What do you think?
Rate this book
Falling Home #1
Falling Home
From the New York Times bestselling author
Revised and expanded for this new trade paperback edition, Karen White's novel tells a poignant story of two estranged sisters. At twenty Cassie Madison left her hometown of Walton, Georgia, for New York City, where she has reinvented herself-from losing herself in her career to squashing her accent. But one night a single phone call brings back everything she's tried to forget. She hasn't spoken to her sister since Harriet stole Cassie's fiancé and married him. But now Harriet's on the line with news that their father is dying.
As she makes the trip back, the only thing that frightens Cassie more than losing her father is seeing Harriet and the family that should have been hers. But she can't help loving her nephews and nieces any more than she can help feeling at home again in Walton. As she fights a surprising reaction to a forgotten friend, and faces an unexpected threat to the family she'd once left behind, Cassie comes to realize that moving on doesn't always mean moving away from who you are.
Revised and expanded for this new trade paperback edition, Karen White's novel tells a poignant story of two estranged sisters. At twenty Cassie Madison left her hometown of Walton, Georgia, for New York City, where she has reinvented herself-from losing herself in her career to squashing her accent. But one night a single phone call brings back everything she's tried to forget. She hasn't spoken to her sister since Harriet stole Cassie's fiancé and married him. But now Harriet's on the line with news that their father is dying.
As she makes the trip back, the only thing that frightens Cassie more than losing her father is seeing Harriet and the family that should have been hers. But she can't help loving her nephews and nieces any more than she can help feeling at home again in Walton. As she fights a surprising reaction to a forgotten friend, and faces an unexpected threat to the family she'd once left behind, Cassie comes to realize that moving on doesn't always mean moving away from who you are.
464 pages, Paperback
First published June 1, 2002
635 people are currently reading
6243 people want to read
About the author
Karen White
42 books7,515 followersWith more than 2 million books in print in fifteen different languages, Karen White is a New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of 34 novels, including the popular Charleston-set Tradd Street mystery series.
Raised in a house full of brothers, Karen’s love of books and strong female characters first began in the third grade when the local librarian issued her a library card and placed The Secret of the Old Clock, a Nancy Drew Mystery, in her hands.
Karen’s roots run deep in the South where many of her novels are set. Her intricate plot lines and compelling characters charm and captivate readers with just the right mix of family drama, mystery, intrigue and romance.
Not entirely convinced she wanted to be a writer, Karen first pursued a career in business and graduated cum laude with a BS in Management from Tulane University. Ten years later, in a weak moment, she wrote her first book. In the Shadow of the Moon was published in August, 2000. Her books—referred to as “grit lit” (Southern Women’s Fiction)—have since been nominated for numerous national contests including the SIBA (Southeastern Booksellers Alliance) Fiction Book of the Year.
Karen’s next book, THAT LAST CAROLINA SUMMER, will be published by Park Row Books in July, 2025.
When not writing, Karen spends her time reading, scrapbooking, playing piano, and avoiding cooking. Karen and her husband have two grown children and currently live near Atlanta, Georgia with two spoiled Havanese dogs.
- See more at: http://www.karen-white.com/bio.cfm#st...
Raised in a house full of brothers, Karen’s love of books and strong female characters first began in the third grade when the local librarian issued her a library card and placed The Secret of the Old Clock, a Nancy Drew Mystery, in her hands.
Karen’s roots run deep in the South where many of her novels are set. Her intricate plot lines and compelling characters charm and captivate readers with just the right mix of family drama, mystery, intrigue and romance.
Not entirely convinced she wanted to be a writer, Karen first pursued a career in business and graduated cum laude with a BS in Management from Tulane University. Ten years later, in a weak moment, she wrote her first book. In the Shadow of the Moon was published in August, 2000. Her books—referred to as “grit lit” (Southern Women’s Fiction)—have since been nominated for numerous national contests including the SIBA (Southeastern Booksellers Alliance) Fiction Book of the Year.
Karen’s next book, THAT LAST CAROLINA SUMMER, will be published by Park Row Books in July, 2025.
When not writing, Karen spends her time reading, scrapbooking, playing piano, and avoiding cooking. Karen and her husband have two grown children and currently live near Atlanta, Georgia with two spoiled Havanese dogs.
- See more at: http://www.karen-white.com/bio.cfm#st...
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 831 reviews
May 19, 2011
My Thoughts:
This book has it all....a great family story, love, heartbreak, secrets, humor, sadness....and it's written beautifully. I finished this book in one day and resented whatever chore took me away from reading. I absolutely loved spending time with these characters and the town of Walton. It made me a bit nostalgic for my childhood days and upbringing. I lived in a small town where everyone knew you and your parents. If you were misbehaving your mom knew about it before you could bicycle home. There's much to be said for a small town life and that feeling of a community as an extended family. I grew to really care about Cassie as she came to terms with her past hurts and regrets. The book was filled with characters that were authentic and many I would love to have as friends. As I finished the last page I sighed with satisfaction...another solid book from Karen White.
Recommend? Yes...y'all need to read this one...fantastic southern fiction with a great cast of characters. This book will make you emotional.....read it!
This book has it all....a great family story, love, heartbreak, secrets, humor, sadness....and it's written beautifully. I finished this book in one day and resented whatever chore took me away from reading. I absolutely loved spending time with these characters and the town of Walton. It made me a bit nostalgic for my childhood days and upbringing. I lived in a small town where everyone knew you and your parents. If you were misbehaving your mom knew about it before you could bicycle home. There's much to be said for a small town life and that feeling of a community as an extended family. I grew to really care about Cassie as she came to terms with her past hurts and regrets. The book was filled with characters that were authentic and many I would love to have as friends. As I finished the last page I sighed with satisfaction...another solid book from Karen White.
Recommend? Yes...y'all need to read this one...fantastic southern fiction with a great cast of characters. This book will make you emotional.....read it!
October 18, 2013
Imagine a Hallmark movie, but as a book. If you don't know what I mean by that, let me assure you that the Hallmark channel has tons of movies that center around some of these same themes: big city is bad, career-oriented thinking is bad...well, you get the picture. The following quote stunned me:
"Her MBA training and years of working in New York had taught her to ignore the twinge of conscience."
All this time, I thought an MBA was an accomplishment for the hard-working and disciplined, but now I see it just numbs your sense of right and wrong. Eating sushi is elitist, broadening your horizons leads to ramming a giant stick up your ass and losing your sense of humor, and God forbid you move away from your family...even if your sister did elope with your boyfriend. Don't be selfish and stand in the way of true love!
