Author: Katharine Britton
Publisher: Berkley Trade
source: TLC Book Tours
soft cover | 345 pages
"foodie" elements: yes
random excerpt: Standing here, gazing down at these young sailors, she wanted to shout down to them, "There is no starting gun. The race, your life, has already begun. Stop marking time." (p. 141)
summary/synopsis (from author's site): Lilli Niles is at home in her North London flat when she receives an unexpected call. Her elder sister, Bea — at the family homestead in White Head, Massachusetts — has just lost her husband, and she'd like Lilli to fly home for the funeral.
Lilli, a painter, is preparing for her latest gallery opening. And more to the point, there are reasons she moved all the way to England to escape her older sister, reasons that have kept them estranged for decades.
But something in Bea's voice makes Lilli think it's time to return to the stately house in New England she loved as a child, to the memory of a shared loss — and to a time when simple sisterhood was enough to overcome betrayal and resentment.
my thoughts/review: A touching, honest, haunting story of relationships, loss, and forgiveness. Set mostly in a picturesque New England town, I was pulled in instantly. I could identify with the struggles of sisters, having a couple myself. A family hit with tragedy. A family that keeps secrets...even from themselves. A family who struggles with that thin line between love and hate. I found myself easily wrapped up in this tale of trying to step out of someone else's shadow- even if that shadow only exists in your own mind. One of the best things about the story, though, is that either of the two "main" (character) sisters could have easily been the shadow or the one standing in it. I found it dreamy, sad, engaging, somewhat surprising and altogether real. I found one of the main 'morals' to be forgiveness. It reminded me not only how important it is to grant others forgiveness, but to grant yourself forgiveness, as well. I thought it was an enjoyable way to spend a few afternoons.
When not at her desk, Katharine can be found at her Norwich garden, waging a non-toxic war against the slugs, snails, deer, woodchucks, chipmunks, moles, voles and beetles with whom she shares her yard. Katharine’s defense consists mainly of hand-wringing, after the fact.
I received a free copy of this book to review from the publisher. All thoughts and opinions stated in this post are 100% mine.
