I think this just wasn't my cup of tea. Some of the language felt forced or maybe just foreign to me with the southern flare. It took me awhile to figure out what some of the repeated phrases meant, and it also felt like I should already understand them. That aside, the characters did have depth and their interactions rang true.

Sam's father has passed away and he must leave his home to live with his Aunt that he hasn't seen in years. There is a reason for that which we do learn. After the first day in his new school Sam discovers a way that he can still interact with his father, but we quickly learn that it is temporary, which Sam refuses to believe. Would recommend for someone interested in stories of traveling through grief or large fans of stories with a heavy southern leaning.

**Will note that I listened on audio, and the accent was just not my favorite, but the narrator did have talent! ( )

When Sam’s dad dies, he has to leave everything he cared about - his dad, their boat and their home on the bayou - to move in with an aunt he hasn’t seen in years. But through a secret door in a tree, he finds a way to spend afternoons with his dad again. Even if that means ditching the cute purple-haired girl who wants to work on a science fair project with him. But ultimately, he’ll have to choose between trying to stay with his dad and a new life that’s starting to feel like home.

Somehow simultaneously both heartwarming and creepy, this book tugs on your heartstrings! You may cry, but in a good way. The author did a great job pulling you into Sam’s world and filling it with a cast of quirky characters you won’t want to leave behind!

Thank you to the publisher for sending me an ARC. ( )