Miss You Most of All

by Elizabeth Bass

Few things are as lasting as the bond between sisters. In her poignant debut, Elizabeth Bass explores the lengths one cobbled-together family will go to for each other, and the power of a connection that never fades. . .

Sassy Spinster Farm is a place to find solace. At least, that's what it's become since Rue Anderson and her sister Laura transformed their childhood Texas homestead into a successful tourist destination. It's where guests flock to get their hands dirty and taste food fresh from the garden. And it's where Rue is raising her pre-teen daughter on her own--while trying to keep her outspoken sister in check. It's not easy, but together, it seems there's nothing the two can't handle--until an unexpected, and not entirely welcome guest shows up in the middle of one warm summer night.

Heidi Bogue, onetime stepsister to Rue and Laura, is back, and she's hiding from something. Why else would she return to the place she was dragged to, kicking and screaming, as a teenager? A place she was thrilled to leave when, three years later, she and her mother bolted, leaving Rue and Laura's father heartbroken? But while Laura is irate, Rue won't turn Heidi away. Technically, they were once sisters, and to Rue, sisterhood is forever.

Soon, Sassy Spinster Farm is turned upside down by Heidi's complicated presence. Still, Rue is determined that Heidi, like all their guests, finds the farm a safe place to discover--or remember--what really matters. It's a revelation that will come sooner than any of them expected, when devastating news shakes the foundation of their tenuous sisterhood.

Moving and uplifting, here is a beautifully written novel about the bonds we are born into and those we create for ourselves--and of the strength that comes in loving without limits.

Genres: Fiction, Chick Lit, Contemporary, Womens Fiction, Friendship, Relationships, Family

432 pages, Hardcover

First published January 1, 2010

About the author

Elizabeth Bass grew up the youngest of four siblings in rural Texas, where she spent summers watching old movies and dreaming of living in a town big enough to have an Icee machine. She now resides in Victoria, BC with her husband.

Reviews

[Gina · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute family related chick lit novel that moved a little slowly at times. I loved the relationship that grew between Rue and Heidi but the way Laura acted got boring and silly. She was a grown woman who had all these stupid resentments about people in general especially her ex- stepsister, Heidi, who returned to Sassy Spinster Farm to flee from some mobster type ex-boyfriend. Laura was extremely rude and mean to her throughout the book and it got old very quick. The backstory of Heidi was also confusing and strange. It felt like the author needed a reason for Heidi to come back to the farm and just wrote the first thing that came to mind and didn't put much thought into it. I did like the movie nights they had because during those times the characters were drawn out better.

The book has romance, hijinks, family, and deep down, a whole lotta love. I will probably take a look at her other books to see what they have to offer. 3 stars.

[Ivy Lake · Rating 4 out of 5]

So sad!

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Laura, Rue, and Heidi - two sisters and one ex-step sister, all on a farm/bed and breakfast type place - the Sassy Spinsters Farm in Texas - what a ride! Heidi's on the run from a small-time mobster; Laura's on the run from love as well as herself; and Rue's on the run from the big C - cancer. As these ladies learn to reconnect with one another and deal with small-town life, reality rears its' ugly head in the form of illness and they must all put aside old wounds to deal with an uncertain future. A novel of finding yourself when you least expect it, of acknowledging the unseen ties of family, of recognizing the courage to love, and of having the strength to face loss and truly grieve - at times hilarious, at times heart-wrenching - as much as I really liked this one, it was bittersweet for me.

[Marianne Stehr · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I got about 100 pages into this story I felt as if I had figured everything out that was going to happen and truely I did for the most part, however the shocking thing here is that I styed with this book, read the whole thing even sure I knew what was going to happen. Equally shocking is that I highly recommend this book dispite the predictablility I felt it had. The characters are so well developed and the setting is calm, the story just pulls you in. You get so involved with the characters that you cannot help but start reading quicker and quicker. I was sad to see the book end! It reminded me a great deal of the Friday Night Knitting Club (minus the knitting!) which I loved. If you are interested in getting involved with a fictional family, feeling their sorrows and joys, then read this one, it will stay with you for quite a while.

