by Bette Lee Crosby
ebook, 256 pages, Published
January 14th 2015
by Bent Pine Publishing
Source: I received a copy in exchange for an honest review
Description: It's 1946. The war is
over. Millions of American soldiers are coming home and Benjamin Church
is one of them. After four years of being away he thought things in
Alabama would have changed, but they haven't. Grinder's Corner is as
it's always been--a hardscrabble burp in the road. It's not much, but
it's home.
When Benjamin attends a harvest festival in Twin Pines, he catches sight of Delia. Before their first dance ends, he knows for certain she's the one. They fall madly in love: happily, impatiently, imprudently, in love. It doesn't matter that her daddy is staunchly opposed to the thought of his daughter marrying a cotton farmer, never mind a poor one.
It's true Benjamin has little to offer; he's a sharecropper who will spend his whole life sweating and slaving to do little more than put food on the table. But that's how things are in Alabama. Benjamin is better off than most; he has a wife, a boy he adores, and a house that doesn't leak rain. Yes, Benjamin considers himself a lucky man until the fateful night that changes everything.
When Benjamin attends a harvest festival in Twin Pines, he catches sight of Delia. Before their first dance ends, he knows for certain she's the one. They fall madly in love: happily, impatiently, imprudently, in love. It doesn't matter that her daddy is staunchly opposed to the thought of his daughter marrying a cotton farmer, never mind a poor one.
It's true Benjamin has little to offer; he's a sharecropper who will spend his whole life sweating and slaving to do little more than put food on the table. But that's how things are in Alabama. Benjamin is better off than most; he has a wife, a boy he adores, and a house that doesn't leak rain. Yes, Benjamin considers himself a lucky man until the fateful night that changes everything.
My Review: I must admit that this is not a book that I would normally pick up. However, I have heard really good things about the author and when I was approached to review it, I agreed. I was absolutely blown away at how good it was. It's Book 3 in the series and I never once felt lost or confused--it definitely stands alone. The characters were very well developed and the plot portrayed life in the Deep South just after WWII in a very realistic way. My emotions were tugged all over the place. I was surprised to find that prejudices didn't always occur between blacks and whites, but even between blacks and blacks and whites and whites.Benjamin is a very stable, loyal, hard-working, upstanding citizen and man. Almost from the first, beautiful Delia catches his eye and after one night, he's hooked. She was raised in better conditions, but doesn't hesitate to follow her heart, no matter the cost. I love the way Delia makes the best of situations. I love her character and her determination to shoot for the stars.
I love the emphasis on close family relationships and friendships. The importance for having good core values and strong characteristics is really prevalent. This story is woven with love, racial tensions and injustices, as well as forgiveness and acceptance. There is so much feeling placed in each situation and character and I was deeply moved.
Content: moderate language; romance (implied intimate situations--just says they made love with no details given); mild violence (death, discrimination--not graphic); mild religious elements (religious people, but not preachy).
My Rating: 4.5/5 Stars
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