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Mossy Creek #3
Summer in Mossy Creek
It's a typical summer in the good-hearted mountain town of Mossy Creek, Georgia, where love, laughter and friendship make nostalgia a way of life. Creekites are always ready for a sultry romance, a funny feud or a sincere celebration, and this summer is no different.
Get ready for a comical battle over pickled beets and a spy mission to recover hijacked chow-chow peppers. Meet an unforgettable parakeet named Tweedle Dee and a lovable dog named Dog. Watch Amos and Ida sidestep the usual rumors and follow Katie Bell's usual snooping. In the meantime, old-timer Opal Suggs and her long-dead sisters share a lesson on living, and apple farmer Hope Bailey faces poignant choices when an old flame returns to claim her.
Your favorite authors are back along with some wonderful new storytellers - plus more recipes from Creekite chef Bubba Rice. Pull up a wicker rocker, sip some peach-flavored iced tea, and listen as the townsfolk of Mossy Creek share their lives with you once again.
321 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 31, 2003
28 people are currently reading
353 people want to read
About the author
Deborah Smith
81 books417 followersaka Jackie Leigh
aka Della Stone
aka Leigh Bridger
Bestselling Author
Co-founder, co-publisher
Vice-president, Editor in Chief
BelleBooks, Memphis, TN
Deborah Smith is the New York Times bestselling author of A Place to Call Home, and the No. 1 Kindle Bestseller The Crossroads Cafe, A Gentle Rain and other acclaimed romantic novels portraying life and love in the modern Appalachian South. A native Georgian, Deborah is a former newspaper editor who turned to novel-writing with great success.
With more than 35 romance, women's fiction and fantasy novels to her credit, Deborah's books have sold over 3 million copies worldwide. Among her honors is a Lifetime Achievement Award from Romantic Times Magazine and a nomination for the prestigious Townsend Literary Award. In 2003 Disney optioned Sweet Hush for film. In 2008 A Gentle Rain was a finalist in Romance Writers of America's RITA awards.
For the past fifteen years Deborah has partnered with Debra Dixon to run BelleBooks, a small press originally known for southern fiction, including the Mossy Creek Hometown Series and the Sweet Tea story collections. As editor, she has worked on projects as diverse as the nonfiction Bra Talk book by three-time Oprah Winfrey guest Susan Nethero, and the In My Dreams novella by New York Times bestselling author Sarah Addison Allen.
In 2008 BelleBooks launched Bell Bridge Books, an imprint with a focus on fantasy novels and now expanded to include multi-genre fiction--mystery, suspense, thrillers, women's fiction, nonfiction and other. In 2013 BelleBooks acquired the late Linda Kichline's paranormal romance press, ImaJinn Books, and hired legendary editor Brenda Chin, formerly of Harlequin Books, as editorial director. Chin will expand the imprint to cover a diverse mix of all romance types.
Deborah's newest books are the Crossroads Cafe novellas: THE BISCUIT WITCH, THE PICKLE QUEEN, THE YARN SPINNER, and THE KITCHEN CHARMER (2014). She released a mini-short story, SAVING JONQUILS, in March 2014. A sexy romantic novella, A HARD MAN TO FIND, is scheduled for later in the month.
aka Della Stone
aka Leigh Bridger
Bestselling Author
Co-founder, co-publisher
Vice-president, Editor in Chief
BelleBooks, Memphis, TN
Deborah Smith is the New York Times bestselling author of A Place to Call Home, and the No. 1 Kindle Bestseller The Crossroads Cafe, A Gentle Rain and other acclaimed romantic novels portraying life and love in the modern Appalachian South. A native Georgian, Deborah is a former newspaper editor who turned to novel-writing with great success.
With more than 35 romance, women's fiction and fantasy novels to her credit, Deborah's books have sold over 3 million copies worldwide. Among her honors is a Lifetime Achievement Award from Romantic Times Magazine and a nomination for the prestigious Townsend Literary Award. In 2003 Disney optioned Sweet Hush for film. In 2008 A Gentle Rain was a finalist in Romance Writers of America's RITA awards.
For the past fifteen years Deborah has partnered with Debra Dixon to run BelleBooks, a small press originally known for southern fiction, including the Mossy Creek Hometown Series and the Sweet Tea story collections. As editor, she has worked on projects as diverse as the nonfiction Bra Talk book by three-time Oprah Winfrey guest Susan Nethero, and the In My Dreams novella by New York Times bestselling author Sarah Addison Allen.