[Erica · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ok, this stupid book made me cry. It's a sweet story about two sisters running a farm in Texas, dealing with love, commitement issues, an old accident, confusing adult relationships, a tween daughter, cancer, a step-sister in trouble, etc. It wasn't a fast page turner, but I had to finish it all the same. I wish things had ended a little differently, but I'm a sap like that. -e
Big take-away: Don't be a bitch.

[Laura Jean · Rating 3 out of 5]

I don't deny that this is a good book. It's well-written and a very powerfully emotional story about family, particularly sisters. Sadly, I spent 3/4 of the book VIOLENTLY hating several characters. So I didn't find it as enjoyable as I might have. Even so, I still spent the last 10th of the book sobbing. I did enjoy the classic film references.

[Tisha (IG: Bluestocking629) · Rating 5 out of 5]

Quite frankly I’m a tad bit surprised by the reviews. I think this book is deserving of a much higher average. Could it be that it was written in 2010 and not enough people that would love it in 2023 have heard of it?

Either way I loved it!

I love the fact that it was written over ten years ago because I was able to fully remember and appreciate the retro-ness of it. Example: having to await the Netflix DVD to arrive in the mail. (I remember feeling so happy coming home from work to find that little red envelope....)

I loved the music and movie references! That was a fun little happy bonus in this sad-for-the-most-part book.

I loved the characters. Even those that were not my favorites had redeeming qualities...except for one the main character’s ex husband. He was an arse.

There were a gaggle of Southern phrases. Even though I am a Yankee (Philadelphia born and raised) I thoroughly enjoyed them. Most had me wishing I was Dixie and could get away with saying them.

So as I said above, this was a sad book. But it was also funny at times. It was a beautiful family drama. But there also was some excitement and a mystery of sorts. Well written. And don’t let the length scare you. It was not a hard read or boring.

[Kathleen · Rating 3 out of 5]

An author new to me, Bass has written a novel in which its themes engaged me more than some of the characters: “agritourism,” working farms that host paying guests to learn more about farming to keep certain finance disaster from their gates…the dynamic between sisters and the changes that follow when a much despised step sister surfaces after many years…past and impending loss (emotional and physical) and the healing that can occur…the role old movies play in the farm’s life as well as the sisters’ interior lives. The farm requires determination and sheer grit to stay afloat as does the sisters who face a terminal illness that shakes their existence. While some of the narration and story line seemed tedious and perhaps clichéd, the accounting of the sister’s illness was beautifully written, believable and touching…and of course, “miss you most of all” comes straight from Dorothy’s mouth at the end of The Wizard of Oz, which had me sobbing for all my seeming detachment from the novel.

[Jodi · Rating 4 out of 5]

Sassy Spinster Farm is a bit of a misnomer. Rue was married, just to the wrong guy, but she has a super 11 year old daughter to show for it. Her younger sister Laura is anything but sassy though she's definitely a spinster. The two run a farm that ekes out a living by taking in agritourists. Laura hates every second of it. It gets worse when their former step-sister, Heidi, arrives in desperate straits. As kids they were not friends. Laura and Heidi were actively enemies. Rue, on the other hand, knows that Heidi can't be blamed for what was largely not her fault. They were all teenagers. Heidi is running from people who may want her killed. She was sort of involved with a guy at the bank who may have been embezzling. But on the farm, a place she actively despised, she finds what she had long been looking for, purpose. Heidi changes the dynamic at the farm just in time to prepare them for the future. For fans of Sherryl Woods and Deborah Smith.

[Liz Fichera · Rating 5 out of 5]

MISS YOU MOST OF ALL follows the sometimes simple and sometimes complicated lives of the sisters who run the Sassy Spinster Farm in Sweetgum, Texas. I love stories about sisters and settings in the American West so this book interested me from the get-go. The writing is beautiful, the characters were authentic, and the dialogue tugged at my heartstrings while at other times made me laugh out-loud. This book had me from "Ricky Ricardo's in the freezer." I loved the story from start to finish.

[Nancy · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had 10 minutes to spare before my train left to pick out a book at the library. I wanted to see if there was a Linda Barnes book I hadn't read. There wasn't. But this book was on a nearby shelf and the title caught my eye. The dust jacket blurb sounded interesting so I took it out. So glad to log on to Goodreads and see all the positive reviews!

Loved this. Will it stand the test of time? Maybe. Was it delightfully entertaining? Most definitely. Wonderful slice of life with some interesting characters. Laughed and cried over this one.

