My Review: Heirlooms by Sandra Byrd

 

The Story (from the publisher's website): 

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.

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My Thoughts:

I read an early edition of this book and I absolutely love it. The connections between family past and present are so heartfelt and authentic. While there are a few tearjerker moments, at its heart, Heirlooms is a novel of hope, strength, and love. The bonds of family, not just family we are born into, but those we choose shine in this book!  As I read, I fell in love with the characters bit by bit. Helen and Grace and Cassidy and Grace are two generations of strong women each whose stories have aspects that are relevant to modern readers. 

This time slip story is expertly blended. Every detail down to the sin rolls recipe to the meaning of flowers on the dinner table lends itself to a story that is highly readable and enjoyable! I’ve read it a few times now since I originally wrote this review and I’m sure I’ll keep it on my bookshelf forever! Just look at the beautiful cover! That alone makes it worthy of a spot on anybody’s keeper shelf! 

~ My Rating: 5 out of 5 stars! ~

*I receive complimentary books from publishers, publicists, and/or authors. I am not required to write positive reviews. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission's 16 CFR, Part 255.*

Happy Reading!