Light and easy reading... a sweet Southern story of people from all walks of life living together in a vintage home, turned boarding lodge. Dolly and Si run the boarding house during WWII and take in boarders who have come to work in Blackberry Springs, Alabama at the munitions plant. Times are tough, money is scarce and each boarder has his/her own story.
The house itself was where Dolly and her sister Vi grew up. It was passed down to Dolly and is a character in itself of this novel. There is a lot of intriguing history surrounding the house and the land around it, the creek and river. A back-story of a pirate taking a local bride colors the waters.
I found the characters likable and believable. Some humor, cooking and gardening balance out some of the more emotional moments.
This has us realizing how “family” can be created by the caring people in our lives. It’s a lot about kindness, healing and helping one another. All characteristic of a southern tale that's as comforting as hot chocolate on a cold winter day.
This meanders along at a slow pace. Perhaps predictable, but a surprise or two are thrown in. Don't expect to get a lot of war history or even much about historical events of the time frame. It's a character driven novel and very localized to Alabama, bringing the reader to a satisfactory feel-good conclusion.
The house itself was where Dolly and her sister Vi grew up. It was passed down to Dolly and is a character in itself of this novel. There is a lot of intriguing history surrounding the house and the land around it, the creek and river. A back-story of a pirate taking a local bride colors the waters.
I found the characters likable and believable. Some humor, cooking and gardening balance out some of the more emotional moments.
This has us realizing how “family” can be created by the caring people in our lives. It’s a lot about kindness, healing and helping one another. All characteristic of a southern tale that's as comforting as hot chocolate on a cold winter day.
This meanders along at a slow pace. Perhaps predictable, but a surprise or two are thrown in. Don't expect to get a lot of war history or even much about historical events of the time frame. It's a character driven novel and very localized to Alabama, bringing the reader to a satisfactory feel-good conclusion.