Love interest Sam has his Harvard education, but brought it back to his home town and spends the book sneering at/lecturing Cassie (Cassandra in New York...New Yorkers apparently frown on nicknames) for the way she changed, and insists that she makes him glad he left Boston before the obligatory stick-ramming. That what they taught in Harvard? The contrast for him is Andrew, another favored Hallmark archetype, the successful but soul-less, uptight, pompous jerk who hates kids, old people, and anything not business-related. It takes the heroine inexplicably long to realize said-jerkiness...because she's too busy insisting he's right for her, clearly illustrating what she'll become unless she does what everyone around her thinks she should.
Obviously I had a lot of problems with the messages in this book. I also thought the beginning was pretty confusing as to what exactly were the main conflicts of the book, because it would introduce one conflict (I've been estranged from my sister for 15 years and now I have to go home again)and then quickly resolve the conflict within a chapter or two (I just realized I'm not mad anymore and I was wrong to be mad in the 1st place...we're cool, sis). There were at least 3 or 4 false starts before it moves on to the actual story.
About half-way through the book there's a mystery introduced, which couldn't have interested me less. I just kept speeding forward to find out what happened to Harriet...her story did end up interesting me, hence the second star.
I don't mind two-dimensional, predictable chick-lit because it can be comforting, like mac-n-cheese. I do mind stereotypes.
"Her MBA training and years of working in New York had taught her to ignore the twinge of conscience."
All this time, I thought an MBA was an accomplishment for the hard-working and disciplined, but now I see it just numbs your sense of right and wrong. Eating sushi is elitist, broadening your horizons leads to ramming a giant stick up your ass and losing your sense of humor, and God forbid you move away from your family...even if your sister did elope with your boyfriend. Don't be selfish and stand in the way of true love!
Love interest Sam has his Harvard education, but brought it back to his home town and spends the book sneering at/lecturing Cassie (Cassandra in New York...New Yorkers apparently frown on nicknames) for the way she changed, and insists that she makes him glad he left Boston before the obligatory stick-ramming. That what they taught in Harvard? The contrast for him is Andrew, another favored Hallmark archetype, the successful but soul-less, uptight, pompous jerk who hates kids, old people, and anything not business-related. It takes the heroine inexplicably long to realize said-jerkiness...because she's too busy insisting he's right for her, clearly illustrating what she'll become unless she does what everyone around her thinks she should.
Obviously I had a lot of problems with the messages in this book. I also thought the beginning was pretty confusing as to what exactly were the main conflicts of the book, because it would introduce one conflict (I've been estranged from my sister for 15 years and now I have to go home again)and then quickly resolve the conflict within a chapter or two (I just realized I'm not mad anymore and I was wrong to be mad in the 1st place...we're cool, sis). There were at least 3 or 4 false starts before it moves on to the actual story.
About half-way through the book there's a mystery introduced, which couldn't have interested me less. I just kept speeding forward to find out what happened to Harriet...her story did end up interesting me, hence the second star.
I don't mind two-dimensional, predictable chick-lit because it can be comforting, like mac-n-cheese. I do mind stereotypes.
Read
November 8, 2010After having read a few Karen White books, I have to confess that I have fallen in love with her writing style and how her stories always seem to warm and touches my heart. Needless to say, when the publicist contacted me and asked if I would like to review Karen White's Falling Home, I didn't even have to think about it.
As the title indicated, Falling Home is a coming home story. However, there are more to it than about just having the protagonist coming home; it is also a story about forgiveness and acceptance, and of finding oneself along the journey.
Cassie Madison often thinks of herself as a city girl despite that she was born and raised in Walton, Georgia until an incident had deeply humiliated her and she had vowed never to return. That humiliation was seeing the guy she liked had chosen to marry her younger sister, Harriet. Cassie left for New York and began her life thereafter. For a while she feels happy since she has a great career in advertising and a fiancé whom she thinks she loves until she received a telephone call from her estranged sister one day, informing her that their father is dying and they want her to come home.
Cassie does not want to admit this to anyone, but deep in her heart she is afraid of seeing Harriet and Joe again. Despite this, she knew she has to return to Walton anyhow. As much as she tries to forget her unhappy past, what she didn't expect is she has grown to love her nephews and nieces the more she stays in Walton, and how much the place still means to her after all these years. During the stay, Cassie will also find out the secret which Cassie's father had kept and how it will mean to her after discovering the truth eventually.
Falling Home is one of Karen White's older releases and I was so glad that her publisher decided to reissue the book after seeing that many readers had asked about it (I definitely hope that they will print her other older releases as well). While nothing much has changed to the story, Karen did a little revamp and added two new points of view (Harriet and her daughter, Maddie) instead of Cassie's. Reading about their perspectives has made me understand more about their emotions and their stand and I felt these have further enriched the story in my opinion. Although the story might not be new, what I really enjoyed reading this book is the characterisations and finding out how much Cassie has grown and a changed person after all the experiences she has been through. Speaking of characterisations, Karen has done a great job in portraying the feelings and emotions from the three point of views but I felt there also should be more emphasis from Joe's view. Karen must have her reason for keeping Joe in the background and though I totally respect her choice, but being a reader I would like to know more about his thoughts and how he felt about everything.
Nevertheless, Falling Home is an engaging read and one that made me think of the fact that no place is anywhere like home.
As the title indicated, Falling Home is a coming home story. However, there are more to it than about just having the protagonist coming home; it is also a story about forgiveness and acceptance, and of finding oneself along the journey.
Cassie Madison often thinks of herself as a city girl despite that she was born and raised in Walton, Georgia until an incident had deeply humiliated her and she had vowed never to return. That humiliation was seeing the guy she liked had chosen to marry her younger sister, Harriet. Cassie left for New York and began her life thereafter. For a while she feels happy since she has a great career in advertising and a fiancé whom she thinks she loves until she received a telephone call from her estranged sister one day, informing her that their father is dying and they want her to come home.
Cassie does not want to admit this to anyone, but deep in her heart she is afraid of seeing Harriet and Joe again. Despite this, she knew she has to return to Walton anyhow. As much as she tries to forget her unhappy past, what she didn't expect is she has grown to love her nephews and nieces the more she stays in Walton, and how much the place still means to her after all these years. During the stay, Cassie will also find out the secret which Cassie's father had kept and how it will mean to her after discovering the truth eventually.
