Synopsis:

Tracy Briggs has finally gotten her act together. She’s focusing on her own life and helping her hearing-impaired son learn to talk. With her sister married and exploring a new career, Tracy has begun to run the family’s magazine business and feels her life is pretty much perfect. That is, until her son’s deadbeat dad shows up in Magnolia Grove asking for a second chance.

Now that her son is getting the help he needs and a promising new romance with his teacher is in bloom, Tracy wants to keep her life just as it is. But her ex isn’t taking no for an answer. And when a spirited elderly woman enters Tracy’s life in an unexpected way, she’ll have to work harder than ever to keep her new life on track.

Torn between the past she knows and the uncertain future, Tracy must decide what is best for both her and her son, learning along the way that ordinary choices can bring extraordinary possibilities.

Review:

I have to admit it took me awhile to get into this book. It starts out really slow. But once it got going it was very good. There were some things that I had a tough time relating to though. Alice, the grandmother, thought her grandson could do no wrong. I have some family like this and it blows my mind how people can be like this. It doesn’t do the child any good at all. OK. Enough of my rant on that.

There were so many relationships that were explored during the pages of this book; sibling, new love, married, old love, parent/child, grandparent/grandchild. Then there was also the sensitive subjects of substance abuse, alcoholism, domestic violence, and terminal illness. So be prepared. With not just one – but 2 boxes of tissues. You’ll need them.

The author, Crosby, did a great job of tying up all the loose ends by the end, which I personally think is important. I hate reading a book and there are things left that I’m wondering about. And by the end of the book I really felt like I knew each of the characters. She really allowed each of the people to be explored and slowly revealed to the reader. Which is another thing I appreciated. I felt like I was living in Magnolia Grove with Tracy, Alice, Meghan, Lila and the rest.

I do recommend this book. It’s a beautiful story of how love and strength can really overcome a lot of adversity.

I won this book through a Giveaway, however, all thoughts and opinions are my own.