Madame Pommery: Creator of Brut Champagne by Rebecca Rosenberg

 

Title: Madame Pommery:  Creator of Brut Champagne (Champagne Widows Novels)

Author:  Rebecca Rosenberg

Narrated by:  Katherine Anderson

Publisher: Lion Heart Publishing

Length: Approximately 11 hours and 45 minutes

Source: Review Copy from author Rebecca Rosenberg.  Thank you!

 

Do you like champagne?  I think champagne is nice for special occasions.  I love to try out different types of wines and this book made me realize I should be trying out different types of champagne as well.

In 1860, Madame Pommery lost her husband and became a widow at only forty.  Needing to support herself and her children, she sells off her husband’s wool business and decides to focus on his wine business.  She does not really like the red wine that has previously been made, so she focuses on making champagne that is not as sweet as the typical drink.  She wants to be able to drink it all through dinner.  Will she be able to make a success of her new champagne business?  Will she be able to find love again?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       Madame Pommery was a fascinating woman.  I thought she was a woman that should be admired.  I like how she ran her husband’s business during a time when that was not common, and she was not afraid to try new things.

·       I thought the descriptions of the champagne making process were fascinating.  I thought it was very interesting that Madame Pommery’s idea for dry champagne was so radical for the times.  The descriptions of the dry crisp taste really make me want to search for a bottle of Brut Champagne.

·       I also was fascinated by the descriptions of her carving out old chalk caves that were being used as a garbage dump in order to store her champagne.  They became tourist attractions and I really want to travel to France to visit them.

·       I also enjoyed the romance in the novel as Madame Pommery must decide if she wants to reunite with an old flame or find love with someone else.  Her daughter, Louise, also has her own charming romance.

·       This is the first historical fiction novel I read that described the Franco-Prussian War of 1870 and I found it fascinating.  Although my Great-Great Grandpa was on the Prussian side of that war, and this book did not paint the Prussians in a very good light.

·       I loved the description of her dining with French royalty, and with British high society.

·       This audiobook was a very enjoyable read.  I loved the narrator’s French accent, and she did great voices for all of the characters.

·       This is a standalone novel but is a part of the Champagne Widows series.  I need to read the previous book, The Champagne Widows now.

·       There is a great author’s note at the end of the book to describe the real history on which the story was based.

 Overall, Madame Pommery: Creator of Brut Champagne was an intriguing historical fiction novel that told the story of a fascinating real-life woman, Madame Pommery.  The audiobook is excellent with a great narrator.

The Museum of Lost Quilts by Jennifer Chiaverini (Bibliolifestyle Book Tour)

 

Thank you, Partner @bibliolifestyle @williammorrowbooks for the review copy of The Museum of Lost Quilts by Jennifer Chiaverini.

Do you quilt?  Quilting is something I’ve always wanted to do, but it is going to have to wait until my kids are out of the house.  

Summer Sullivan has returned to Elm Creek Manor for the summer.  She is hoping the manor will help her with her writer’s block so that she can finish her master’s degree in history.  While there, Summer discovers that antique quilts have been found in the old Union Hall building built in 1863.  The Waterford Historical Society is headquartered there, but a local developer wants to rip down the historic structure.  As Summer researches the antique quilts and history of the town, she discovers unsettling secrets from the towns past.  The local leaders want these secrets taken out of the antique quilt exhibit as they don’t show the community in a positive light.  Will Summer be able to save Union Hall and keep the antique quilt exhibit open, while keeping true to the town’s history?  Will she be able to finish her master’s degree?

My thoughts on the book:

·       This is the 22^nd book in the Elm Creek Quilts series.  I read the last book in this series, The Christmas Boutique, but I haven’t read the rest of the series.  This book can be read as a standalone.  It gives enough background to get into the story, but I’m sure if I read the rest of the series, I would get even more out of it!  I need to start reading this series at book one.

·       Even though I am not a quilter; I find it fascinating and love reading about these women.  The women at the quilting camps at Elm Creek Manor come from all back grounds and range from master quilters to beginning quilters.

·       Elm Creek Manor and all the ladies are very welcoming.  Reading this book makes me want to go on a retreat. It was a very cozy read.

·       I also love historic buildings and the saving of them.  Elm Creek Manor itself was saved and repurposed, but I enjoyed reading about the Union Hall and the history of the antique quilts.  Summer wrote about both historical accomplishments and failures, and it caused strife in the town. I thought it was interesting to think about how sometimes when we find out that history is not all positive that we would like it to be, we want to cover it up.  I’d rather learn all the history and be able to learn from mistakes. 

