kerasalwaysreading's review against another edition
4.0
This was such a tender novel filled with secrets, intrigue, hardships and so much love. I adored our main character, Austin because of the strength and courage she exudes. She goes through so much; her family goes through so much and it breaks your heart.
Christian fiction is not something I tend to pick up, and had I known it was, I probably wouldn’t have gravitated towards this. But I did REALLY enjoy this book for the most part.
Christian fiction is not something I tend to pick up, and had I known it was, I probably wouldn’t have gravitated towards this. But I did REALLY enjoy this book for the most part.
kriste's review against another edition
5.0
Exceptional story describing farm life w/ a mentally ill single parent.
smc51151's review against another edition
emotional
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
5.0
connie_d's review
emotional
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
ceciliabjorklund's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
inspiring
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.75
kelstay27's review against another edition
I tried so hard but just couldn't finish this book. As someone with a bit of religious trauma, I just couldn't. Some things were *too* relatable.
whatmeaganreads's review
5.0
Whoa what an emotional rollercoaster of a story. I've read Kristin Hannah before so I was prepared but it still was hard to imagine such a tragedy. The way Austin moves into the role as the caretaker of all of her siblings after said tragedy is in itself heartbreaking not to mention the demise of her dad. The budding relationship between her and Vance warmed my heart though and I'm so glad this book has a happy ending.
"This night not only marked the end to the drought, but also the end to the long-held secret we'd kept hidden under the magnolias.
Magnolia, South Carolina, 1980
Austin Foster is barely a teenager when her mama dies giving birth to twins, leaving her to pick up the pieces while holding her six siblings together and doing her best to stop her daddy from retreating into his personal darkness.
Scratching out a living on the family's tobacco farm is as tough as it gets. When a few random acts of kindness help to ease the Fosters' hardships, Austin finds herself relying upon some of Magnolia's most colorful citizens for friendship and more. But it's next to impossible to hide the truth about the goings-on at Nolia Farms, and Austin's desperate attempts to save face all but break her.
Just when it seems she might have something more waiting for her--with the son of a wealthy local family who she's crushed on for years--her father makes a choice that will crack wide-open the family's secrets and lead to a public reckoning. There are consequences for loving a boy like Vance Cumberland, but there is also freedom in the truth.
T. I. Lowe's gritty yet tender and uplifting tale reminds us that a great story can break your heart . . . then heal it in the best possible way."
"This night not only marked the end to the drought, but also the end to the long-held secret we'd kept hidden under the magnolias.
Magnolia, South Carolina, 1980
Austin Foster is barely a teenager when her mama dies giving birth to twins, leaving her to pick up the pieces while holding her six siblings together and doing her best to stop her daddy from retreating into his personal darkness.
Scratching out a living on the family's tobacco farm is as tough as it gets. When a few random acts of kindness help to ease the Fosters' hardships, Austin finds herself relying upon some of Magnolia's most colorful citizens for friendship and more. But it's next to impossible to hide the truth about the goings-on at Nolia Farms, and Austin's desperate attempts to save face all but break her.
Just when it seems she might have something more waiting for her--with the son of a wealthy local family who she's crushed on for years--her father makes a choice that will crack wide-open the family's secrets and lead to a public reckoning. There are consequences for loving a boy like Vance Cumberland, but there is also freedom in the truth.
T. I. Lowe's gritty yet tender and uplifting tale reminds us that a great story can break your heart . . . then heal it in the best possible way."
_skyler's review against another edition
emotional
reflective
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
5.0
I was hesitant to start this but it came highly recommended to me by a friend. It was such a beautiful and heart wrenching story and I’m so glad I read it.
butlermarla78's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
reflective
sad
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
5.0