MY REVIEW:
Heirlooms is a touching, multifaceted tale of family and friends that crosses the generations. I loved this wonderful story that focused primarily on two widows who shared a home and became more than friends. It was a delightful yet sometimes poignant read laced with many of my favorite things such as flowers, cooking, and sewing.
As the story transpired, it brought so many memories of my own family to the forefront and I recognized the wealth of heirlooms that surrounds me every day including a number of plants and flowers that have been passed down from my mother and grandmothers as well as my husband’s mother and grandmother.
The plot is dual time and tells the story of Helen and Eunhee alternately with present time narrative of granddaughters Cassidy and Grace Kim. Secrets of the past come to light as Cassidy and Grace Kim go through Helen’s belongings after her death. What they find is a friendship stronger than blood and a heritage of faith and strength.
Heirlooms is a not to be missed book. Please do yourself a favor and pick up your own copy as soon as possible.
I voluntarily reviewed a digital copy of this book provided by the publisher through NetGalley. A favorable review was not required. All views expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
Answering a woman’s desperate call for help, young Navy widow Helen Devries opens her Whidbey Island home as a refuge to Choi Eunhee. As they bond over common losses and a delicate, potentially devastating secret, their friendship spans the remainder of their lives.
After losing her mother, Cassidy Quinn spent her childhood summers with her gran, Helen, at her farmhouse. Nourished by her grandmother’s love and encouragement, Cassidy discovers a passion that she hopes will bloom into a career. But after Helen passes, Cassidy learns that her home and garden have fallen into serious disrepair. Worse, a looming tax debt threatens her inheritance. Facing the loss of her legacy and in need of allies and ideas, Cassidy reaches out to Nick, her former love, despite the complicated emotions brought by having him back in her life.
Cassidy inherits not only the family home but a task, spoken with her grandmother’s final breaths: ask Grace Kim—Eunhee’s granddaughter—to help sort through the contents of the locked hope chest in the attic. As she and Grace dig into the past, they unearth their grandmothers’ long-held secret and more. Each startling revelation reshapes their understanding of their grandmothers and ultimately inspires the courage to take risks and make changes to own their lives.
Set in both modern-day and midcentury Whidbey Island, Washington, this dual-narrative story of four women—grandmothers and granddaughters—intertwines across generations to explore the secrets we keep, the love we pass down, and the heirlooms we inherit from a well-lived life.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Sandra Byrd has published four dozen books in the fiction and nonfiction markets, including her two historical series with Howard Books. For nearly two decades, Sandra has shared her secrets with the many writers she edits, mentors, and coaches. She lives in the Seattle, Washington area.