[Jana · Rating 2 out of 5]

This was another reader's choice at the library. It was a sweet story, but very predictable. The minute you found out one of the characters was in remission from cancer you knew she was going to die. The other sister was so nasty I didn't really care that she was going to be heartbroken when her sister died. And I felt bad for the poor shmuck who ended up with her.

[Sam · Rating 3 out of 5]

This was definitely a right book, right time scenario. A contemporary fiction that follows a family who run a farm in Texas was light, fun, and unexpectedly emotional. The dialogue and characters weren't great but if you enjoy contemporary fiction that focus on a group of women, I'd say give it a try. It's not the best book in the whole world but it was definitely a nice, light read.

[Jodi · Rating 4 out of 5]

To be honest, I would give this 4.5 stars. I loved the story line, even though it was heart wrenching at times. It was definitely worth reading.

[Melissa Killian · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I read the description of this book, particularly the part about an unwelcome guest showing up at the sisters' farm in the middle of the night, I assumed this person was going to be a guy who would end up being a love interest, probably enemies-to-lovers style, of one of the sisters. Boy was I wrong! And I was pleasantly surprised. This is a sister story above all else. The mystery guest, who is revealed early on in the story so isn't really a spoiler, is ex-stepsister Heidi, who Rue and especially Laura never liked and even tortured as children. She is on the run from her embezzling boyfriend who hired a hitman to run her over with a car. Just one of many ridiculous plot points in this story. But I have to say that the ridiculousness helped balance out the heaviness of Rue's story, which I was also not expecting from the description.

Rue is battling cancer, something she'd already defeated once the year before, but it has returned. This entire storyline was unexpected, although accurate, and definitely brought back many feelings I had when my own mother went through pancreatic cancer. I identified very much with Rue's daughter Erica and also with Laura in regards to how they were affected by Rue's illness. I appreciated the range of feelings brought by each character, but I also appreciated the moments of levity when ridiculous things, such as exploding cakes and peg-leg roosters, lightened the mood a little.

I really liked the reason for the title of this book as well. Miss You Most of All comes from The Wizard of Oz movie, when Dorothy is getting ready to go back to Kansas and tells the Scarecrow that she'll miss him most of all. Laura hates this movie and finds that line particularly offensive because she thinks it must hurt the feelings of the Tin Man and the Lion. But Rue understands why Dorothy says this line to the Scarecrow, and she explains toward the end of the novel. I won't spoil it here, but it was a satisfying explanation that I kind of knew all along but hadn't ever put into words before. So bravo on the title! But I really wish the last line of the book had packed as much of a punch. I feel that it could have been a little more poignant.

[Josephine Briggs · Rating 4 out of 5]

ONE HOT LONG SUMMER IN EAST TEXAS. The book begins on a farm in the tiny town of Sweetgum. The sisters, Laura and Rue had inherited the farm for their deceased father and named it Sassy Spinster Farm. Oldest sister Rue, was thirty-eight, divorced and had an eleven year old daughter, Erica. Laura, thirty-six, unmarried, was angry all the time. She did get on my nerves at some times, other times she was funny. The book is both sad, happy and funny as it tells about what is going on on the farm, characters and animals.

The sisters have boarders come for a week to learn what it is like working and living on a farm. Fresh vegetables and fruit are sold at a market place.

Rue is into agri-tourism and wants the farm to grow and make money. Every night was movie night, different movies were shown, the girls discussed the movies, actors and actresses. What was good, what was not. Laura disproved of most of what the others liked, just like her self.

So much happens in the summer. Heidi comes to visit the farm. She had, for three years, been the girls' stepsister, until her mother took off.
tired of farm life and also of the girls., teen agers, and their father. The girls were mean to Heidi, so why did she ever come back? Was someone after her? What was the reason?

Erica's father has fallen in love with Erica's former teacher, Ms. Dench, and plans to get married. Erica finds a friend, boy crazy Maggie, who is so different than Erica. Erica needs to be her own person.

I will stop now. Much going on in the book, laugh out loud, sad, angry. The names of the movies and the singers are back in time. Good though, good acting and singing. Laugh and cry.

I don't know how Webb put up with Laura, with her cold foolishness.