In 2008 BelleBooks launched Bell Bridge Books, an imprint with a focus on fantasy novels and now expanded to include multi-genre fiction--mystery, suspense, thrillers, women's fiction, nonfiction and other. In 2013 BelleBooks acquired the late Linda Kichline's paranormal romance press, ImaJinn Books, and hired legendary editor Brenda Chin, formerly of Harlequin Books, as editorial director. Chin will expand the imprint to cover a diverse mix of all romance types.
Deborah's newest books are the Crossroads Cafe novellas: THE BISCUIT WITCH, THE PICKLE QUEEN, THE YARN SPINNER, and THE KITCHEN CHARMER (2014). She released a mini-short story, SAVING JONQUILS, in March 2014. A sexy romantic novella, A HARD MAN TO FIND, is scheduled for later in the month.
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Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews
March 7, 2013
I need to offer this book a bit of an apology, because I am not a fan of this subgenre. I typically read fantasy works, and in the odd times I might read a romance novel they are nearly always of the historical flavor. Summer in Mossy Creek entered my radar solely because one of my favorite fantasy authors wrote one of the short stories featured here and, well, I'm a bit thorough in reading works by my favorites.
To read the works by my favorites, I have to first find them. While it was easy enough to locate a library copy of this book, the large-print edition I read didn't have a table of contents. The stories, when I got to them, didn't have titles — they had headings calling out which characters each story featured — and they didn't list authors. The only information telling me who wrote what story was tacked on as one of several appendices. I'm unsure if this formatting is common to collaborative novels, or large-print editions, or if it's a general quirk of the Mossy Creek series, but I didn't care for it. And while Summer was billed as a collaborative novel, it would be accurate to consider it a set of loosely collected short stories in a shared setting, each telling an independent tale and staring a different character, but sometimes characters may guest-feature across multiple stories.
The Anne Bishop story I was seeking turned out to be, "Laurie and Twiddle Dee." I found it surprisingly impactful and very well done. In summary, Laurie finds herself divorced and downsized out of a job in quick succession, but it's only when she receives an ominous medical diagnosis (cancer is implied) that she really puts effort in her intention to fulfill her heart's desire. Mossy Creek was intended to be a pit stop on a road trip, but once she arrived she never quite left. Tweedle Dee is her parakeet. But it's only when she befriends the local coffee shop inhabitants that she really starts developing her skills as a storyteller, and she finds she has just enough time left to leave the town one final gift.
It made me cry.
After I read Bishop's story, I went back to the beginning to read the novel the whole way through. Dixon's "Amos and Dog", the opening story, was the only one to mention events that fell in another story (Bishop's):
Aside from Bishop's work, "Louise and Jack" by Carolyn McSparren, which told of a love affair that might have happened, in a different time and place, was the only other story I really enjoyed.
Quotes pulled from ISBN 0786295317.
To read the works by my favorites, I have to first find them. While it was easy enough to locate a library copy of this book, the large-print edition I read didn't have a table of contents. The stories, when I got to them, didn't have titles — they had headings calling out which characters each story featured — and they didn't list authors. The only information telling me who wrote what story was tacked on as one of several appendices. I'm unsure if this formatting is common to collaborative novels, or large-print editions, or if it's a general quirk of the Mossy Creek series, but I didn't care for it. And while Summer was billed as a collaborative novel, it would be accurate to consider it a set of loosely collected short stories in a shared setting, each telling an independent tale and staring a different character, but sometimes characters may guest-feature across multiple stories.
The Anne Bishop story I was seeking turned out to be, "Laurie and Twiddle Dee." I found it surprisingly impactful and very well done. In summary, Laurie finds herself divorced and downsized out of a job in quick succession, but it's only when she receives an ominous medical diagnosis (cancer is implied) that she really puts effort in her intention to fulfill her heart's desire. Mossy Creek was intended to be a pit stop on a road trip, but once she arrived she never quite left. Tweedle Dee is her parakeet. But it's only when she befriends the local coffee shop inhabitants that she really starts developing her skills as a storyteller, and she finds she has just enough time left to leave the town one final gift.
It made me cry.