·       I enjoyed reading Summer’s descriptions of the quilts that was interspersed between chapters.  The historic quilts and her search to find out their history was fascinating.  I especially loved the author’s quilt which had blocks with famous authors’ signatures from the 19^th century.  What a treasure that would be.  It made me wonder, are there quilts stored at museums or by historical societies? 

·       There is a bit of a sweet light romance in this novel as well.

·       This is a clean read.

·       Jennifer Chiaverini is a Wisconsin author based out of Madison.  She also writes wonderful historical fiction novels that I also enjoy, including her latest, The Canary Girls.

Overall, The Museum of Lost Quilts was a perfect cozy read with great characters and message.  I’ve been super busy and stressed lately and this was a perfect escapism read.

The Elusive Truth of Lily Temple by Joanna Davidson Politano (Austenprose PR Book Tours)

 

Do you like silent movies?  I didn’t really like them when I was a kid, but now as an adult I find them fascinating and inventive.

The Elusive Truth of Lily Temple by Joanna Davidson Politano is the story of silent film actress Lily Temple.  It’s 1903 and famous sapphire, the Briarwood Teardrop has been missing for years, but Lily Temple is wearing this famous sapphire.  Peter Driscoll is an underground investigator and asks for her help on the case of the missing sapphire.  What is the truth and what is fiction when it comes to Lily Temple?

My thoughts on this book:

·       I loved the time period and setting.  I could definitely see this book as a future movie. 

·       I enjoyed the quotes that started each chapter and varied from such works as Alice in Wonderland, Beauty and the Beast, Grimm fairy tales, etc.

·       A Tale of Two Cities by Charles Dickens is a favorite of mine, and I like how Lily uses it to tell her own story.  I just overall loved how storytelling was featured in this novel to advance the plot.

·       This was a story of loss, love, and redemption.  Lily has lost her trust in God and through the course of the book, she finds her faith again.

·       I greatly enjoyed the mystery in this novel, and it kept me guessing.  I love well written historical mysteries.

·       I enjoyed the author’s note on historical research.  St. Anne’s Well Gardens is a real place and George Smith was a real editor. 

·       The sneak peak of the The Lost Melody by Joanna Davidson Politano looks fascinating.

·       This book is a clean read.

Favorite Quote:  “I, however, never let facts get in the way of a good story.  Like water, innocuous and common, a good tale rushes forward, carving its own path through rock and hill and sod, sculpting the earth into a bold new landscape before anyone knows what is happening.”

Overall, The Elusive Truth of Lily Temple is a beautifully told story of redemption. It’s a unique and wonderful story that uses the power of storytelling to push the plot forward.  It is also an intriguing historical mystery.

Book Source:  Review copy from Revell Books as part of the Austenprose PR Book Tour. Thank-you!  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

Sharing Too Much by Richard Paul Evans

 

Title:  Sharing Too Much

Author:  Richard Paul Evans

Narrated by:  Richard Paul Evans

Publisher: Simon & Schuster

Length: Approximately 4 hours and 34 minutes

Source: Purchased from Amazon.com

 

Do you like to read memoirs?  What type of memoirs do you like to read?  Movie stars, pop singers, everyday people, etc.?  I enjoy them all.

Richard Paul Evans is a must-read author for me.  I LOVE his Christmas books and enjoy reading one of his books every year for Christmas.  I especially love them on audiobook.  Sharing Too Much is Richard Paul Evans memoir and thoughts on life.  My thoughts about this audiobook:

·       The memoir contained personal snippets about his life, growing up, life right now, living with Tourette’s Syndrome, and what is important in life.

·       I really liked his message that the problem with youth is that you are blinded by bling rather than what is important In life.  It’s more important to be kind than to be clever or rich.

·       I loved the story about his wife’s new dog, a cockapoo.  She named him Beau for Beau Brummel.  I felt like I could be friends with this wife.

·       This audiobook also had me crying when he told the story of his childhood dog Gertie’s death.  He called her from across the road and didn’t see the car coming until it hit her right in front of him.  He held her while she died.  Then his mother made him go to school and told him to bury Gertie when he returned home.  I told this story to my daughter, and she burst into tears too.

·       He talked about how dogs have unconditional love for you.  As an animal lover myself, I felt this.

