Review by Booklist Review
Steady Betsy has always envied her adventurous sister, Jenna, and Jenna's two beautiful daughters. Betsy and her dairy-farmer husband, Ty, have been unable to have children, although she seems to feel it more than he does. When Jenna earns a spot at a prestigious summer artists' colony, she drops her girls off at the farm on the way. As Jenna's photography blossoms under the mentorship of the magnetic Gregory, weeks turn into months. Betsy is glad to have the girls, but Ty is angry that Jenna can't see what the prolonged babysitting is doing to her sister. As hurricanes threaten the coast, things unspoken threaten to explode, especially between Betsy and Ty. Though all three adults narrate, Betsy's journey is the most complicated. Jenna discovers herself in her art. Ty is a rock just waiting for Betsy to lean on, but, first, Betsy must face the fact that motherhood may not be in her future. Overall, the emotional conflict is gentle, as is the touch of faith that drives everyone, especially Ty. Perfect for readers looking for low-drama women's fiction.--Maguire, Susan Copyright 2018 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Two sisters help their mother and aunt reconnect to their past in this touching novel from Denton (The Hideaway). Toggling between the points of view of Betsy Franklin; her husband, Ty; and her younger sister, Jenna, Denton centers her story on a misunderstanding between the sisters that have grown apart over time. Raised by indifferent parents, Betsy and Jenna were close growing up, but adult responsibilities have reduced their interactions to Skype calls. Betsy and Ty inherited his family's dairy farm in Alabama; Jenna, an aspiring visual artist, struggles to raise two young daughters on a barista's salary in Nashville. When Jenna is offered the opportunity to attend the Halcyon Art Retreat, Betsy agrees to take care of Addie and Walsh, Jenna's five- and six-year-old daughters. As Betsy and Ty adjust to children in their home, Jenna reconnects with her passion for photography, extending her two-week trip indefinitely. The impending landfall on the farm of Hurricane Ingrid escalates the tensions between Betsy and Jenna, forcing them to evaluate the importance of their relationships. Although spiritual references are few, Denton has created a heartwarming, character-driven story that will appeal to fans of Southern fiction. Agent: Karen Solem, Spencerhill Associates. (Apr.) © Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved.
(c) Copyright PWxyz, LLC. All rights reserved
Review by Library Journal Review
Ty and Betsy Franklin's hopes of becoming parents have all but evaporated into a misty, impossible dream. Then Betsy's younger sister Jenna brings her two daughters to the Franklins' southern Alabama dairy farm while she attends an art retreat; their presence reopens the wound of infertility. As Jenna's absence stretches out over the summer, she wonders how she can give up her passion for photography to go back to the drudgery of parenting. Meanwhile, Betsy and Ty wonder how they can part with the girls who have become such a part of their lives. As Hurricane Ingrid bears down on the Alabama coast, Jenna is offered an opportunity to pursue her art that requires her to leave her children behind. VERDICT -Denton (The Hideaway) crafts a beautiful story with well-drawn, complex characters about the bonds of family, the trials of parenting, and the power of love to soothe the difficulties of daily life. Suggest for readers of Jane Green. [Previewed in Julia Reffner's "A Delicate Balance," LJ 11/15/17.] © Copyright 2018. Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
(c) Copyright Library Journals LLC, a wholly owned subsidiary of Media Source, Inc. No redistribution permitted.
