Roses & Thorns

Roses & Thorns

Wednesday, July 2, 2014

The Lights of Home by Amanda Morgan





Blurb:

The life of reclusive archaeologist Jill Reade is nearly perfect and she is content. She has carved a niche for herself contracting with both governmental and private entities to conduct small-scale archaeological projects throughout the Pacific Northwest. She inherits a bed-and-breakfast, currently being run as a women’s renewal center, from Alice Norman, a woman she’d met only one time—at her grandfather’s memorial service. Jill, befuddled by the legacy, has no desire to be an innkeeper and steadfastly refuses to let it alter the life she has worked so hard to shape.

At the urging of Alice Norman’s attorney, Jill reluctantly agrees to use the remote lodge as a base camp during her next project. While there, she’s told the legend of the Sanctuary Tree—a giant tree with dense boughs that sweep the ground, providing protection from the elements for anyone lucky enough to stumble into its aromatic chamber. She hears, again, the story of a woman who, many generations before, had been caught by an early snowfall after leaving the nearby gold fields and, with her gold, disappears forever. Jill had already been told snippets of that story by her grandfather who was born not far from the very lodge she has just inherited. She also learns that, while she may not want the lodge, there are those who do, and they’re willing to risk much to get it.

Before Jill can complete her work and leave, an early snowstorm traps her in the lodge with fourteen strangers and a helpful resident from many generations past. She spends the Thanksgiving holiday playing hostess, cook, nurse, sleuth, confidante, entertainer, and, most importantly, friend. She leaves the lodge with a new-found sense of self, a new purpose, and even, perhaps, a new love.

Review:

The Lights of Home by Amanda Morgan is a charming literary novel told in third person. A lively, easy flowing story set in the Pacific Northwest, it is rich in local history with great insight to unique characters and realistic challenges. Morgan is attentive to details and highly descriptive of the panoramic setting. However, in her effort to include an extensive amount of detailed description, her dialog with the dog becomes somewhat contrived at times. There are no big surprises or intense mysteries in this book; just a heart-warming story of family legends with gentle humor and characters with which the reader will find it easy to relate. I recommend this book for its homespun wisdom and pleasurable reading.

Length:  226 Pages
Prices:
Print:  $14.81
Digital:  $4.99

Thanks for visiting, Rose & Rochelle.

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