·       He also described moments/experiences where a premonition or feeling helped him himself or to make a difference in another’s life.

·       There were also discussions of spirituality and having a relationship with God.  He had an interesting discussion about visions and end of life experiences.

·       I really loved learning thoughts about Christmas from my favorite Christmas author.

·       Inspirational fictional stories were sprinkled throughout.

·       Best of all, Richard Paul Evans himself read his own memoir.  I love when the author reads their own memoir.  It feels like a very personal story.

Overall, Sharing Too Much was a wonderful, interesting, and inspiring memoir.  I was left wanting more!

The Girl from the Hidden Forest by Hannah Linder (Austenprose PR Book Tour)

 

Do you like to hike / walk / visit forests or woods?  I grew up near a pine woods and I always love wooded areas.  The nearby Point Beach State Forest is a place where my family likes to camp and hike.

Eliza Ellis has grown up in the Balfour Forest with her father, the Captain, and her loyal Beagle, Merrylad.  One day, a stranger, Felton Northwood, enters her home and kidnaps her.  He takes her away to what he says is her home and tells her that her name is Miss Eliza Gillingham and that her father is a viscount. Felton has returned her to her home as he believes she is the only person who knows who murdered her mother.  Felton’s own father has lived under the shadow of suspicion since the murder.  Who really murdered Eliza’s mother? Why did the Captain take Eliza to the woods to raise? 

My thoughts on this book:

·       I loved that Eliza’s dog, Merrylad, was a beagle.  The cute beagle on the cover of the book looks a lot like my beagle Daisy.  Daisy said this book is beagle approved and that Merrylad is a lot braver of a beagle than she is. (Swipe right for a picture of Daisy)

·       I felt bad for Eliza in this book.  She led a simple life in the woods reading and listening to the Captain’s tales.  It was hard for her to make the adjustment from that life to life in society.  Her memories return little by little and have a great impact on those around her.

·       The Swabian beats Felton early in the book and his shadow looms large over the book.  Who is this evil character and what does he have to do with the Captain, Eliza, and Felton?

·       The suspense in this novel was engaging and kept me enthralled until the last page.

·       I really liked the characters of Eliza and Fenton.  It took me a bit to warm up to Fenton after he kidnapped Eliza at the start of the novel, but I eventually really liked him and also felt sorry for him.  I enjoyed the sweet romance between them.

·       I also enjoyed the friendship between Fenton and Lord Gillingham (Eliza’s father).

·       This novel was set during the Regency time period which is one of my favorite time periods to read about.

·       This story has beautiful themes of redemption.

·       This is a clean read.

·       This book is perfect for Gothic romantic suspense fans of Mary Stewart or Victoria Holt novels.

Overall, The Girl from the Hidden Forest is a beautifully written Regency romantic suspense novel.  It’s a great story that will keep you up too late in the night to find out the ending.  I highly recommend this novel.

Book Source:  Review copy from Barbour Books as part of the Austenprose PR Book Tour. Thank-you!  Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

BOOK DESCRIPTION

The nightmares may free her…but destroy the man she loves.

Eliza Ellis has stayed hidden in Balfour Forest for as long as she can remember. Perhaps her only friends are the trees, or her little dog, or her story-telling father called Captain. But at least she is safe from the cruel world outside, a world Captain has warned her against and protected her from.

That is, until a handsome stranger named Felton Northwood invades her quiet forest and steals her away. Why does he tell such lies? Why does he insist that her name is Miss Eliza Gillingham, daughter of a viscount, who disappeared fourteen years ago after the murder of her own mother? A murder Eliza is said to have witnessed.

When Felton returns Eliza to Monbury Manor and reunites her with a man who is told to be her father, all she remembers are the strange nightmares that have plagued her since childhood. Why have they suddenly grown worse? Are the answers hidden inside her own mind?

As danger mounts and lethal attempts are made on her life, Eliza and Felton must work together to uncover the identity of a killer who has stayed silent for fourteen years. When she finally uncovers the horrendous memories trapped in her mind, will divulging the truth cost her the man she loves—and both of their lives?

AUTHOR BIO

Hannah Linder resides in the beautiful mountains of central West Virginia. Represented by Books & Such, she writes Regency romantic suspense novels filled with passion, secrets, and danger. She is a four-time Selah Award winner, a 2023 Carol Award semi-finalist, a 2023 Angel Book Award third place winner, and a member of American Christian Fiction Writers (ACFW). When Hannah is not writing, she enjoys playing her instruments--piano, guitar, ukulele, and banjolele--songwriting, painting still life, walking in the rain, square dancing, and sitting on the front porch of her 1800s farmhouse. To follow her journey, visit hannahlinderbooks.com.

