A Boundless Place

by Pamela Stockwell

Twenty-four-year-old Violet wants one to hide from life after her husband's death left her reeling. But life has other ideas. Well, life and a certain seven-year-old neighbor.

Violet moves to Magnolia Avenue, a forgotten street in a forgotten neighborhood filled with forgotten mobile homes. It looks like the perfect place to retreat and lick her wounds. But it's not long before her young neighbor, Arabella, enlists her in the rescue of the cantankerous old woman next door who has fallen ill. But if Violet thinks this is a one-off event, she's wrong. Next thing she knows, she is entangled in the lives of several neighbors from grumpy Mr. Pritchard to the handsome GI across the street. Set against the backdrop of the 1969 moon landing when astronauts broke the boundaries of Earth, A Boundless Place shows what happens when people are able to break through their own boundaries and reach out to others.

Genres: Fiction, Historical Fiction, Womens Fiction

358 pages, Kindle Edition

Published October 21, 2021

About the author

Pamela Stockwell was born in Texas and raised in South Carolina. In between, she lived in the Philippines and, along with her big sister, became fluent in Tagalog name-calling. She abandoned her foreign language studies at age five but went on to earn a BA in journalism from the University of South Carolina. She lives with her husband in central New Jersey. She is a member of the Princeton Writers Group and Women’s Fiction Writers Association. Her writing has appeared in several anthologies and online literary magazines. Her first novel, A Boundless Place, has won several awards and her second book, The Tender Silver Stars, will be coming out in 2024.

Reviews

[Beth · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the privilege of being a Beta reader for this novel.
A year and a half later I remember these well written characters fondly. I can’t wait to read the published version.

[Kiana Stockwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Boundless Place is a charming and well-rounded novel that has both depth and humor. What made this book so special and fulfilling to read was the relatable cast of neighborhood characters who become unlikely friends. I love the concept of the 1969 moon landing being a sort of backdrop and turning point for these characters, as well as the idea that revolutionary and life-changing moments happen in big and small ways. Great writing & great stories - I highly recommend!

[Renay · Rating 5 out of 5]

Beautifully written, a heartwarming story with believable characters. You’ll laugh and tear up as you read about these wonderful people. It was a wonderful debut book.

[Scott · Rating 5 out of 5]

I like to read novels from many different genres. As much as I love the world building of fantastical and science fiction novels, I really get excited about stories that pull you along with endearing characters. In my mind, there are no gimmicks in this novel. It's just a great story, and the characters that live them. It's heartfelt and emotional, bringing tears and laughter, and everything in between, to those that inhabit the story and those who read it. It shows how strangers can come together, and how support, understanding, and respect can build friendships and family.

(Added note: The author and I have followed each other here for at least half a dozen years. Her opinions of shared books read match many of mine, and she has sent along some great recommendations. I noticed her profile page recently became an author page, and on my own became interested in reading this, her debut novel. Really glad I did.)

[Tara Baisden · Rating 5 out of 5]

This debut novel by Pamela Stockwell is fantastic — no — it’s beyond fantastic! Each of these wonderful characters wove a special place in my heart, and I’m sure I’ll remember them for the rest of my life, especially delightful Arabella. This novel zings with southern charm and I found it hard to put down. It grabbed me from the beginning and didn’t let go! Congratulations Pamela on a job well done, I look forward to reading more of your art in the future! This book has earned a special place in my heart and it’s a keeper - to be read again and again in the future!

[Beth Whipple · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really loved this book. It is moving, emotional, and was hard for me to put down. This is Pamela Stockwell's first book. Can't wait to read her next one.

[Densie · Rating 5 out of 5]

What a heartwarming, feel-good story. There's still heartache, grief, and regret woven throughout. But, in the end, it's about how friends, family, neighbors, and co-workers band together to create a much-needed support system to help the main character, Violet, weather her emotional storm. Wonderful characters throughout and you can almost feel the heat and humidity of the south in the descriptions An enjoyable read indeed.

[Vicki Baker · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book of unexpected friendships is beautiful!

It proves that we are never too old, nor too young, to make new friends and that friendship can be found in unexpected places. It's also a reminder that we can all learn from our past while looking to the future.

[Susan Ballard (subakkabookstuff) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is such a sweet and encouraging read! We could all learn a little from Violet and her new neighbors!

Violet has just moved to Magnolia Street, in a neighborhood of mobile homes where people seem to keep to themselves. This is just fine with Violet, as she needs time to heal from the pain of losing her husband.