Falling Home is one of Karen White's older releases and I was so glad that her publisher decided to reissue the book after seeing that many readers had asked about it (I definitely hope that they will print her other older releases as well). While nothing much has changed to the story, Karen did a little revamp and added two new points of view (Harriet and her daughter, Maddie) instead of Cassie's. Reading about their perspectives has made me understand more about their emotions and their stand and I felt these have further enriched the story in my opinion. Although the story might not be new, what I really enjoyed reading this book is the characterisations and finding out how much Cassie has grown and a changed person after all the experiences she has been through. Speaking of characterisations, Karen has done a great job in portraying the feelings and emotions from the three point of views but I felt there also should be more emphasis from Joe's view. Karen must have her reason for keeping Joe in the background and though I totally respect her choice, but being a reader I would like to know more about his thoughts and how he felt about everything.
Nevertheless, Falling Home is an engaging read and one that made me think of the fact that no place is anywhere like home.
January 21, 2011
For the most part, the plot was entirely predictable (and seemed like a pretty close cousin to "Sweet Home Alabama"). But it was so beautifully written, that I let the author take me there. Even if I saw what was coming, I still wanted to be swept away into the world that White creates. White does "Southern" very well, both aptly poking fun at some of the things we do and yet maintaining the integrity of the things we southerners hold so dear.
March 11, 2012
Glad this book is done. Not a ringing endorsement, I know. Sounded somewhat interesting when I picked it up at the library, but it was just a predictable, cheesy mess sometimes. How many stories have this same plot: small town girl, traumatic event, leaves small town, goes to big city, "makes something of herself", returns to small town for whatever reason as a high-fashion, too-good-for-this NYC snob, falls in love with local guy and small town again, has epiphany about life and family and roots, ends up staying. The end.
Halfway through this book I wanted to quit reading it, but I hate getting that far and not seeing it through, so I kept going. There were a few moments that were good, but overall it just wasn't great. The main character was hard to like--snobby, snippy, bitchy, and half the stuff that came out of her mouth would never be uttered in real life. I mean, does anyone actually call people by their full name, as in "Sam Parker, you don't know anything about me." "I love you, Sam Parker." Barf.
The writing is definitely mediocre at best. The phrase "with studied nonchalance" was used not once, not twice, but three times in a span of less than 20 pages. It was used twice in TWO pages. If you're going to use a phrase like that, don't overkill it. At one point, a character "stomps his toe in the dirt"...but they are driving in a car, so...??? What??? Whoops.
Thought this would be a nice diversion in between my Hunger Games, but it just annoyed me!
Halfway through this book I wanted to quit reading it, but I hate getting that far and not seeing it through, so I kept going. There were a few moments that were good, but overall it just wasn't great. The main character was hard to like--snobby, snippy, bitchy, and half the stuff that came out of her mouth would never be uttered in real life. I mean, does anyone actually call people by their full name, as in "Sam Parker, you don't know anything about me." "I love you, Sam Parker." Barf.
The writing is definitely mediocre at best. The phrase "with studied nonchalance" was used not once, not twice, but three times in a span of less than 20 pages. It was used twice in TWO pages. If you're going to use a phrase like that, don't overkill it. At one point, a character "stomps his toe in the dirt"...but they are driving in a car, so...??? What??? Whoops.
Thought this would be a nice diversion in between my Hunger Games, but it just annoyed me!
February 22, 2017
I thought I was the target audience for this book.
Ahhhhh....something about jumping ship from your current circumstances and finding (or in this case, rediscovering) a new, simpler life somewhere else, is incredibly appealing to me. (I'm not ready to analyze why! :) Yet, this book missed the mark. I listened and listened to 15 and a half long hours of a winding plot and repeated sentences. Did I mention how LONG it felt? The best stories are those where you wince as the pages fly by, because you never want the fabulousness to end. This one had its highlights, but it certainly wasn't one of those books.
Ahhhhh....something about jumping ship from your current circumstances and finding (or in this case, rediscovering) a new, simpler life somewhere else, is incredibly appealing to me. (I'm not ready to analyze why! :) Yet, this book missed the mark. I listened and listened to 15 and a half long hours of a winding plot and repeated sentences. Did I mention how LONG it felt? The best stories are those where you wince as the pages fly by, because you never want the fabulousness to end. This one had its highlights, but it certainly wasn't one of those books.
June 1, 2016
I really enjoy Karen White's writing style. A cute, sometimes funny, sometimes sad story set in a charming small town in Georgia. Cassie Madison left 15 years ago for NYC after her sister eloped with her boyfriend. She comes back to town to visit her ailing father. She begins a journey of bonding with her sister, Harriet, and her 5 children. Cassie begins to question her life. This is a story of love, family secrets, and forgiveness. A really enjoyable book!
February 10, 2014
Unfortunately, I cannot give a higher rating for this book. I've read many of Karen White's books and have enjoyed them. Falling Home juggled enough family and personal dramas to fill six books. Overkill on the story lines and cliches. SPOILER***************If you want a long lost sister returning to her Southern family roots post father's death who hasn't seen her sister who stole her boyfriend fifteen years ago and winds up pregnant with cancer and dies causing the sister to stay and help raise her four nieces and two nephews and falls in love with a guy who has held a torch for her since school and all the while she's trying to sell the family homestead while someone is vandalizing her property and that person just happens to be her newly discovered half brother who helps the family look for a runaway niece in a freak Georgia snowstorm, then this is your book.
June 16, 2021
I hope I have an opportunity in the near future to say, “well, butter my butt and call me a biscuit”!
October 19, 2010
Lately I have been very choosey about ARCs that I agree to read. I find that it is a very narrow road for me, whether I will like a book or not, and I am not the kind of person who enjoys simply saying "I do not like this book," because someone took the time and energy to create the characters and the story and write it. Inevitably there are people who will like it, it's just in that instant, it wasn't me. This is a horrible way to preface this entry, because this is not what happened with this book. I am so very thankful I decided to say yes to this book. Technically, this book isn't exactly a new book, it was first published in 2002, but has been reworked and is being republished November 2, 2010.
Falling Home was one of those books I hated to put down. Fortunately [and unfortunately] I got a stomach bug, stayed home from work and had an entire day to lay around reading it, so it wasn't really a problem.
Cassie is returning home to her small hometown in Georgia after 15 years away, returning to a life she has left behind. A life where her younger sister went off and eloped with her first love, and where the small town hustle and bustle has everyone knowing your business. She is reluctant to go back, but her father has suffered a heart attack and is not expected to make it, his dying wish is to have both of his daughters at home with him. According to Cassie, the only thing waiting for her at Walton is her past. What she does not expect to find is a community, a family, a life that she never knew she was missing, and who welcome her home with open arms.
