About the Book ~
Two sisters. One mystery. A family changed forever.
At the turn of the twentieth century, sisters Emmy and Callie Bullock are living a privileged life when their well-ordered Alabama household gets turned upside down by the arrival of Lily McGee. Arrestingly beautiful, Lily quickly--and innocently--draws the wrong kind of attention.
After Lily has a baby, Callie witnesses something she was never meant to see--or did she? Her memory is a haze, just an image in her mind of Emmy standing on a darkened riverbank and cradling Lily's baby girl. Only when the sisters are separated does the truth slowly come to light--including a revelation that will shape the rest of Callie's life.
For more information about Valerie Fraser Luesse and her books, check out her website here!
My Thoughts ~
Bring your own sweet tea for this one because Letters from My Sister by Valerie Fraser Luesse is southern fiction at its finest!
I liked Callie from the moment I read her opening words in Letters from My Sister! Her humor and whimsy captured my bookish friendship. Plus, Callie and Solomon's romance deserves all the heart eyes! The setting and the author's ability to capture the era blossomed in my imagination, and the pacing was laced with intrigue, mystery, confusion, and swoons in all the right places.
Letters from My Sister delves into triggering subjects such as death, grief, racism, sexual harassment, sexual assault, and stalking from a sexual predator. Despite these challenging facets, I found that I could NOT stop reading this engrossing story! Furthermore, I loved the author's gentle exploration of privilege, showing how one can erase personhood and consent even with the best of intentions, and the bumpy road where trauma and trust collide. The cloudy effects of trauma as it waged war with what Callie knew to be truth will transcend the particulars of this heart-wrenching family saga and touch many hearts with an aching relatability. Through it all, the author continued to highlight that God works in mysterious and awesome ways that cannot be defined by human boxes of understanding. Very well done!
Four Stars ~ Letters from My Sister by Valerie Fraser Luesse was a captivating family drama! Letters from My Sister is a standalone novel, but the author has other books in her backlist for readers to enjoy!
Disclaimer ~ In accordance with FTC regulations, I received a copy of this book from the publisher. I was not compensated, nor was a positive review required. All opinions expressed are my own.
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