Seven-year-old Arabella has a different idea, as she invites herself to help Violet unpack her boxes and settle in. Violet, hoping to be left alone and grieve, soon finds herself pulled into the lives of her neighbors by young Arabella.

I loved the relationship between Violet and Arabella. Seeing how they came to care so much about the people in their little neighborhood, even those who begrudgingly accepted their help and kindness, was heartwarming.

I also thought it was unique how Pamela Stockwell wove the 1969 moon landing into the story. A remarkable debut with endearing characters that will touch your heart.

Thank you @suzyapprovedbooktours and @pamelastockwellauthor for a spot on tour and a gifted copy.

[Dawnny · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story takes place during the 1960's in South Carolina. Violet is a twenty-four-year-old widow that moves into a mobile home community looking to hide from the world. Or so she thinks because that becomes impossible when her teenage neighbor Arabella insist she help with another neighbor who is ill. Little did Violet know that she would become part of something much bigger than she ever expected. As the lives of these neighbors come together. This was heartwarming and I loved the characters. This rang all my bells and whistles as I could so easily relate to this story being when I got married our first home was in a mobile home community. This was a quirky community of friendships, mishaps, grief and a feeling of being home. It isn't very often that I say it's a book I would read again but I will definitely read this book again. An outstanding read I really enjoyed.

Dawnny Ruby
Novels N Latte
Hudson Valley NY

[Sara Baron · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved reading Pamela Stockwell's debut novel. The relationships between each of the characters, especially between Violet and Arabella, were so inspiring and detailed that a spinoff of any of the back stories would be just as captivating as the book itself. I loved seeing the personal relationships deepen as the story progressed and how the emotional breakthroughs of the characters mirrored the societal breakthrough of the moon landing. The humorous tone paired with the comforting and heartwarming stories told made this an excellent read. I would definitely recommend!

[Kelly Hartog · Rating 5 out of 5]

Oh, just the book if you want to escape to a world where a street is full of well-drawn, quirky characters who despite their best intentions to avoid each other are impossibly drawn together. Set in the 1960s and centering around the moon landing, I loved how Pamela weaved fascinating historical details that also delves into the effects of the Vietnam war, into a sweet, feel-good, happily-ever-after story.

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a great book. I got caught up in the characters right away and had to find out how they all did. The Red Thread through it all strung everyone together and as usual brought them closer together. Would love to know what happens next. I would recommend this book highly. Characters are well thought out and people you really want to get to know.

[Chelsie · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was a fun, light-hearted read. I especially loved little Arabella's character, set during the backdrop of 1969 when the Vietnam war was still in the forefront and man was going to be landing on the moon. Violet is trying to get her life back on track when she moves into a trailer in this little unknown community. She figures this fresh start where no one knows her or her past will be a good way to find herself again.

It doesn't take long and soon Violet has a new unexpected young helper of sorts who quickly sets her sights on helping everyone she can in the neighborhood. All of these families have been brought to this little neighborhood for one reason or another and they all find out, that the innocence of a child is maybe all we need to make this world a better place. Once a place where every one stuck to themselves- has turned into a small community where they've learned to help each other out and often a listening ear is all that is needed in times of need.

I will be reading more by this author. I really loved the flow of the storyline as well as the different characters she all brought together in this community. Thank you to the author for the free novel, and Suzy Approved Book Tours for the invite. Another new author I have found!

[Stephanie Claypool · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is what I call a slice of life book. I get a glimpse into a time or place or event I know nothing about. Magnolia Place, with its cast of characters, especially the darling Arabella, its Southern Charm and delightful humor, was a place well worth the visit. Fantastic debut novel!

[Bookoholiccafe · Rating 5 out of 5]

review coming up

[TMGo · Rating 3 out of 5]

Another great feel good beach read

[Rachel Stone · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this charming novel about healing, friendship, community, and learning to trust again -- both yourself and others. The setting and characters were vividly drawn, the writing was lovely, and the story was engaging through and through. I look forward to reading more from this author!

[Linda Rosen · Rating 5 out of 5]

A heartwarming, delightful debut. You can’t help loving Pamela Stockwell’s grumpy, quirky characters and wish you were their neighbor on Magnolia Avenue. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you’ll get misty eyed. The writing is evocative, it made me tear up many times. I was watching the moon landing with the characters and teared-up as Armstrong took his step for mankind. Stockwell grabbed my heart many times. Brava, Ms. Stockwell.