I absolutely fell in love with this book! The characters are beautiful and fun. I did feel like I was reading the book version of Sweet Home Alabama at first because of the 'big-time girl going back to small-town life' story line, but there is so much more to this story about love and life, and learning from your past mistakes, and moving forward from past hurts. The book had me laughing, and crying and wanting to grab my kids and keep them as close to me as possible.
I loved how Karen White was able to create a picture that I could visualize and made me want it for myself. I could just see the old houses, the porch swings, and hear old porch doors slamming against the frame. I wanted to run in a field and catch lightening bugs, and be wrapped up in this community, even with it's downfalls. There were a few times I was actually wishing I was listening to an audio book, just so I could hear Sam's southern accent, which I imagined to be super sexy when he wanted it to be, and ultra-hick when he wanted it to as well. I would have loved to have been able to hear some of Cassie and Sam's verbal battles.
Falling Home was one of those books I hated to put down. Fortunately [and unfortunately] I got a stomach bug, stayed home from work and had an entire day to lay around reading it, so it wasn't really a problem.
Cassie is returning home to her small hometown in Georgia after 15 years away, returning to a life she has left behind. A life where her younger sister went off and eloped with her first love, and where the small town hustle and bustle has everyone knowing your business. She is reluctant to go back, but her father has suffered a heart attack and is not expected to make it, his dying wish is to have both of his daughters at home with him. According to Cassie, the only thing waiting for her at Walton is her past. What she does not expect to find is a community, a family, a life that she never knew she was missing, and who welcome her home with open arms.
I absolutely fell in love with this book! The characters are beautiful and fun. I did feel like I was reading the book version of Sweet Home Alabama at first because of the 'big-time girl going back to small-town life' story line, but there is so much more to this story about love and life, and learning from your past mistakes, and moving forward from past hurts. The book had me laughing, and crying and wanting to grab my kids and keep them as close to me as possible.
I loved how Karen White was able to create a picture that I could visualize and made me want it for myself. I could just see the old houses, the porch swings, and hear old porch doors slamming against the frame. I wanted to run in a field and catch lightening bugs, and be wrapped up in this community, even with it's downfalls. There were a few times I was actually wishing I was listening to an audio book, just so I could hear Sam's southern accent, which I imagined to be super sexy when he wanted it to be, and ultra-hick when he wanted it to as well. I would have loved to have been able to hear some of Cassie and Sam's verbal battles.
January 4, 2012
"Falling Home" is second Karen White Novel i read and i loved it. It got hard for me to put the novel down. Cassie Madison had lived the past 15 years in Mannhatan, establishing new life and advertising with her fiancee, Andrew. Cassie hasn't spoken with her younger sister, Harriet since she ran off and married guy she loved, Joe. Till she gets a call from Harriet middle of the night informing that their father is dying. Forcing Casey to return to Walton, Georgia after years of absence. There she meets up with her childhood friend, Sam Parker who is nothing like he used to. Cassie Inherits the house which she hopes to sell soon, in hopes of returning back home to her fiancee. However, Sam and Harriet think that she should stay, that Walton is where she belongs.
Karen White did an amazing job. I loved the fact how she wrote the book in diffrent point of view. It didn't have a single moment where the book didn't capture my attention, the moment that i picked up the book, i didn't want to put it back down again. I fell in love with characters, especially Cassie, Sam & Harriet. The realthionship between Harriet & Cassie had so much tension in begnning, i could see that in begnning Cassie still haven't completly forgiven Harriet for taking the love of her life, away from her. As Novel progressed, especially when Harriet got sick, i saw the sisters getting closer and closer, especially when they started going through their father things.
I loved the realthionship between Sam & Cassie as well. I could tell that there was an attraction as well as tension between the two of them from very begnning. I was hoping that the two of them would get together, soon. I wasn't too fond of Andrew, i could tell that he wasn't the guy for her, from the moment he came to Georgia. All he seemed to care about was work, he didn't even try to comfort her after her father's death. Work seemed more important to him then Cassie, her hapiness.
This novel made me sad, it hit close to home. My grandma got diagnosed with breast cancer when i was 11 and died when i was 16. When Harriet died, it reminded me of my grandma and it made me cry, both for my grandma and because i loved Harriet. It was an emotional novel from begnning but there were also parts that made me smile. I recomend this novel to everyone. You won't be disspointed.
Karen White did an amazing job. I loved the fact how she wrote the book in diffrent point of view. It didn't have a single moment where the book didn't capture my attention, the moment that i picked up the book, i didn't want to put it back down again. I fell in love with characters, especially Cassie, Sam & Harriet. The realthionship between Harriet & Cassie had so much tension in begnning, i could see that in begnning Cassie still haven't completly forgiven Harriet for taking the love of her life, away from her. As Novel progressed, especially when Harriet got sick, i saw the sisters getting closer and closer, especially when they started going through their father things.
I loved the realthionship between Sam & Cassie as well. I could tell that there was an attraction as well as tension between the two of them from very begnning. I was hoping that the two of them would get together, soon. I wasn't too fond of Andrew, i could tell that he wasn't the guy for her, from the moment he came to Georgia. All he seemed to care about was work, he didn't even try to comfort her after her father's death. Work seemed more important to him then Cassie, her hapiness.
This novel made me sad, it hit close to home. My grandma got diagnosed with breast cancer when i was 11 and died when i was 16. When Harriet died, it reminded me of my grandma and it made me cry, both for my grandma and because i loved Harriet. It was an emotional novel from begnning but there were also parts that made me smile. I recomend this novel to everyone. You won't be disspointed.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 23, 2017
There are so many stories of girl leaves home to escape something then comes back due to some tragedy. Why do I keep reading them? Ms White's "Falling Home" is an excellent reason why. I was first intrigued when I read the author's notes that the edition I was reading was a release of a previous version that she updated. But the character development was so will done and the story line so intense that it held me hanging on every page. Cassie is a single career girl who left home when her sister eloped with her boyfriend (who wouldn't want to escape after that). She returned to Walton, GA when her father was seriously ill and died. To her surprise her father left her the family house; requiring her to stay longer. The male main character is Sam, the not-so-proper in high school guy who is now the handsome, level headed town doctor. The struggle with family, romance, and small town living makes this story well worth reading. I could go on and on about it, but give it a try for yourself.
