Good story about family, love, and forgiveness. Nessa, Flynn, and April are cousins born just a few months apart. Though they spent two weeks together every summer at their grandmother Lucy's house as kids, they haven't seen each other in many years. Then an inheritance brings them all back to Blossom, Texas. Nanny Lucy left her home to the three cousins with some unusual conditions. The house can never be sold, to claim their inheritance, they must hand-stitch the quilt that she left for them, and her hope chest will go to the first cousin who marries. All three face decisions about the directions of their lives.
Nessa remembers Nanny Lucy's house and her time there as a place of refuge. Her father is a super-strict preacher, and her mother follows right along. Nessa saw their hypocrisy early in life and continues to rebel. She teaches kindergarten but isn't all that happy in her work. A series of failed relationships make her question her judgment. A summer at Nanny Lucy's provides a chance to consider a change.
Flynn, the only child of divorced parents, remembers summer fun with his cousins until the year he turned fifteen. His mother died in a car crash on the way to pick him up. Though he begged to stay with her, Nanny Lucy sent him to live with his father. Matthew is an unrepentant womanizer who had no interest in being a father to his son, leaving Flynn mostly on his own. Flynn grew up to follow in his father's footsteps but recently decided to change his ways. Spending the summer at Nanny Lucy's is his chance to start anew.
April is the daughter of Lucy's youngest child, Rachel. Rachel died four days after April's birth, leaving April to be raised by Nanny Lucy. April couldn't wait to get away after she graduated, but her life since then has been one disappointment after another. After her latest disastrous relationship, April is broke and homeless, leaving Nanny Lucy's her only option. There she hopes to find a new start.
Nessa, Flynn, and April settle into the house and work out schedules and responsibilities. There's a bit of snark and sarcasm in those first interactions until the memories of the good times they shared started to kick in. As they talk about those summer visits, each one discovers that their memories of Nanny Lucy don't necessarily match those of the others. As they look at those childhood memories through adult eyes, a clearer picture of their grandmother emerges. The things they learn about Lucy also help them understand their parents and themselves. I liked seeing them open up about their own lives and challenges and accept that they are works in progress. Each of the three cousins came to Blossom looking for a new start, and I enjoyed seeing how each of them found their way. Above all, they found the home and family each of them craved.
It wouldn't be a Carolyn Brown book without a little bit of romance. In this case, Nanny Lucy's net door neighbor, Jackson, was charged with keeping the hope chest until they met the will's conditions. Jackson left a successful law career five years earlier and went to work with his uncle making furniture. Having been at the same place as Flynn, April, and Nessa, Jackson is uniquely positioned to help all of them in their quests. I loved watching him become friends with all three cousins, but there was a little something extra in his interactions with Nessa. Smitten early on, Jackson knew what he wanted and had the patience to wait for it. Having been cheated on before, Nessa was in no hurry to start another relationship. I liked seeing their friendship grow into more and Nessa learn to trust Jackson. There was a minor hiccup in their growing relationship, but both acted like adults and talked it out. The epilogue caught up with everyone a year later.
#netgalley
Nessa remembers Nanny Lucy's house and her time there as a place of refuge. Her father is a super-strict preacher, and her mother follows right along. Nessa saw their hypocrisy early in life and continues to rebel. She teaches kindergarten but isn't all that happy in her work. A series of failed relationships make her question her judgment. A summer at Nanny Lucy's provides a chance to consider a change.
Flynn, the only child of divorced parents, remembers summer fun with his cousins until the year he turned fifteen. His mother died in a car crash on the way to pick him up. Though he begged to stay with her, Nanny Lucy sent him to live with his father. Matthew is an unrepentant womanizer who had no interest in being a father to his son, leaving Flynn mostly on his own. Flynn grew up to follow in his father's footsteps but recently decided to change his ways. Spending the summer at Nanny Lucy's is his chance to start anew.
April is the daughter of Lucy's youngest child, Rachel. Rachel died four days after April's birth, leaving April to be raised by Nanny Lucy. April couldn't wait to get away after she graduated, but her life since then has been one disappointment after another. After her latest disastrous relationship, April is broke and homeless, leaving Nanny Lucy's her only option. There she hopes to find a new start.
Nessa, Flynn, and April settle into the house and work out schedules and responsibilities. There's a bit of snark and sarcasm in those first interactions until the memories of the good times they shared started to kick in. As they talk about those summer visits, each one discovers that their memories of Nanny Lucy don't necessarily match those of the others. As they look at those childhood memories through adult eyes, a clearer picture of their grandmother emerges. The things they learn about Lucy also help them understand their parents and themselves. I liked seeing them open up about their own lives and challenges and accept that they are works in progress. Each of the three cousins came to Blossom looking for a new start, and I enjoyed seeing how each of them found their way. Above all, they found the home and family each of them craved.
It wouldn't be a Carolyn Brown book without a little bit of romance. In this case, Nanny Lucy's net door neighbor, Jackson, was charged with keeping the hope chest until they met the will's conditions. Jackson left a successful law career five years earlier and went to work with his uncle making furniture. Having been at the same place as Flynn, April, and Nessa, Jackson is uniquely positioned to help all of them in their quests. I loved watching him become friends with all three cousins, but there was a little something extra in his interactions with Nessa. Smitten early on, Jackson knew what he wanted and had the patience to wait for it. Having been cheated on before, Nessa was in no hurry to start another relationship. I liked seeing their friendship grow into more and Nessa learn to trust Jackson. There was a minor hiccup in their growing relationship, but both acted like adults and talked it out. The epilogue caught up with everyone a year later.
#netgalley
