line. And an abrupt very unsatisfactory ending.
March 27, 2015
This book was terrible. It was scattered and very hard to follow. Thumbs down.
February 10, 2019
Wasn't my cup of tea. It took me 2 years to fully read because I had to keep setting it down for a few months cuz it just couldn't draw me in.
December 31, 2022
“You spell my name B-o-w-d-e-y Jessup. But,” he said, holding up his hand, “you pronounce it Bo-dee and you spell it B-o-d-e.
How do you spell it? This was the first mistake.
Callie has golden ringlets (we later find out she is half black) and is described in detail. We are told Bode is 7 but no description. I had no idea he was black until halfway through the book. I would have thought this was pertinent in a story with 4 young children being tended to by a black housekeeper in the South. The author also calls them colored, yet it is the 90s, not the 50s.
Callie was a little snot! Why did they put up with her crap for so long? The characters were not rich but they could take off from work for months to take care of her after her accident.Bode is so poor he drives an old car. After a few months working for his "Indian" best friend in New Mexico he is so wealthy he can leave work to go home to help pay for everything .
What was the purpose of pretending Callie was the daughter but his son Bode was a foster child?
The girls talk about how much they all love one another but they are constantly fighting.
It was long, drawn-out, boring and utterly stupid.
How do you spell it? This was the first mistake.
Callie has golden ringlets (we later find out she is half black) and is described in detail. We are told Bode is 7 but no description. I had no idea he was black until halfway through the book. I would have thought this was pertinent in a story with 4 young children being tended to by a black housekeeper in the South. The author also calls them colored, yet it is the 90s, not the 50s.
Callie was a little snot! Why did they put up with her crap for so long? The characters were not rich but they could take off from work for months to take care of her after her accident.Bode is so poor he drives an old car. After a few months working for his "Indian" best friend in New Mexico he is so wealthy he can leave work to go home to help pay for everything .
What was the purpose of pretending Callie was the daughter but his son Bode was a foster child?
The girls talk about how much they all love one another but they are constantly fighting.
It was long, drawn-out, boring and utterly stupid.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 17, 2022
I give this book 3.5 stars. A good story with some good life lessons. Brie and Sela come from bad homes and love going out to Parker Manor and spending time with Callie, Bodie and Mama Pearl. Callie is spoiled and Wants for nothing. Bodie came to live there when he was young and does everything he can for Pearl and Callie. He doesn’t know his real name or anything about his background. Brie and Sela have h come back for Callie’s wedding and after they arrive Bodie leaves. Callie a decides to call off the wedding but before she can tell WYN she is involved in a car accident and is in a come, pearl, Brie and Sela do all they can to take care of Callie and Bodie knows nothing about the accident. The author does a great job of developing the characters. To find out what happens to them all , read the book.
October 27, 2023
This book just didn’t do it for me. Honestly, I can’t even figure out how to write a review. Childhood friends Callie, Bode, and Sela have grown up and are reuniting for Callie’s wedding. They return to Callie’s home, mostly for their Pearl- the lady who raised them. The book jumped around. You’d be reading one chapter and then all of a sudden you were years in the future with no warning. The ending seemed rushed…like something one of my students would pull together. And there was this unnecessary side story where all of a sudden she threw in this ridiculous love scene. Lots of cliche moments. I got it for free on Prime so I assumed it was a new author, but when I finished the book and the author bio popped up, this is someone who has written lots of books. I was honestly shocked. Not a complete bust, but I won’t be adding this author to my rotation.
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