June 10, 2012
Meh. Too predictable. Too hokey. Too "aren't all Southern towns quaint and aren't all Southerners the friendliest, down-home folks." And the love interest is a hot doctor? Come on. What I want to know, since I've been rating a lot of books lately with only two and three stars, is who are the editors??? What are they letting get published? What are their standards? I'd love to have an editors job. I'd love to read for a living but believe me, I'd be passing judgement and making recommendations for tighter story lines and I wouldn't assume that every female author has a female audience that wants to read Romance novels. Depth, I'm just looking for a little depth.
January 18, 2025
Cassie and Sam were a great couple. Sam is so patient and supportive. He's not at all the kind of Alpha-dog rake one would expect in this kind of novel. Not all of the humor about big-city Cassie having to relearn small-town ways really grabbed me, but the romance between the two of them was probably the best thing about the novel.
The sections about Madison and Harriet were also very powerful. The way families deal with illness and death is presented in a way that's tender and emotional but never just sentimental. I loved the way the story shifted over time from being a story about Cassie and Harriet dealing with jealousy and anger from the past to Cassie coming to terms with Harriet's illness to Cassie taking on a new role in the family after Harriet's decision to stop treatment and transition in peace. The way Cassie takes care of her nieces and nephews was really moving, especially when she's dealing with Maddie, the oldest, who has a very special bond with her aunt Cassie. Their scenes were always poignant and meaningful and kept the story on track.
Most romance novels have weak villains, but the villain in this novel really surprised me. Most of the time I felt he was behaving in a very stereotypical way, but towards the end there are some surprising twists and they reveal as much about the town of Walton as about the villain. It's truly refreshing to be able to say that the villain and the heroine are both portrayed as having similar flaws and having to learn similar lessons!
Now I've said all the positive things I can think of about this novel. But so much of it was unpleasant to read, because the author just doesn't know how to avoid eye-rolling cliches. Her humor is always either sickeningly sweet or disturbingly creepy. And she never once confronts any of the real history of Walton Georgia, or the South as a whole. It's okay, I suppose, to pretend that no Blacks live in Walton, and that slavery, Reconstruction, Jim Crow, and the Civil Rights movement never happened. But then, don't keep throwing the beloved Confederate monument in our faces. Don't keep telling us how great great great grandfather Madison was a great guy. Don't have Dr. Sam attacking the big-city developers by comparing them to General Sherman. When Sherman went marching through Georgia he had the full support of half the Georgia population. But I guess to Karen White those stories don't matter.
The whole premise of the book is that Cassie left the town of Walton in disgust many years ago. But Karen White is too timid and too dishonest to give Cassie anything real to rebel against. One thing that grated on my nerves was that both Cassie and her little niece Madison are supposed to be fearless and adorable because they pull "pranks" on people they don't like. Like stuffing a cockroach in another girl's lunchbox. Or hiding a vibrator in someone's backpack. But those kind of pranks don't really challenge anyone or reveal anything about the town itself. A real prank would be painting a swastika on the Confederate monument. Or knocking it down completely. But this isn't that kind of novel. And Karen White isn't that kind of writer.
The thing that makes this book so bizarre is that Karen White always manages to trash things she's trying to glorify. For example, there's a lot of talk about romance novels, and how the ladies of the town are not ashamed of reading them. But it's so bizarre, because the stereotypical image of the typical romance reader as a sex-starved little old lady from the Deep South is in itself reductive and patronizing. Not all romance readers are women. Or old women. Or from the Deep South. And the way that the books are described, nothing but Vikings and pirates abducting women for sex, really recycles all the worst anti-romance cliches. And all this is presented with a smirk, like "aren't these colorful characters adorable?" No, Karen, they're not. They're really not. Books like this don't do romance any favors. Or the South. Or General Sherman. In fact, I think I'll let Uncle Billy have the last word on this one.
"You people of the South don't know what you are doing. This country will be drenched in blood, and God only knows how it will end. It is all folly, madness, a crime against civilization. And for the record, stuffing a cockroach in somebody's lunch box is not cute."
The sections about Madison and Harriet were also very powerful. The way families deal with illness and death is presented in a way that's tender and emotional but never just sentimental. I loved the way the story shifted over time from being a story about Cassie and Harriet dealing with jealousy and anger from the past to Cassie coming to terms with Harriet's illness to Cassie taking on a new role in the family after Harriet's decision to stop treatment and transition in peace. The way Cassie takes care of her nieces and nephews was really moving, especially when she's dealing with Maddie, the oldest, who has a very special bond with her aunt Cassie. Their scenes were always poignant and meaningful and kept the story on track.
Most romance novels have weak villains, but the villain in this novel really surprised me. Most of the time I felt he was behaving in a very stereotypical way, but towards the end there are some surprising twists and they reveal as much about the town of Walton as about the villain. It's truly refreshing to be able to say that the villain and the heroine are both portrayed as having similar flaws and having to learn similar lessons!
Now I've said all the positive things I can think of about this novel. But so much of it was unpleasant to read, because the author just doesn't know how to avoid eye-rolling cliches. Her humor is always either sickeningly sweet or disturbingly creepy. And she never once confronts any of the real history of Walton Georgia, or the South as a whole. It's okay, I suppose, to pretend that no Blacks live in Walton, and that slavery, Reconstruction, Jim Crow, and the Civil Rights movement never happened. But then, don't keep throwing the beloved Confederate monument in our faces. Don't keep telling us how great great great grandfather Madison was a great guy. Don't have Dr. Sam attacking the big-city developers by comparing them to General Sherman. When Sherman went marching through Georgia he had the full support of half the Georgia population. But I guess to Karen White those stories don't matter.
The whole premise of the book is that Cassie left the town of Walton in disgust many years ago. But Karen White is too timid and too dishonest to give Cassie anything real to rebel against. One thing that grated on my nerves was that both Cassie and her little niece Madison are supposed to be fearless and adorable because they pull "pranks" on people they don't like. Like stuffing a cockroach in another girl's lunchbox. Or hiding a vibrator in someone's backpack. But those kind of pranks don't really challenge anyone or reveal anything about the town itself. A real prank would be painting a swastika on the Confederate monument. Or knocking it down completely. But this isn't that kind of novel. And Karen White isn't that kind of writer.
