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krista225's review against another edition
4.0
A quick, enjoyable read. Annie and Fletcher were high school sweethearts pulled apart by life's unexpected twists and turns. When an accident brings Annie home, she must rediscover herself and figure what was she truly wants out of life. Is it possible to have it all or will she have prioritize one dream over another at the risk of never being completely fulfilled.
dmyers's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
reflective
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
3.75
kathryneh's review against another edition
4.0
This was a good story. Just a bit predictable, but that realization took quite a while to come to fruition. I have to admit I am getting a bit weary of stories that go from now to then and back again. This seems to be the new norm in fiction these days. [a:Susan Wiggs|21155|Susan Wiggs|https://d2arxad8u2l0g7.cloudfront.net/authors/1331656650p2/21155.jpg] writes a compelling story and kept me wanting to come back and read more. That is my favorite kind of book.
idrisgrey's review against another edition
3.0
I just received an ARC of Susan Wiggs' "Family Tree" from William Morrow in exchanged for an honest review.
I love food and I love sweeping family drama so this seems right up my alley. Review to come.
Read [a: Susan Wiggs|21155|Susan Wiggs|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1331656650p2/21155.jpg]'s [b: Family Tree|64694|Family Tree|Barbara Delinsky|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388192203l/64694._SY75_.jpg|2021882] if you love sweet stories about family, hardship, forgiveness andsecond third chances. It's got a lot of that. Emphasis on 'sweet.'
I love food and I love sweeping family drama so this seems right up my alley. Review to come.
Read [a: Susan Wiggs|21155|Susan Wiggs|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1331656650p2/21155.jpg]'s [b: Family Tree|64694|Family Tree|Barbara Delinsky|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1388192203l/64694._SY75_.jpg|2021882] if you love sweet stories about family, hardship, forgiveness and
jkorth's review against another edition
3.0
A cozy book where problems, even when large, seem to be easily remedied with good food and company. An enjoyable ride of a book. If Hallmark or Lifetime haven't made this a movie they should.
cyndibecker's review against another edition
5.0
Susan Wiggs' has an extensive library, but this is only the second of her books that I’ve read, and the first one was ages ago. I was immediately reminded that liked her writing style. Nor did it take long for me to re-discover that she writes great dialogue. But the key to this reading experience is in the the setting(s) and her characters. Family Tree certainly contributed to this reader/author relationship.
I was a bit trepedatious going into this read. Stories with infidelity can be hit or miss for me. In this case it's a hit and it's most likely because that is not the key aspect of the story. It's a plot driver for sure, but this is an exploration into a woman finding herself again and getting a second chance with her first love. It's bumpy road and well worth the time investment and some of the anxiety it generated in me. The story is told in the then and now with the notion of Before and After life events that is a key message. So, we get a clear picture of of both our heroine Annie Harlow's life and that of her high school flame Fletcher Wyndham.
There are many shifts and changes for them. The demise of her relationship with Fletcher was heartbreaking on so many levels, I suppose that's what happens with a great love. They seem to be thwarted at every step as circumstances continually pull them a part. It takes more than two chances for these two to figure it out. This aspect of the plot was ripe with angst, but also sweetly balanced by the sincerity of the depth of their care and concern for each other with, what with their near lifelong connection.
"All her instincts and urges told her that Fletcher Wyndham was her moment."
The story is rich in detail with the Rush mountain family, Annie's parents troubled marriage and how that impacted her, her grandmothers influence on her life and how that led to the choice of her profession. The one that introduced her to her self-centered husband Martin and led to a key before and after time in her life. We get much of this backstory as Annie recuperates from a devastating accident. I think Wigg's does an amazing job with Annie's recovery and stays true to the process and amount if time it would take.
"Her thoughts were pinging every which way. Maybe her brain was not scrambled eggs, but popcorn. With the lid off the pan. A thought would form and then shoot away before she could grasp it."
I stayed deeply engaged in Annie and Fletchers' lives as Wigg's draws out the real " end of their story." I don't think I've mentioned what a dream boat Fletcher becomes. He may start out that way but he takes a few miss-steps throughout the story. Ultimately he and Annie need to learn to trust each other but Fletcher's way of loving her is romantic and yet pragmatic:
“I want you to have a choice. You shouldn’t be here by default, but because you choose to be here.”
