I reviewed Five Miles South of Peculiar by Angela Hunt.
Synopsis:
“If these three sisters don’t change direction, they’ll end up where they’re going. ” Darlene Caldwell has spent a lifetime tending Sycamores, an estate located five miles south of a small town called Peculiar. She raised a family in the spacious home that was her grandfather’s legacy, and she enjoys being a pillar of the community. Sycamores is the kingdom where she reigns as queen . . . until her limelight-stealing twin sister unexpectedly returns.
Carlene Caldwell, veteran of the Broadway stage, is devastated when she realizes that an unsuccessful throat surgery has spelled the end of her musical career. Searching for a new purpose in life, she retreats to Sycamores, her childhood home. She may not be able to sing, but she hopes to use her knowledge and experience to fashion a new life in Peculiar, the little town she left behind.
Haunted by a tragic romance, Magnolia Caldwell is the youngest of the Caldwell girls. Nolie has never wanted to live anywhere but Sycamores. She spends her days caring for her dogs and the magnificent gardens she’s created on the estate, but when she meets a man haunted by his own tragedy, she must find the courage to either deny her heart or cut the apron strings that tie her to a dear and familiar place.
Can these sisters discover who they are meant to be when life takes an unforeseen detour? In a season of destiny, three unique women reunite and take unexpected journeys of the heart.
Paperback, 384 pages
Published June 5, 2012, by Howard Books
About the Author:
With nearly 4 million copies of her books sold worldwide, Angela Hunt is the bestselling author of more than one hundred books, including The Fine Art of Insincerity, The Tale of Three Trees (love it!), Don’t Bet Against Me, The Note, and The Nativity Story. Her nonfiction book Don’t Bet Against Me, written with Deanna Favre, spent several weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. She and her husband make their home in Florida with their dogs. Learn more at AngelaElwellHunt.com.
My Review:
Having three daughters and being from the South, this book called to me, y’all. The dysfunction of the three sisters in the novel was disheartening and I so yearned for them to make things right. It was almost like Faulkner in its sorrow and hopelessness. I’m still mad at some of the secrets that were and are still kept among those ladies. Nolie should have received some professional help long before she hit age 40. I can’t believe Carlene and Darlene had never confronted some of their issues in over 30 years. It’s a lesson in communication and relationships, for sure. I guess there really are people like these characters with similar issues. All the people in the book were broken in some way and God mended them and brought them together to make a new family of sorts. Hurrah for happy endings.
I was a little disappointed in so many of the overused Southern clichés. The imagery and metaphors were almost laughable in some places. Just a little over the top. People from the South don’t really make comparisons to Scarlett in Gone With the Wind all the time. Southern people don’t all hate ethnic food. I’m sure the book is very believable and stereotypical to someone not raised in the South.
I did rather enjoy the book, but I groaned at some of the figurative language. I did not really like the characters, mostly because I was mad at them. I think I learned something about relationships and God and that’s all that can be asked. It certainly made me think about my family and the relationships that always need improvement.
I received this book from Glass Road Publications for an unbiased review.
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