About this item
When two estranged sisters reunite for their parents' fiftieth anniversary, a family tragedy brings unexpected lessons of hope and healing amid the flowers of their mother's perennial garden.Eva-known to all as Lovey-grew up in Oxford, Mississippi, surrounded by literary history and her mother's stunning perennial gardens. But a garden shed fire and the burns suffered by one of her best friends seemed to change everything. Her older sister Bitsy blamed her for the fire-and no one spoke up on her behalf. Bitsy the cheerleader, Bitsy the homecoming queen, Bitsy married to a wealthy investor. And all the while, Lovey blamed for everything that goes wrong.At eighteen, Lovey turns down a marriage proposal, flees from Oxford and the expectations of attending Ole Miss, and instead goes to Arizona-the farthest thing from the South she can imagine.
About the Author
New York Times and USA TODAY bestselling author, Julie Cantrell is known for writing inspirational works that explore the hard truths people typically keep secret. While she delves into emotional issues, she does so with a compassionate and open heart, always bringing readers through to a hopeful path for peace, empathy, and healing. All four of her novels have reached the #1 spot on Amazon. Julie's debut novel, Into the Free (2012, David C Cook) , earned a rare starred review by Publishers Weekly, became an international bestseller, and received two Christy Awards and the Mississippi Library Association Fiction Award. It spent three weeks on the New York Times bestseller lists (both print and e-book) , made the USA TODAY Top 150, and was listed as a top read of the year by LifeWay and USA TODAY (HEA book editor) . The sequel, When Mountains Move (2014, David C Cook) , received the ACFW Carol Award for Historical Fiction, made many best read lists, and was again named a top read of the year by both USA TODAY (HEA book editor) and LifeWay Christian Stores. Her third novel, The Feathered Bone (January, 2016, HarperCollins/TNZ) , was chosen Book of the Year by the largest bookclub in the world (Pulpwood Queens) and was selected as a Top Read by Library Journal. It won the Carol Award for Contemporary Fiction and was a short-list finalist for the INSPY award as well as for the Southern Book Prize. The novel is set in Louisiana where Julie spent her childhood.Perennials (November, 2017, HarperCollins/TNZ) is Julie's fourth novel. Another work of Southern fiction, this story is set in her current community of Oxford, Mississippi, a literary mecca for many writers and readers. The story explores themes of family relationships, the seasons of life, and the search for a place called home. It has been a selected read by Redbook Magazine, Southern Living Magazine, and Real Simple Magazine. The novel was selected as an Okra Pick by the Southern Independent Booksellers Alliance who also named it a finalist for the Southern Book Prize.Crescendo (July, 2019, HarperCollins/W) is her first collaborative work of creative non-fiction. This book shares the inspiring story of musical prodigy, Fred Allen, and his devoted wife, Winnie. A speech-language pathologist and literacy advocate, Julie was honored to receive the 2012 Mississippi Arts Commission Literary Fellowship and to be named a finalist twice for the Mississippi Arts & Letters Fiction Award. She also received the 2016 Mary Elizabeth Nelson Fellowship at Rivendell Writer's Colony, which is awarded to a writer who encourages spiritual growth, healing, and care through his or her work. Learn more:Website: www.juliecantrell.comFacebook: https://www.facebook.com/juliecantrellauthorTwitter: https://twitter.com/JulieCantrellInstagram: https://www.instagram.com/juliecantrell/TEDx: http://bit.ly/TEDxJulieCantrell