After I read Bishop's story, I went back to the beginning to read the novel the whole way through. Dixon's "Amos and Dog", the opening story, was the only one to mention events that fell in another story (Bishop's):
Fortunately, I didn't have to mention Clay to convince Casey I had troubles on my mind. Like Laurie Grey. New to town, an interesting woman and, according to Sandy, a woman who was more than a little ill with no support system in sight. [p. 60]Which rather spoils Bishop's soft approach to that plot point, in my opinion.
Aside from Bishop's work, "Louise and Jack" by Carolyn McSparren, which told of a love affair that might have happened, in a different time and place, was the only other story I really enjoyed.
No matter how much we loved each other, Aunt and Miss Vergie felt those obstacles would have destroyed Jake and me in time. In the end, they prevailed.I guess I like stories that are bittersweet.
Could we have made it? Lord knows.
But there are days like today when I wish to God we'd tried." [p. 250.]
Quotes pulled from ISBN 0786295317.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
January 13, 2022
Diary of small southern towns
Reads like a diary of small southern towns. Unique, colorful characters. Enjoyed this third installment of Mossy Creek series. Rather addictive and I heartedly recommend.
Reads like a diary of small southern towns. Unique, colorful characters. Enjoyed this third installment of Mossy Creek series. Rather addictive and I heartedly recommend.
March 4, 2018
Return to Small Town Life
Reading this little book was like revisiting Any Griffith in Mayberry. I have not read the first two books but I didn’t feel that put me at a disadvantage.
From what I gather, the stories of Mossy Creek were written by various authors. Their styles mesh together quite well. While the stories were independent of each other, the town remained the same. As mentioned, I haven’t read the other books, so I don’t know how they are done, but I kept expecting all these stories to join together at the end. I realize now that by not thing everything up at the end, the stories can continue. I look forward to reading more in this series.
As I stated, I felt like I had returned to Mayberry with characters similar to Andy, Aunt Bea, Barney, Helen, and Opie.....thought they would come filtering into my story at any time.
Reading this little book was like revisiting Any Griffith in Mayberry. I have not read the first two books but I didn’t feel that put me at a disadvantage.
From what I gather, the stories of Mossy Creek were written by various authors. Their styles mesh together quite well. While the stories were independent of each other, the town remained the same. As mentioned, I haven’t read the other books, so I don’t know how they are done, but I kept expecting all these stories to join together at the end. I realize now that by not thing everything up at the end, the stories can continue. I look forward to reading more in this series.
As I stated, I felt like I had returned to Mayberry with characters similar to Andy, Aunt Bea, Barney, Helen, and Opie.....thought they would come filtering into my story at any time.
November 2, 2018
I enjoyed this book a lot. It was less deliberately humorous than the first two books and more sentimental, but I guess I was in the mood for sentimental. It still made me laugh in places. One chapter was too maudlin for me, but the others hit a reasonable balance, more touching than cloying. I like to read these books one chapter at a time, mostly in waiting rooms or during highway construction delays (which you wouldn't think would be long enough for a chapter, but lately that's often been the case).
October 9, 2017
This is a great book with a wonderful story and well developed characters. The story flowed very well and was very enjoyable. This book will keep you reading long into the night and you will not want to put this book down until you finish. This was such a great read and full of surprises. I voluntarily reviewed an advanced reader’s copy of this book. The free book held no determination on my personal review.
August 21, 2018
I love these stories set in Mossy Creek. I kind of forgot some of the previous stories and characters so maybe I need to read these closer together. Fabulous story and heartwarming characters that seem pretty real to life and some bigger than life. You'll laugh, you'll cry!
August 21, 2018
I love every Mossy Creek book I read . They are such comforting books
June 14, 2020
I seldom actually cry, maybe get misty but among the smiles and surprises, this one had me in tears. Great read.
August 24, 2022
Beautifully written stories of friendship. I loved them all, and each one brought tears to my eyes. That hasn't happened in a while.
August 30, 2013
The first book I've read in this series. Thoroughly enjoyed it. Rarely does reading a book make me break out in laughter at what I'm reading, but that's what happened several times while reading this one. I will soon be reading all the others in this series.
July 27, 2010
more of the same. New characters. Seemed sappier than the others.
October 3, 2011
Good. But not as good as the 1st. I was hoping we dig more into the characters we knew.
March 30, 2015
fun series- a town and its people told via multiple authors
Displaying 1 - 13 of 13 reviews