Book Feature: The Last Word by Elly Griffiths

 

Have you discovered any new book or TV series lately?

Thank you, Partner @bibliolifestyle @marinerbooks for the review copy of The Last Word by Elly Griffiths. It is a delightful mystery with great characters. I am currently in the middle of it and enjoying every page!!

SYNOPSIS: 

Words turn deadly with an unlikely detective duo on the case of a murdered obituary writer in this literary mystery from the internationally bestselling author of the Ruth Galloway series. Perfect for fans of Richard Osman and Anthony Horowitz.

Natalka and Edwin are perfect if improbable partners in a detective agency. At eighty-four, Edwin regularly claims that he’s the oldest detective in England. He is a master at surveillance, deploying his age as a cloak of invisibility. Natalka, Ukrainian-born and more than fifty years his junior, is a math whizz, who takes any cases concerning fraud or deception. Despite a steady stream of minor cases, Natalka is frustrated. She loves a murder, as she’s fond of saying, and none have come the agency’s way. That is until local writer Melody Chambers dies.

Melody’s daughters are convinced that their mother was murdered. Edwin thinks that Melody’s death is linked to that of an obituary writer who predeceased many of his subjects. Edwin and Benedict go undercover to investigate and are on a creative writing weekend at isolated Battle House when another murder occurs. Are the cases linked and what is the role of a distinctly sinister book group attended by many of writers involved? By the time Edwin has infiltrated the group, he is in serious danger…

Seeking professional help, the investigators turn to their friend, detective Harbinder Kaur, and find that they have stumbled on a plot that is stranger than fiction.

What do you think? Would you like to read this mystery?

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Night Falls on Predicament Avenue by Jaime Jo Wright (Austenprose PR Book Tour)

 

Do you have any “haunted” houses near where you live?  In Kewaunee where I live, we have a haunted hotel and jail.  I’ve picked up a haunted houses of Wisconsin book and found them in there and they’ve also been featured on TV.

In 1910, Effie James and her sister, Polly, stumble across a murder at 323 Predicament Avenue.  Polly stays silent on what she saw, and Effie must piece it together from what she heard.  When a mysterious British gentleman comes to town claiming the victim was his wife, will they together be able to discover the murderer? 

In the present day, Norah runs 323 Predicament Avenue as a B&B.  Sebastion is a guest and a true crime cold case podcaster.  When another guest dies of a heart attack after seeing a ghost, Norah must face her demons and investigate not only the mystery from a century ago, but the murder of her beloved sister.  Will Norah be able to face her anxiety and solve her sister’s cold case?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       This novel was very atmospheric and Gothic.  I loved how it started with a bang.  It would make an excellent Halloween read.

·       This is a dual timeline novel.  The link is that the only two people that have been murdered in Shephard, Iowa, were both connected to the home at 322 Predicament Avenue.

·       I had a hard time putting this book down as I got towards the end.  It was a great suspense novel.  I did not guess the ending in either timeline.

·       I liked the look into anxiety with Norah trying to deal with her anxiety throughout the novel.

·       The novel also looked at fear and working through it through faith.

·       This book was a clean read.

·       I enjoyed the teaser at the end for her fall 2024 novel, Specters in the Glass House which will be set near Milwaukee, Wisconsin.

Favorite Quotes:

“Death had been a guest here at Predicament Avenue for decades, and it was clear that Death wasn’t ready to check out yet.”

“Yet that was what fear was after all.  When a person lived afraid of death, when they could feel death’s cold breath on their neck every moment of the day, there was no courage left to be had.  No anticipation.  No hope.  Only the force of one’s own will to try to outrun the fear before they were eaten alive by it.  Before their greatest fear became their greatest reality.”

Overall, Night Falls on Predicament Avenue by Jaime Jo Wright is a delightfully Gothic historical mystery that will have you guessing right up until the end.

BOOK DESCRIPTION

As the walls of the house at Predicament Avenue reveal their hidden truths, two women--generations apart--discover that fear and foreboding are no respecters of time.