The thing that makes this book so bizarre is that Karen White always manages to trash things she's trying to glorify. For example, there's a lot of talk about romance novels, and how the ladies of the town are not ashamed of reading them. But it's so bizarre, because the stereotypical image of the typical romance reader as a sex-starved little old lady from the Deep South is in itself reductive and patronizing. Not all romance readers are women. Or old women. Or from the Deep South. And the way that the books are described, nothing but Vikings and pirates abducting women for sex, really recycles all the worst anti-romance cliches. And all this is presented with a smirk, like "aren't these colorful characters adorable?" No, Karen, they're not. They're really not. Books like this don't do romance any favors. Or the South. Or General Sherman. In fact, I think I'll let Uncle Billy have the last word on this one.
"You people of the South don't know what you are doing. This country will be drenched in blood, and God only knows how it will end. It is all folly, madness, a crime against civilization. And for the record, stuffing a cockroach in somebody's lunch box is not cute."
January 1, 2025
My last read of 2024, and it was just okay. A big tearjerking Romance that had almost exactly the same plot as Sweet Home Alabama, plus a real estate scam thrown in. If you've seen that movie, then you pretty much know what to expect from Falling Home.
March 24, 2022
Two DNFs in one day. Geez, this is not the kind of roll I want to be on.
In this case, this one is a rage-DNF. I just do not appreciate the way this book is written. The initial conflict of the book is that the main character, Cassie, left town 15 years ago after her best friend/sister, Harriet, ran off with her fiancé. This is a valid reason to cut ties to your sister, as far as I'm concerned, but the book is so busy treating Cassie like she just needs to move on because Harriet and Joe are still happy and in love, that it reads like it wasn't a big deal and she shouldn't have a right to have been betrayed by the two people in the world who meant the most to her. And the thing is, yes, it's crappy to cut ties with your sister over a guy, but what the sister did was a lot worse, and the book treats it like bygones should be bygones.
Look, Harriet and Joe were selfish and made a mistake in what they did to Cassie, but they clearly had honest reasons and weren't trying to play games. But the book has this attitude that Cassie's anger is completely unwarranted because she left her family and somehow that cancels everything out and gosh why can't she just forgive them! You screw up and you're sorry, that's valid. But that doesn't mean the person you wronged has to forgive you. That's what consequences are. And yeah, sometimes it is more than you deserve. For Harriet, getting her husband was clearly worth losing her sister, despite all the hand-wringing about how important Cassie was to her. That's valid. The book treats it like Cassie doesn't have the right to react accordingly, and that's the part I'm having problems with right now.
Cassie comes back to her hometown after 15 years because her father is dying and he wants her to move home and make up with her sister. And the book treats that like it's okay. She is 35 years old and her father's dying wishes somehow invalidate her entire adult life, including her fiancé, career, and home. Her father then puts her in this situation where she inherits his house after he dies in an attempt to force her to stay in town. She doesn't want it (I mean obviously she does because anyone who has ever read a book knows that she's going to stay in town at the end of the book). Cassie tries to give it to her father's sister who turns her down. Cassie tries to give it to her sister and husband, who by this time have five kids, but they turn her down. Cassie tries to sell the house and the town acts like they should have some say, but they aren't the ones who have to live her life.
I was trying to deal with all of that, but then this scene happens where Cassie is on the phone, trying to appease a Very Important Client from her life in New York. These rude-ass townsfolk just barge into her house, start speaking to her while she is on the phone, then one of them tries to grab the phone from her hand and when Cassie snaps at her, she is made out to be the bad guy. What is wrong with these people?
All that combined with the very obvious direction this story is going to go just made me not want to finish this. It's very obvious that Cassie is going to dump the big city work-always-think-about-work-and-nothing-other-than-work fiancé for the Harvard-educated country boy next door who has clearly been carrying a torch. It's very obvious what's about to happen to her house and she is going to stay in her small little town for the rest of her life because Small Town Family is More Important Than Big City Work is pretty much the ongoing theme here.
I generally like Karen White. I mean the Tradd Street books have problems and Melanie irritates me, and they all seem to go the same way (dear God, I didn't pick up the last book because, if I have to read about them cooperating with Marc Longo one more time...) but it's not this never-ending irritation. But this book, while it isn't hopeless, is just not where I want to spend my time today.
In this case, this one is a rage-DNF. I just do not appreciate the way this book is written. The initial conflict of the book is that the main character, Cassie, left town 15 years ago after her best friend/sister, Harriet, ran off with her fiancé. This is a valid reason to cut ties to your sister, as far as I'm concerned, but the book is so busy treating Cassie like she just needs to move on because Harriet and Joe are still happy and in love, that it reads like it wasn't a big deal and she shouldn't have a right to have been betrayed by the two people in the world who meant the most to her. And the thing is, yes, it's crappy to cut ties with your sister over a guy, but what the sister did was a lot worse, and the book treats it like bygones should be bygones.
Look, Harriet and Joe were selfish and made a mistake in what they did to Cassie, but they clearly had honest reasons and weren't trying to play games. But the book has this attitude that Cassie's anger is completely unwarranted because she left her family and somehow that cancels everything out and gosh why can't she just forgive them! You screw up and you're sorry, that's valid. But that doesn't mean the person you wronged has to forgive you. That's what consequences are. And yeah, sometimes it is more than you deserve. For Harriet, getting her husband was clearly worth losing her sister, despite all the hand-wringing about how important Cassie was to her. That's valid. The book treats it like Cassie doesn't have the right to react accordingly, and that's the part I'm having problems with right now.
Cassie comes back to her hometown after 15 years because her father is dying and he wants her to move home and make up with her sister. And the book treats that like it's okay. She is 35 years old and her father's dying wishes somehow invalidate her entire adult life, including her fiancé, career, and home. Her father then puts her in this situation where she inherits his house after he dies in an attempt to force her to stay in town. She doesn't want it (I mean obviously she does because anyone who has ever read a book knows that she's going to stay in town at the end of the book). Cassie tries to give it to her father's sister who turns her down. Cassie tries to give it to her sister and husband, who by this time have five kids, but they turn her down. Cassie tries to sell the house and the town acts like they should have some say, but they aren't the ones who have to live her life.
I was trying to deal with all of that, but then this scene happens where Cassie is on the phone, trying to appease a Very Important Client from her life in New York. These rude-ass townsfolk just barge into her house, start speaking to her while she is on the phone, then one of them tries to grab the phone from her hand and when Cassie snaps at her, she is made out to be the bad guy. What is wrong with these people?