[Melissa Levens · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Boundless Place
Author, Pamela Stockwell

Thank you @suzyapprovedbooktours and @pamelastockwellauthor for my #gifted copy!

Who needs a heartwarming story that will restore your faith in humanity and make you feel warm, fuzzy, and loved?

After the tragic death of her husband, twenty- four- year- old Violet moves to a quiet neighborhood of mobile homes on Magnolia Avenue, SC. Here, she hopes to retreat, attempt to heal, and live her days quietly and alone. Before she realizes what's happening, seven- year- old Arabella has entered her home, begun to help her unpack, and has taken up a special place in her heart.

The two form a sweet bond that begins to entangle themselves in the lives of several of their neighbors. And before long, the quiet mobile home community begins to look like something else entirely. And their stories and connections are wonderful. Such a perfect read for these unsettling days.

Set in 1969 celebrating the remarkable lunar landing and remembering the tragic Vietnam war, A Boundless Place is filled with memorable characters that are learning how to break through their own boundaries, offering themselves a second chance, accepting the gifts of friendship, and teaching each other how to love their neighbors... Even the cranky ones that don't want to be loved.

With quick chapters and relatable dialogue, Stockwell wrote an inspiring debut that allows readers to experience healing, hope, and the gift of how communities are formed by coming together. I loved these characters, and their stories will stay with me for a long time.

4.5 stars!

[Sydney Clark · Rating 5 out of 5]

There is much to love in this debut novel. Set in a South Carolina trailer park, Pamela Stockwell deftly reveals a strong sense of place with its suffocating heat, endless pitchers of iced tea, and the trailers, so similar and yet so different as the reader comes to know each resident. What pulls you in is the language, often poetic. "Her panic inched up, the tide surging, breaking now at her knees..."
"They ground against each other like gears that did not mesh, creating friction and sparks."
In a manner somewhat reminiscent of Frederik Bachman, the characters, lonely and disaffected, emerge from their misanthropic existence, into a community that cares about each other, aided by the precocious seven-year-old Arabella. A richly textured fabric of life set against the backdrop of the first lunar landing, but tinged by the shadow of the war in Vietnam, there is heartbreak, joy, and suffering, all made bearable by Stockwell's warm sense of humour and memorable characters. I look forward to returning to Edenton, South Carolina, and reacquainting myself with the neighbours there when Pamela's second book is released.

[Debbie Rozier · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was SO good. It’s set basically in 1969-1970. There are a few sections that do go back earlier in time as two of the character’s past are described.

It’s set in South Carolina in a fictional town close to an air force base. It’s about a group of people that live on a quiet street that all have moved there basically to be left alone.

As the book progresses, this group of neighbors, thanks in part to a 7 year old girl named Annabelle, become unlikely friends and it is an absolutely beautiful thing to read.

The book is told in the voices of the different neighbors on the street with most of the story being told by Violet, who has moved into town for a fresh start.

One of the big events that pull the neighbors together is watching the moon landing. I was only 2 when that happened so I not only loved the fictional get together but also how the author writes about Walter Cronkite’s coverage of the event.

This story makes you realize that everyone really needs to feel that sense of community whether they want to recognize it or not.

In her acknowledgements, Pamela says that this book is loosely based on the neighborhood where she was raised which I thought was great.

[Barbara · Rating 4 out of 5]

My sister recommended this book as she knows the author. I'm so glad she did! This well-written feel-good story was exactly what I needed this holiday season. Don't get me wrong, it's not a Christmas book. In fact, much of it takes place around the time of our astronauts landing on the moon. It's a book about people, some of them broken, some of them quirky, all of whom share a neighborhood street. They become a community thanks to Arabella, a neighborhood kid, a nosy-body, and a ray of sunshine on a cloudy day (my cliche, not the author's). In a world that seems so cruel and dark anymore, this book gave me characters to care about and to root for. If you like strong character-driven stories, this book is for you. Why the four and not a five star rating? Well, the ending was a little like a Hallmark movie. I'm not crazy about them, but many of you are. So enjoy!!

[Ann Rogers · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. The characters are relatable and you feel like you know them and worry about them and hope for good things to happen for them.

Because I am a "person of a certain age" I remember the moon landing and how our whole neighborhood came together to watch it and talk about it. The moon landing is part of what brings this not exactly connected group of people together with a common cultural moment that was momentous, terrifying and exciting all at the same time. The chatty Arabella, is so much fun, and I adore the way she gets the adults in her life to interact, and she helps them to build a sense of community!