In 1910, Effie James is committed to doing anything to save her younger sister, who witnessed a shocking murder, leaving her mute and in danger of the killer's retribution. Effie must prove what her sister saw, but when a British gentleman arrives, he disrupts Effie's quest with his attempts to locate his wife, Isabelle Addington, who was last seen at the supposed crime scene in the abandoned house at 322 Predicament Avenue. Just as Effie discovers what she seeks, she finds that the blood staining the walls will forever link her to a scandal she couldn't imagine, and to a woman whose secrets promise to curse any who would expose them.

A century later, Norah Richman grapples with social anxiety and grief as she runs her late great-aunt's bed-and-breakfast on Predicament Avenue. But Norah has little affection for the house and is committed only to carrying out her murdered sister's dreams until crime historian and podcaster Sebastian Blaine arrives to investigate the ghostly legacy of the house's claim to fame--the murder of Isabelle Addington. When a guest is found dead, the incident is linked to Isabelle's murder, and Norah and Sebastian must work together to uncover the century-old curse that has wrapped 322 Predicament Avenue in its clutches and threatens far more than death.

AUTHOR BIO

Jaime Jo Wright (JaimeWrightBooks.com) is the author of ten novels, including Christy Award and Daphne du Maurier Award-winner The House on Foster Hill and Carol Award winner The Reckoning at Gossamer Pond. She's also a two-time Christy Award finalist, as well as the ECPA bestselling author of The Vanishing at Castle Moreau and two Publishers Weekly bestselling novellas. Jaime lives in Wisconsin with her family and felines.

The British Booksellers by Kristy Cambron (Austenprose PR Book Tour)

 

Title:  The British Booksellers

Author:  Kristy Cambron

Narrated by:  Barrie Kreinik

Publisher:  Thomas Nelson

Length: Approximately 11 hours and 18 minutes

Source: Thank-you to NetGalley for the audiobook review copy.  Thank-you Thomas Nelson and Austenprose for the review copy of the physical book.

Do you like to read books about bookstores or libraries?  I love to visit both, and I enjoy reading books about them.

The British Booksellers is a dual timeline novel set during WWI and WWII.  In the pre-WWI timeline, there is a love triangle. Amos Darby is a farmer’s son and is in love with Charlotte Terrington, an heiress. Will Holt is the Earl’s son and also in love with Charlotte.  Charlotte has been promised in marriage to Will, but what happened to her relationship with Amos?  What happened to Will?  In the WWII era, Charlotte and her daughter Eden ran a bookshop in Coventry.  Across the street is their bitter rival, Amos Darby and his bookshop.  When a mysterious American comes to town with a legal case against Eden, will all the secrets of the past come out?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       I really enjoyed the dual timeline and how they perfectly went together.  The events of the past were finally revealed at the end of the WWII era to explain what was happening at the time.

·       The story was told through multiple points of view.

·       It was interesting how the trauma of WWI (the Great War) had ripple effects that impacted the next generation that were then at the forefront of WWII.  It’s always sad to me that there was not any help for soldiers who suffered from PTSD.

·       The Coventry blitz was devastating.  Afterwards, the Germans termed a new term in modern warfare:  Coventrieren which means “to devastate or raze a city to the ground.”

·       The build-up to the blitz was also nail-biting as bombs started to fall, the finding of hidden German paratrooper gear, and questions on whether the American lawyer is really an American or a German spy.

·      

I liked the addition of the land girls to the story and how they came to town to help run the Holt estate.

·       I really enjoyed the characters in this novel.  I particularly enjoyed that when I thought a character was not a good person like WWII era Amos, or WWI era Will, the story grew deeper, and more complex as you learned more about each person and that there was more to them than met the eye.

·       This story was also about forgiveness, second chances, and moving forward with life after a devastating occurrence.

·       It was interesting how the differences between classes was strict before WWI, but had eased by the time of WWII.

·       I listened to this book on audiobook.  Barrie Kreinik was a wonderful narrator, and I especially enjoyed the voice acting.

·       I enjoyed that this novel had both a second chance romance as well as an enemies to lovers romance.

·       This novel was a clean read.

·       Author Kristy Cambron included a great author’s note that explained her inspirations and the real history behind this novel.

Overall, The British Booksellers by Kristy Cambron is a compelling historical fiction novel with engaging characters and a great dual timeline plot.  I highly recommend it.

BOOK DESCRIPTION

Inspired by real accounts of the Forgotten Blitz bombings, The British Booksellers highlights the courage of those whose lives were forever changed by war—and the stories that bind us in the fight for what matters most.