Yes, they are tested through the final 2% of the story but then we are gifted with a fabulous epilogue - the best of the "After" chapters. Annie learns she has to go back to move forward - where she's meant to be. 4.5 #SugarRush Stars and recommendation
* I was gifted a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
I was a bit trepedatious going into this read. Stories with infidelity can be hit or miss for me. In this case it's a hit and it's most likely because that is not the key aspect of the story. It's a plot driver for sure, but this is an exploration into a woman finding herself again and getting a second chance with her first love. It's bumpy road and well worth the time investment and some of the anxiety it generated in me. The story is told in the then and now with the notion of Before and After life events that is a key message. So, we get a clear picture of of both our heroine Annie Harlow's life and that of her high school flame Fletcher Wyndham.
There are many shifts and changes for them. The demise of her relationship with Fletcher was heartbreaking on so many levels, I suppose that's what happens with a great love. They seem to be thwarted at every step as circumstances continually pull them a part. It takes more than two chances for these two to figure it out. This aspect of the plot was ripe with angst, but also sweetly balanced by the sincerity of the depth of their care and concern for each other with, what with their near lifelong connection.
"All her instincts and urges told her that Fletcher Wyndham was her moment."
The story is rich in detail with the Rush mountain family, Annie's parents troubled marriage and how that impacted her, her grandmothers influence on her life and how that led to the choice of her profession. The one that introduced her to her self-centered husband Martin and led to a key before and after time in her life. We get much of this backstory as Annie recuperates from a devastating accident. I think Wigg's does an amazing job with Annie's recovery and stays true to the process and amount if time it would take.
"Her thoughts were pinging every which way. Maybe her brain was not scrambled eggs, but popcorn. With the lid off the pan. A thought would form and then shoot away before she could grasp it."
I stayed deeply engaged in Annie and Fletchers' lives as Wigg's draws out the real " end of their story." I don't think I've mentioned what a dream boat Fletcher becomes. He may start out that way but he takes a few miss-steps throughout the story. Ultimately he and Annie need to learn to trust each other but Fletcher's way of loving her is romantic and yet pragmatic:
“I want you to have a choice. You shouldn’t be here by default, but because you choose to be here.”
Yes, they are tested through the final 2% of the story but then we are gifted with a fabulous epilogue - the best of the "After" chapters. Annie learns she has to go back to move forward - where she's meant to be. 4.5 #SugarRush Stars and recommendation
* I was gifted a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review
charlottelynn's review against another edition
4.0
I am a fan of Susan Wiggs. Her books are great chic-lit and romance stories that I always devour. Family Tree seemed a little different to me. I think I would label it more women’s fiction. There was romance, there was love, but this was more of the story of Annie Rush Harlow. The story of a woman excited about the life she was living and where it was heading until something horrific happen and it was all taken from her. The kicker? She didn’t even realize what was happening.
When Anna wakes up from her coma she must make tough decisions, learn to live again, and remake her entire life. Her struggles were real. Susan Wiggs portrayed Anna as such a strong person. Even when she was physically weak she was mentally strong. She never gave up, she never let go of hope, and she pushed to get all her dreams fulfilled. The saving grace for Anna is how her family and friends in her hometown of Switchback, Vermont all work together to bring her back to a place better than she last remembers. I enjoyed seeing her reconnect with high school friends, get reacquainted with her dad, and seeing her mom in a new light.
They style of the story flows perfectly. With the past and present both being told there are no missed steps. The characters move easily in the right timeframe between the two parts and the storyline never falters between the timeframes. I definitely recommend picking up your own copy.
When Anna wakes up from her coma she must make tough decisions, learn to live again, and remake her entire life. Her struggles were real. Susan Wiggs portrayed Anna as such a strong person. Even when she was physically weak she was mentally strong. She never gave up, she never let go of hope, and she pushed to get all her dreams fulfilled. The saving grace for Anna is how her family and friends in her hometown of Switchback, Vermont all work together to bring her back to a place better than she last remembers. I enjoyed seeing her reconnect with high school friends, get reacquainted with her dad, and seeing her mom in a new light.