[Tanya T · Rating 4 out of 5]

Every once in awhile I get lucky at the bargain book store and find I hidden gem like this. Never heard of the Author but the synopsis of the story on the back cover caught my interest and decided to buy it. I am glad I did. Two sisters who are opposites in personality band together to keep their late Father’s farm thriving.To do so, they take on guests and try to teach them about farming and self preservation. Rue enjoys hosting and interacting with her guests and Laura despises it. Which can lead to some comical situations. Other reviews didn’t seem to like Laura’s character but I loved her. Mostly because I see a lot of myself in her. She’s blunt, sarcastic and strong willed, oh but deep down she has a soft heart that she has built walls around to protect herself.She means well, but puts out that cynical front to keep people at a distance. There are laughing moments, unexpected guests, teen angst,health crises, unrequited love and deep sadness all rolled into one story. With a lesson at the end for all of us. Keep the Kleenex handy for the last chapter. I didn’t want it to end, we need a sequel !

[Tikki Brogan · Rating 4 out of 5]

Maybe it’s the season of life I’m in, and maybe it was just because it was nicely written, I enjoyed this book more than expected. I loved the setting, I loved the relationships. I was sick when I started this, went through a horrible hurricane, and I’m also reading a few other books. Otherwise, I wouldn’t have put it down until I had finished it. It was simple and emotional and didn’t required a lot from me as I read it. I needed a good book like that right now. Outside of a few curse words, that I wish weren’t written into the book, I enjoyed it.

[Patti · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was an easy read. Reminded me of Norah Roberts book in that it is about 3 women coming to a crossroads in their life. Not a lot of romance but more family drama. I liked the characters but I never felt really connected to any of them. No big insight into any of the characters, the author just skirted around the edges of that. Nonetheless I enjoyed the story and would read this author again.

[Cheryl Licata · Rating 3 out of 5]

Families come together in different ways; this novel's main characters are a kind and caring lady named Rue, her outspoken sister named Laura, Rue's eleven year old daughter Erica, and Rue and Laura's step-sister who is hiding a big secret. It's not your typical family but as the introduction says, "this book is about the bonds we are born into and those we create for ourselves -- and of the strength that comes in loving without limits."

[Hayley · Rating 3 out of 5]

Not a bad novel at all! I do feel like the ending was kind of rushed and there were some seemingly major plot points that were left unanswered. Laura did not deserve the redemption she got, in my opinion, and the plot didn't lead to the kind of ending the book had for her. Overall, I did like the writing style and the storyline was cozy and easy to follow. I wish goodreads would let us do half stars, I'd give it 3.5.

[Becky Schulman · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rue and her sister, Laura, are the owners and operators of a successful tourist destination in Texas. Sassy Spinster Farm is a destination for women who want the experience of getting away from the big city and working on an actual farm. The sisters are barely keeping afloat thanks to the drought and then when things didn't seem to be able to get any worse, they are joined by an old flame and then by an estranged former family member.

[Maggie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Sassy Spinster Farm is run by two sisters Rue and Laura along with their handyman Web. Enter Heidi their step sister who has dumped herself on them for the time being. Heidi is running from the law and has come to them to hide out. Heidi gets right into the farm work and between the 5 of them there are many hilarious antics over the summer. This was an enjoyable read.

[Wendy Hughes · Rating 3 out of 5]

I bought the book because I like the cover.
It was pretty good, a little repetitive it took me almost 2 weeks to get through it so it was a book that I could put down but it was good enough that I wanted to finish it. Overall a good book but not a favorite by a long shot!

[Sandy · Rating 4 out of 5]

Get out the tissues this is a tear jerker. My criticism is Laura is a little too nasty and rude. The reception scene is too slapstick and the ending was a letdown and rushed. But I overall enjoyed the book.

[Joan · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did enjoy reading the book, it was hard and had some interesting characters and dialogue. I'm not sure I would pick up another one by this author but if you're looking for a light read, this is a good one. A bit of sadness however so be advised

[Valerie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good story—moved very quickly. Made me cry. Loved that it was set in East Texas!

[Megan · Rating 1 out of 5]

Couldn't get into

[Keanes · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good book. Good characters. Would like to know what's next for them.

[Sarah · Rating 3 out of 5]

I would probably give it a 3.5. Parts of it I loved and it even had me crying. However, parts of it I felt weren’t needed and I struggled to connect with one of the main characters.