I bought this book last year, 2017, in my favorite writer’s town, Fairhope, Alabama, at Page and Palette. The cover showing a barefoot girl led me to think it would be a good summer read. Do covers matter? Yes!
Thumbing through the book, each chapter was devoted to a character and written in their voice. Their names struck a good note: Bonny, Lainey, and Piper. Piper is Bonny’s daughter and Lainey is Bonny’s best friend. Other characters are woven into their chapters — an old boyfriend for Bonny, an ex-husband, a new boyfriend for Piper, and a bookstore owner who knew Bonny and Lainey when they came spend time in her bookstore on family vacations on the coast. A couple of unsuspecting characters show up and add to the intrigue to these ladies finding the answers they look for in Watersend, South Carolina. The past weaves in the present story and brings mystery, emotional pain, misunderstandings, love lost, love gained, responsibilities, and forgiveness. As a marker for all good books I read, the first paragraph grabbed me. I wanted to know why a young woman who resembled someone from the past brought curiosity to the book store owner. The owner, who bridges their past with their future, obviously holds the key to unlocking much for these ladies at Watersend.
Toss this book into your beach bag and enjoy. Take it in the car line, to practice, enjoy at lunch, or on a business trip. It would be a good selection for a book club as it contains a section for discussion. I’ve recommended this book to my writers’ group as a wonderful lesson on theme, plot, character development, and a not so fairytale ending that still leaves you feeling hopeful and ready to find your own, “One thing.” Shop for it your favorite indie bookstore!
I look forward to the author’s next book, Becoming Mrs. Lewis, coming out in October 2018.
Linda Safford 