They style of the story flows perfectly. With the past and present both being told there are no missed steps. The characters move easily in the right timeframe between the two parts and the storyline never falters between the timeframes. I definitely recommend picking up your own copy.
lashea677's review against another edition
4.0
The first time I picked up a Susan Wiggs novel: I was nineteen and saw a copy of The Charm School at the book store. Something just called out to me and I knew that I had to read it. From there I read The Horsemaster's Daughter and got hooked on Ms. Wiggs. Her ability to find beauty in the most adverse of circumstances draws me back every time. Family Tree is the latest in a long line of novels that will break the heart and give readers a look at the positives in a situation that tests the boundaries of one's strength. Annie had it all, but in one second she lost a lifetime of memories and is left picking up the pieces of her broken life. With the help of a wise woman and the fortitude to take a chance, Annie learns that life is what you make it. Over twenty years and Susan Wiggs can still deliver stories that I love to read.
romanticread's review against another edition
4.0
3.5 Stars
I have to be honest on a couple of things. First, I’m not a huge fan of authors having flashbacks in their story – I don’t normally like that back and forth between what’s happening now and what happened before without having an idea of where things are going. A lot of time I feel like it is just a way to try to create suspense when a more linear track can’t and in a poor writer’s hands I feel like the blanks are there to add length to the book. Good thing for me Wiggs is not a poor writer. Even though we jump back and forth she keeps the stories intertwined well and we got an idea of where things were going, we were just waiting to get there. Still not my favorite thing but more palatable when done well like it is here.
The other thing I had a problem with was how Annie and Fletcher keep making the same mistakes over and over again, both in the present and the past. I would have thought that at some point they would have figured things out but apparently not and I really wanted to smack them by the time we reached the end of the book. Luckily they figure things out (because this is a HEA kind of story) so I was able to control my more violent urges :)
Overall, I was kinda surprised at how this book went – I think that the blurb isn’t really a good indication of the story you get. Because of that I didn’t have a good idea of what to expect but Annie is recovering in the hospital for a good portion of it (I’m a little fuzzy on the exact time frame through the whole book) and for the rest she is spent trying to figure out how to get her feet under her again. And of course those flashbacks to her history in Switchback and with Fletcher, which you know going in doesn’t end happily.
While it’s not easy for Annie to figure out where she goes from here, as you can imagine (which is par for the course with Wiggs), her struggle is heartfelt and touching. There is sadness that you know is coming, but there are also high points to off set them – not a carefree read but rewarding.
(Complimentary copy provided in exchange for an honest review)
I have to be honest on a couple of things. First, I’m not a huge fan of authors having flashbacks in their story – I don’t normally like that back and forth between what’s happening now and what happened before without having an idea of where things are going. A lot of time I feel like it is just a way to try to create suspense when a more linear track can’t and in a poor writer’s hands I feel like the blanks are there to add length to the book. Good thing for me Wiggs is not a poor writer. Even though we jump back and forth she keeps the stories intertwined well and we got an idea of where things were going, we were just waiting to get there. Still not my favorite thing but more palatable when done well like it is here.
The other thing I had a problem with was how Annie and Fletcher keep making the same mistakes over and over again, both in the present and the past. I would have thought that at some point they would have figured things out but apparently not and I really wanted to smack them by the time we reached the end of the book. Luckily they figure things out (because this is a HEA kind of story) so I was able to control my more violent urges :)
Overall, I was kinda surprised at how this book went – I think that the blurb isn’t really a good indication of the story you get. Because of that I didn’t have a good idea of what to expect but Annie is recovering in the hospital for a good portion of it (I’m a little fuzzy on the exact time frame through the whole book) and for the rest she is spent trying to figure out how to get her feet under her again. And of course those flashbacks to her history in Switchback and with Fletcher, which you know going in doesn’t end happily.
While it’s not easy for Annie to figure out where she goes from here, as you can imagine (which is par for the course with Wiggs), her struggle is heartfelt and touching. There is sadness that you know is coming, but there are also high points to off set them – not a carefree read but rewarding.
(Complimentary copy provided in exchange for an honest review)