All that combined with the very obvious direction this story is going to go just made me not want to finish this. It's very obvious that Cassie is going to dump the big city work-always-think-about-work-and-nothing-other-than-work fiancé for the Harvard-educated country boy next door who has clearly been carrying a torch. It's very obvious what's about to happen to her house and she is going to stay in her small little town for the rest of her life because Small Town Family is More Important Than Big City Work is pretty much the ongoing theme here.
I generally like Karen White. I mean the Tradd Street books have problems and Melanie irritates me, and they all seem to go the same way (dear God, I didn't pick up the last book because, if I have to read about them cooperating with Marc Longo one more time...) but it's not this never-ending irritation. But this book, while it isn't hopeless, is just not where I want to spend my time today.
January 30, 2019
This might be my favorite Karen White book to date. It closely parallels the movie, Sweet Home Alabama, which I'm a complete sucker for. I especially enjoyed the familial aspect and the small town atmosphere.
August 8, 2016
I thoroughly enjoy Karen White's writing and Falling Home is just another book by her that I really liked. I love the way she writes of problems that we all encounter in everyday life and how many, but not all of these problems can be overcome.
Falling Home is the story of two sisters: Cassie Madison who returns to her small home town of Walton, GA after being in NYC for 15 years and the other sister Harriet who stayed and married and was raising six children. The story incorporates the good with the bad of living in a small town, and the reader is taken on a journey of forgiveness, redemption, love, and carrying on in life.
It took me a while to really feel incorporated into the story, but once I did, I couldn't put it down. It is somewhat of a heart breaker, but well worth the time and emotions that it will bring out to the reader.
Go Cards! L1C4!!
Falling Home is the story of two sisters: Cassie Madison who returns to her small home town of Walton, GA after being in NYC for 15 years and the other sister Harriet who stayed and married and was raising six children. The story incorporates the good with the bad of living in a small town, and the reader is taken on a journey of forgiveness, redemption, love, and carrying on in life.
It took me a while to really feel incorporated into the story, but once I did, I couldn't put it down. It is somewhat of a heart breaker, but well worth the time and emotions that it will bring out to the reader.
Go Cards! L1C4!!
July 16, 2016
I really enjoyed this book up until the point that a main character got cancer and then I felt miserable about the whole thing and very annoyed. It reminded me of Fault in Our Stars by John Green. At least in his book the plot was NOT predictable for me. In this book I could easily see what going to happen chapters ahead. (this is what happens when you read too much) There are many small things that I enjoyed like all the old Southern sayings. I loved those.
April 7, 2024
My first experience w Karen White, & I loved every page. I laughed, I cried, I smiled warmly. What a great read!
July 20, 2019
Cassie is a 35 year old woman who left her home in a small town in Georgia after her little sister married her true love, breaking her heart. She apparently holds a grudge! She moved to New York and became a big time ad agency professional, but returns home when her dad is dying. Cassie slowly realizes what she left behind, and finds out her dad had a secret. Even though I very rarely leave the Midwest, for some reason I'm drawn to Southern fiction, and this was a good example. Interesting characters and very well written..even though the story moves slowly at times, the writing was so good I stuck with it.
February 16, 2022
Audible
January 29, 2020
I am loving the Southernisms! My two favorites are "Well, butter my butt and call me a biscuit" and "Man. It's hotter`n a goat's butt in a pepper patch" 😆
If you enjoy romantic comedies you will love this book. The family dynamics are hilarious and I really appreciated the chemistry between Cassie Madison and Sam Parker. I will admit the ending and the family mystery were pretty predictable but overall an entertaining story. 😊
If you enjoy romantic comedies you will love this book. The family dynamics are hilarious and I really appreciated the chemistry between Cassie Madison and Sam Parker. I will admit the ending and the family mystery were pretty predictable but overall an entertaining story. 😊
June 21, 2014
Really enjoyed this book. Great chick lit.
Quotes:
Only bad news came at three in the morning. Births and engagements were always announced in the bright light of day. But bad news came at night, as if the sun were already in mourning.
He said that Georgia dirt would always stick to the soles of my shoes, regardless of how many elocution lessons I took.
She studied the endless asphalt stretched out in front of her, the dotted line like a yellow brick road to follow home.
He said it was okay to be chasing the rainbow's end, as long as I always remembered where the rainbow started.
And when you're finished burning all your bridges, we'll still be here, waiting to help you back across.
There's lots of ways to die that don't involve physical death.
Sometimes she thought Cassie had been born with all that hurt buried deep inside her.
Small hurts that are allowed to fester sometimes seem to grow out of all proportion.
Her pale fingers opened wide as if to capture some of the milky night air and some of the wistfulness that seemed to stir up from the dark road and push at her temples.
Damn, he was good-looking--better-looking than such an annoying man had any right to be.
Love is all about sacrifices--big and small ones. It's only when you know how much you could give up for somebody that you know what true love really is.
Falling into his arms was like falling home, a return to a place held precious and dear.
Life's full of decisions like that, and there's no book of rules that tells you how to play. You make the best decision you can at the time, and deal with the rest.
The woman had unseen radar that could detect a broken heart or hurt feelings from over a mile away.
Well, you get out of bed, you eat your grits, say hey to your neighbors, you give extra love to her children, and you live your life. The sun is a pretty stubborn guy, and he'll rise each day just to spite you. But life does go on.
Sometimes you have to reach deep down in your heart and decide what road you're going to take. And all choices involve some sort of sacrifice. But in the end, you know whether or not you made the right decision.
Home no longer seemed like a place where one was born, and then outgrew, along with skinned knees and childhood dreams. Instead, it seemed to her, it was a place that lived in one's heart, waiting with open arms to be rediscovered.
Quotes:
Only bad news came at three in the morning. Births and engagements were always announced in the bright light of day. But bad news came at night, as if the sun were already in mourning.
He said that Georgia dirt would always stick to the soles of my shoes, regardless of how many elocution lessons I took.
She studied the endless asphalt stretched out in front of her, the dotted line like a yellow brick road to follow home.
He said it was okay to be chasing the rainbow's end, as long as I always remembered where the rainbow started.
And when you're finished burning all your bridges, we'll still be here, waiting to help you back across.
There's lots of ways to die that don't involve physical death.
Sometimes she thought Cassie had been born with all that hurt buried deep inside her.
Small hurts that are allowed to fester sometimes seem to grow out of all proportion.
Her pale fingers opened wide as if to capture some of the milky night air and some of the wistfulness that seemed to stir up from the dark road and push at her temples.
Damn, he was good-looking--better-looking than such an annoying man had any right to be.
