Set in a small Tennessee town over the span of 60 years, this is a poignant, heart-touching story of three women in a family and the effect that secrets have had on their lives. Author Amanda Cox has skillfully woven the tale together and centered it around the Old Depot grocery store. It’s interesting to note that the store acts as a character in the story and is patterned after a grocery store with the same name in the author’s family history. It reminded me of a similar small grocery in our neighborhood when I was growing up.
The characters are carefully-crafted, realistic, and colorful, and it was fascinating to see what effects the secrets they were keeping from each other had on the trajectories of their lives and that of the other individuals involved. The author captured the essence of the rural South during the time periods depicted. It was interesting to see how some things changed during the years and others stayed much the same.
This is a tale of healing, forgiveness, and family love. It is also a story of how family expectations can change the course of lives.
“There was no going back. But every now and then an opportunity arose to mend things and embrace what you’ve been given, cracks and all.”
“Take that first step that feels right and see what happens next.”
I’d recommend this book to those who enjoy Christian women’s fiction with multiple timelines. It’s beautifully written with intriguing, realistic characters. I’m looking forward to reading more from this talented author. 4.5 stars
*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from Revell through Interviews and Reviews. All opinions are my own.
SEE REVIEWS BY NICOLE, PAULA, and KIM
BackCover Blurb:
Present
Day. Sarah Ashby returns to her childhood home, determined to finally
follow her dream of running the family business alongside her mother and
grandmother. So when her mother, Rosemary, announces to her that Old
Depot Grocery is closing, Sarah and her grandmother, Glory Ann, make a
plan to save the store. But Rosemary has worked her entire life to make
sure her daughter never follows in her footsteps. She has her
reasons--but she'll certainly never reveal the real one.
1965.
Glory Ann confesses to her family that she's pregnant with her deceased
fiancé's baby. Pressured into a marriage of convenience with a
shopkeeper to preserve her family's reputation, Glory Ann vows never to
love again. But some promises are not as easily kept as she imagined.
This dual-time story from Amanda Cox deftly explores the complexity of
the mother-daughter relationship, the way the secrets we keep shape our
lives and the lives of others, and the healing power of telling the
truth.
The best book I read this year.
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