Book Review: A Tapestry of Secrets

From the Back:

What is the weight of a secret?

And what happens when that burden becomes almost too much to bear?For decades, Perla Phillips has hidden the truth of a decision that still fills her with guilt. But now, seeing her granddaughter, Ella, struggle in a similar way, she's prepared to finally open the past to her family, no matter the consequences. But when the opportunity is snatched from her in a most unexpected manner, will she have waited too long?

Spanning generations, this moving family drama weaves together the interlocking stories of two women as they navigate relationships, family, faith, and the choices that will shape their lives. Heartwarming and nostalgic, the story explores the courage to share the wounds of the past and celebrates the legacy a family passes from one generation to the next.

My Reflections:

A Tapestry of Secrets is book three in Sarah Loudin Thomas's series Appalachian Blessings. 

Ah, I so enjoy reading a novel that you simply cannot put down, and this is one of those books. Lucky for me I fell sick with a terrible cold and had to read this book straight through!

Loudin Thomas has a unique style to her writing, she draws her characters in with slowly unfolding tidbits that develop the story line fully by its conclusion. Her style is so inviting and the story line is multidimensional which makes the reader feel like she has stepped into a whole new world. I so love when a book can take me away! 

Ella gets the call no granddaughter wants to receive, her beloved grandmother Perla has suffered a stroke. Ella rushes home to help care for her ailing grandmother, and in the process escape a certain Mark Arrington.

Ella is am an artist by trade so her profession is flexible enough that she is able to accommodate the needs of her family. Ella is prepared to hunker down and help where she is needed and hopes her dear grandmother can continue to stay in a familiar environment. With conflict arising from her aunt Sadie who would rather see Perla in a home, Ella must stand firm and do what is right. 

The plot thickens when a land developer arrives to build a hunting preserve. The townspeople along with Ella are concerned about the long-term impact this kind of development could have on this quiet little piece of heaven. This hunting lodge would be located right where the church is sitting. Although the church is suffering in many ways Ella is determined to stand strong for her family and the townspeople and do everything she can in order to save this refuge.

Perla has such little time to make her past known to her daughter and granddaughter. The stroke has taken her ability to communicate effectively, but is there some way in which she can convey the secrets that are locked in her mind?

I simply loved how the suspense builds as the story progresses, it makes it impossible to reenter your regular life until you reach the last pages. Definitely a page turner! I have read all three books in this series now Miracle in a Dry Season and Until the Harvest, and I can safely say that they all could be stand alone novels but to get your full enjoyment I would certainly recommend you read these as a series!

I am looking forward to the next book from this very talented author, so please hurry up and write Sara Loudin Thomas!

Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc

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THE AUTHOR

1. © Kristen Delliveniri

   Sarah Loudin Thomas

   Sarah Loudin Thomas is a fundraiser for a children's ministry and has written for Mountain Homes Southern Style and Now & Then magazines, as well as The Asheville Citizen-Times. She is the author of Miracle in a Dry Season and...

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