Lauren K. Denton

Enjoyable quick read. Goodreads:?A story both powerful and enchanting: a don?t-miss novel in the greatest southern traditions of storytelling.? ¥Patti Callahan Henry, New York Times bestselling authorWhen her grandmother?s will wrenches Sara back home, she learns more about Margaret Van Buren in the wake of her death than she ever knew in life.After her last remaining family member dies, Sara Jenkins goes home to The Hideaway, her grandmother Mags?s ramshackle B&B in Sweet Bay, Alabama. She intends to quickly tie up loose ends then return to her busy life and thriving antique shop in New Orleans. Instead, she learns Mags has willed The Hideaway to her and charged her with renovating itÂ¥no small task considering her grandmother?s best friends, a motley crew of senior citizens, still live there.Rather than hurrying back to New Orleans, Sara stays in Sweet Bay and begins the biggest house-rehabbing project of her career. Amid drywall dust, old memories, and a charming contractor, she discovers that slipping back into life at The Hideaway is easier than she expected.Then she discovers a box Mags left in the attic with clues to a life Sara never imagined for her grandmother. With help from Mags?s friends, Sara begins to piece together the mysterious life of bravery, passion, and choices that changed her grandmother?s destiny in both marvelous and devastating ways.When an opportunistic land developer threatens to seize The Hideaway, Sara is forced to make a choiceÂ¥stay in Sweet Bay and fight for the house and the people she?s grown to love or leave again and return to her successful but solitary life in New Orleans.?Two endearing heroines and their poignant storylines of love lost and found make this the perfect book for an afternoon on the back porch with a glass of sweet tea.? Â¥Karen White, New York Times bestselling author (less)… (meer)

This is the first book I've read by this author, although I own her first book, THE HIDEAWAY, and look forward to reading it. I enjoyed this story, the small southern town setting, and the fierce bond between the two sisters. The story volleys back and forth from the 1970s and 80s to the present day, which gives us a glimpse into what drives Violet, and her sister, Trudy. There's a little romance sprinkled in with the mystery of what happened to Jay Malone (although we have a pretty good idea!) and how it will all play out when his boat is discovered.
I enjoyed the small-town homey feeling of the story, and the well-rounded characters, and look forward to reading more of her books. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book.… (meer)

The One You’re With by Lauren K. Denton was my book club’s selection this month. Women’s fiction, this novel explores secrets kept and revealed over the course of a marriage. Main characters Edie and Mac have been together longer than their 17 years of marriage, having been sweethearts from an early age. What they think of as perfect comes under pressure when a young woman shows up at Mac’s office with very shocking news — she’s his daughter. The ripples of that disclosure spread wide and quickly.

It was interesting to see how each character reacted to the news of Mac’s heretofore unknown child. Mac steps in as protector while Edie views their whole marriage as based on lies. Truth telling is a big theme in the novel. But truth and its importance in being shared takes on different meanings for the characters. I liked Mac and his willingness to fulfill not only obligations, but to provide a place for Riley in his life and in the life of his family. I disliked Edie — she accused Mac of deliberately lying to her, while she kept many things secret in her own life. There’s a contrast of thinking about things versus acting on them. That part of the story created the most discussion with my group. It is interesting that out of 6 women present at our meeting, we all sided with Mac! We all felt that the reactions from Edie and Mac’s family and friends were realistic. We felt sorry for Riley, and wished her mother Kat could have had a different life. We were thankful for an epilogue that showed a hopeful future.

The One You’re With wasn’t our favorite of Denton’s books, but we liked it overall and felt it was worth reading. It sure made for a lively book club meeting! And that’s several points in its favor.

Recommended.

Audience: Adults.

(I purchased this book from Amazon. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)… (meer)