A tenant farmer’s son had no business daring to dream of a future with an earl’s daughter, but that couldn’t keep Amos Darby from his secret friendship with Charlotte Terrington…until the reality of the Great War sobered youthful dreams. Now decades later, he bears the brutal scars of battles fought in the trenches and their futures that were stolen away. His return home doesn’t come with tender reunions, but with the hollow fulfillment of opening a bookshop on his own and retreating as a recluse within its walls.

When the future Earl of Harcourt chose Charlotte to be his wife, she knew she was destined for a loveless match. Though her heart had chosen another long ago, she pledges her future even as her husband goes to war. Twenty-five years later, Charlotte remains a war widow who divides her days between her late husband’s declining estate and operating a quaint Coventry bookshop—Eden Books, lovingly named after her grown daughter. And Amos is nothing more than the rival bookseller across the lane.

As war with Hitler looms, Eden is determined to preserve her father’s legacy. So when an American solicitor arrives threatening a lawsuit that could destroy everything they’ve worked so hard to preserve, mother and daughter prepare to fight back. But with devastation wrought by the Luftwaffe’s local blitz terrorizing the skies, battling bookshops—and lost loves, Amos and Charlotte—must put aside their differences and fight together to help Coventry survive.

From deep in the trenches of the Great War to the storied English countryside and the devastating Coventry Blitz of World War II, The British Booksellers explores the unbreakable bonds that unite us through love, loss, and the enduring solace that can be found between the pages of a book.

AUTHOR BIO

Kristy Cambron is an award-winning author of historical fiction, including her bestselling debut The Butterfly and the Violin, and an author of nonfiction, including the Verse Mapping Series Bibles and Bible studies. Kristy's work has been named to Publishers Weekly Religion & Spirituality TOP 10, Library Journal Reviews’ Best Books, RT Reviewers’ Choice Awards, received 2015 & 2017 INSPY Award nominations, and has been featured at CBN, Lifeway Women, Jesus Calling, Country Woman Magazine, MICI Magazine, Faithwire, Declare, (in)Courage, and Bible Gateway. She holds a degree in Art History/Research Writing and lives in Indiana with her husband and three sons, where she can probably be bribed with a peppermint mocha latte and a good read. You can connect with her at: kristycambron.com and versemapping.com.

  

The Sweetness of Water by Nathan Harris

 

Title:  The Sweetness of Water

Author:  Nathan Harris

Narrated by:  William DeMeritt

Publisher: Little, Brown & Company

Length: Approximately 12 hours and 10 minutes

Source: Purchased from Amazon.com with physical book checked out from the Kewaunee Public Library.

What flowers are blooming in your area?  I was happy to return home from Michigan last week and discover daffodils blooming in my yard.

At the end of the Civil War in Georgia, two brothers, Prentis and Landry have been freed by the Emancipation Proclamation, but they don’t know where to go or how to support themselves.  George Walker finds them on his land and offers them a job with a decent wage to help him clear land and to plant a peanut field.  This act sets the town against George and his family.  George and his wife Isabelle are mourning the loss of their son Caleb in the Civil War.  When Caleb returns home and is labeled a coward, the Walkers must make a stand and find a way forward.  Caleb has a forbidden love with a childhood friend and fellow soldier, August.  Will the Walker family and Prentis and Landy be able to navigate reconstruction to live in a better world?

My thoughts on this novel:

·       This was the April pick for the Page-turner’s Book Club at the Kewaunee Public Library.  It provided a great discussion for book club.  I enjoyed the discussion, and it furthered my enjoyment of the book.

·       This novel was also an Oprah Book Club pick in 2021.

·       The novel was slow moving for the first half, but the action really picked up in the second half.

·       It made me really ponder what happened after the Civil War.  Society had gone through a giant upheaval.  How do you go back to “normal?”  What is the new “normal?”

·       This novel was character driven rather than plot driven.  The characters were all very interesting.  How far will you go to do what is right?

·       I felt like this was a coming-of-age story for Caleb, Landry, and George.

·       The novel had beautiful writing with rich language.

·       The Sweetness of Water was author Nathan Harris’s debut novel.  It was an excellent book and so well written, it was hard to believe it was a first novel.

·       I loved how all the main characters had to find courage to move forward.

·       I liked the ending.  It was positive, but realist.

·       Trigger warning:  The climax had brutal violence that was heartbreaking. 

·       This was an excellent audiobook.

Overall, The Sweetness of Water by Nathan Harris was a beautifully written, deeply moving character study set during reconstruction.