Love is all about sacrifices--big and small ones. It's only when you know how much you could give up for somebody that you know what true love really is.
Falling into his arms was like falling home, a return to a place held precious and dear.
Life's full of decisions like that, and there's no book of rules that tells you how to play. You make the best decision you can at the time, and deal with the rest.
The woman had unseen radar that could detect a broken heart or hurt feelings from over a mile away.
Well, you get out of bed, you eat your grits, say hey to your neighbors, you give extra love to her children, and you live your life. The sun is a pretty stubborn guy, and he'll rise each day just to spite you. But life does go on.
Sometimes you have to reach deep down in your heart and decide what road you're going to take. And all choices involve some sort of sacrifice. But in the end, you know whether or not you made the right decision.
Home no longer seemed like a place where one was born, and then outgrew, along with skinned knees and childhood dreams. Instead, it seemed to her, it was a place that lived in one's heart, waiting with open arms to be rediscovered.
August 23, 2017
There were some nice elements to this book. I enjoy books about people returning to their small hometowns, and I generally like White's writing.
This time, however, I found myself rolling my eyes quite a bit, especially over the relationship between Cassie and San. Sam is an overbearing douche canoe who forces her to say "y'all, fried chicken, and sweet tea" before he will sleep with her, like she's some kind of southern sex robot.
I didn't like the shifting perspectives within the same chapter. Sometimes you'd get Harriett, Cassie, and Maddie all within a few pages.
I also wasn't a fan of the way Harriett got cancer while pregnant and died. Not because it was poorly done, but because my best friend died nearly the exact same way a year ago, and it hit a little too close to home. This had no bearing on my rating, though, as that wouldn't really be fair.
Overall, it's not a bad read. It just wasn't one of my favorites by this author.
This time, however, I found myself rolling my eyes quite a bit, especially over the relationship between Cassie and San. Sam is an overbearing douche canoe who forces her to say "y'all, fried chicken, and sweet tea" before he will sleep with her, like she's some kind of southern sex robot.
I didn't like the shifting perspectives within the same chapter. Sometimes you'd get Harriett, Cassie, and Maddie all within a few pages.
I also wasn't a fan of the way Harriett got cancer while pregnant and died. Not because it was poorly done, but because my best friend died nearly the exact same way a year ago, and it hit a little too close to home. This had no bearing on my rating, though, as that wouldn't really be fair.
Overall, it's not a bad read. It just wasn't one of my favorites by this author.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 27, 2011
What did I think ? I think this was a 2-3 borderline. Had I read this first, I never would have read "On Folly Beach" which was a favorite 2011 of mine.
Ms. White says that this is a rewritten version of this earlier published book of hers. That does not speak well of the first !
It is, basically, the story of the on again, off again romance between Cassie and Sam, the reunion of Cassie w/her sister,and small-town life with all it's charm and frustrations. There is death. There is teen-aged angst. There is a cowboy and his dog. There is the evil big-city boyfriend as well as the evil small town bad guy. All these told with such lines as : "Thanks Cassie. You're a peach !"
Not a peach of a book, though !
Ms. White says that this is a rewritten version of this earlier published book of hers. That does not speak well of the first !
It is, basically, the story of the on again, off again romance between Cassie and Sam, the reunion of Cassie w/her sister,and small-town life with all it's charm and frustrations. There is death. There is teen-aged angst. There is a cowboy and his dog. There is the evil big-city boyfriend as well as the evil small town bad guy. All these told with such lines as : "Thanks Cassie. You're a peach !"
Not a peach of a book, though !
November 1, 2023
☆☆☆☆☆
Ši autorė man buvo bibliotekos atradimas, nes nuo pirmos knygos užkabino, ši jau antroji ir žinau, kad sekančio apsilankymo metu, bibliotekoje ieškosiu ir kitų autorės knygų. Knyga "Sugrįžimas namo" pradžioje atrodė eilinė istorija, sergantis tėtis, iš mažo miestelio pabėgusi į didmiestį mergina, nelaiminga meilė ir t.t. Bet istorija pakrypo taip, kad neįmanoma buvo padėti knygos į šoną, ašaros riedėjo skruostu, ir tai dar viena knyga tinkanti iššūkiui #skaitauirverkiurudeni. Gal kad paliečia jautrias stygas, mūsų baimes, priverčia pagalvoti, ką pasirinkčiau aš pati, o jei aplinkoje taip nutiktų... tada ir suima grauduliukas, kuris knygą ne tik romantizuoja, bet ir priverčia išgyventi visus jausmus kartu su veikėjais.
Ši autorė man buvo bibliotekos atradimas, nes nuo pirmos knygos užkabino, ši jau antroji ir žinau, kad sekančio apsilankymo metu, bibliotekoje ieškosiu ir kitų autorės knygų. Knyga "Sugrįžimas namo" pradžioje atrodė eilinė istorija, sergantis tėtis, iš mažo miestelio pabėgusi į didmiestį mergina, nelaiminga meilė ir t.t. Bet istorija pakrypo taip, kad neįmanoma buvo padėti knygos į šoną, ašaros riedėjo skruostu, ir tai dar viena knyga tinkanti iššūkiui #skaitauirverkiurudeni. Gal kad paliečia jautrias stygas, mūsų baimes, priverčia pagalvoti, ką pasirinkčiau aš pati, o jei aplinkoje taip nutiktų... tada ir suima grauduliukas, kuris knygą ne tik romantizuoja, bet ir priverčia išgyventi visus jausmus kartu su veikėjais.
November 24, 2024
Beware, once you pick this book up, you will not want to put it down! The story of young love, heartbreak, betrayal of a sister and the "love of her life", redemption, a father's deep love, unrequited love of the town doctor-Sam Parker, the bustling life of an ad woman, Cassie, trying to forget the hurts of her sisters betrayal, as she runs from her picture perfect upbringing in small town, Walton, Georgia and hides in Manhattan with her boss turned fiancé at a ad agency.
Then, 15 years later she gets the dreaded call-come home. Daddy is dying.
Then, 15 years later she gets the dreaded call-come home. Daddy is dying.
June 1, 2016
Cassie is the main heroine and she is flawed, spoiled and repugnant; however, the reader will learn to look past these flaws in character and become attached to her anyway. I look forward to reading the second book in this series.
July 7, 2017
Man I thought this was gonna be so cheesy but it turned out so sweet. I love family oriented stories and this had just a beautiful ending. :)
Displaying 1 - 30 of 831 reviews