This is the authors first novel, and I can't wait to see what she comes up with next. I hope I get more adventures of Arabella, I think she is going to do great things!

[Reeca Elliott · Rating 4 out of 5]

Violet is trying to escape her past. She has moved to a neighborhood which she hopes is going to be quiet and she can just avoid everyone and move on with her life. But, Magnolia Street turns out to be full of friends that just might help her heal!

I loved every single character in this book, especially Mr. Pritchard and Mrs. McCabe. These two ornery old folks kept me in stitches. I love how Mrs. McCabe manipulates everyone to get her way. And Mr. Pritchard is an old softy with a gruff exterior.

This is a story about kindness and healing. All these wonderful neighbors on this great street come together to make a unique family. Add in the time period 1969 and the moon landing and you have a dang good story!

Need a kind read with fabulous characters…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the author for a honest review.

[Lainey Cameron · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Boundless Place is a delightful, easy, read that is sweet as sunshine. This novel that left me feeling warm inside and wanting more from the author.

Young widow, Violet, escapes to Magnolia Lane hoping to hide out and avoid her grief – and the neighbors. But soon Arabella, a delightful and precious child is inserting herself into everyone’s business.

Each of the neighbors, just like Violet hopes to stick to themselves. But soon, with the help of Arabella, they’ll learn that a street can be more than people who live near each other, as Magnolia Lane transforms into a loving and tightly bonded community of support.

I especially enjoyed how the author described the changing of the seasons – I felt like I was right there on the street.

If you're looking for a heartwarming read with a happy ending that will help you escape into the late 1960s/ early 1970s I recommend!

[Jill Anderson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I looked forward to reading this book every night! A Boundless Place is a story of perspective and positivity, heartache and hope, of reaching out to others even when you fear rebuttal. This simple neighborhood in a trailer park isn't where Violet expects to find a newfound family that will help her heal and move forward. She's looking for a place to lick her wounds in private.
But young Arabella's optimism is infectious, and she slowly pulls the mismatch of neighbors in to form a newfound family they all pretended not to need.
The story weaves in the trauma and truth of the Vietnam War and the lasting effects along with other tragedies, yet the story is hopeful and uplifting. A Boundless Place is a good reminder that money doesn't buy happiness. Simple pleasures and having people who care about you are what matters.

[Gabi Coatsworth · Rating 5 out of 5]

What an enjoyable read! Fast-paced and optimistic. I had a great time with the characters living on Magnolia Street, Edenton, South Carolina. The author's ability to draw characters who are quirky, endearing, and realistic drew me right in, as did her sense of humor. As the year 1969 progresses, they change from lonely, anti-social people into a true neighborhood, largely propelled by the sort of seven-year-old girl who might (and does) drive them crazy, to begin with, but who ends up as a catalyst for their relationships. It reminded me of British novels with a similar theme. Novels like The Switch by Beth O'Leary, and The Keeper of Lost Things, by Ruth Hogan.
Fun for book clubs who like a less demanding read with characters who stimulate conversation.

[Micki Berthelot Berthelot · Rating 5 out of 5]

This such an uplifting book and I almost needed to read it just at that particular time. It renewed my faith in possibilities with people. It takes beautiful writing to make readers like this cast of damaged grownups. Everyone needs a neighbor like Arabella. The whole time I was reading this book I pretended like the cast of characters were once happy, bubbly kids like Bella until something tragic changed the course of their lives and disposition.
In the end, I cared very much what happened to these folks. I wanted everyone to be happy. I finished it last night and felt like I just put every character to bed happy and ready to tackle the next day on Magnolia Avenue. I recommend this joyful book.

[Miss W Book Reviews · Rating 5 out of 5]

A Boundless Place by Pamela Stockwell is a fantastic debut novel that I really enjoyed.
This novel is definitely character based and the characters are so well written.

Set in the 60's in the South, in South Carolina was very well done.

I absolutely LOVED Arabella and Violet.

Violet has just moved to Magnolia Street, in a neighborhood of mobile homes where people seem to keep to themselves. Their relationship is so sweet, they both care so much for their community and neighborhood.

Also, it was very clever having the 1969 Landing on the Moon as the backdrop of the story, that was really neat and a great added element to this story.

This was a heartwarming beautiful story with wonderful characters that I enjoyed every minute of.