Helpful Score: 8
Sarah Addison Allen writes magic: her stories are full of strong Southern women, sweetness and secrets. In The Peach Keeper: A Novel, she once again weaves a wonderful tale of two Southern women, distant in the present but bound together by the past and a powerful secret. Paxton Osgood has spent her life being the girl and then the woman that everyone seemed to expect her to be. Willa Jackson is just the opposite. She defied convention and her grandmother's attempt at a strict upbringing, only to 'lock down' that wild child to become a responsible adult. Neither woman is truly happy, each wanting some part of who the other is, not realizing that what marks them as different, really makes them so much the same.
Paxton is in charge of the restoration of the Blue Ridge Madam, a spectacular home formerly owned by Willa's ancestors, but lost during the financial crisis of the Depression. During the landscaping, a skeleton is dug up from beneath the lone peach tree. The skeleton brings to light secrets from the past, secrets of a Magic Man who held the town captive under his spell. Secrets belonging to Willa's grandmother Georgie and Paxton's grandmother Adele. The secret brings the younger women together, in an attempt to protect the older ones. Their unlikely alliance leads each woman to discover something special and magical about herself, love and the power of friendship.
I am a huge admirer of Sarah Addison Allen's work. The Peach Keeper: A Novel tells a wonderful story of love, loss and regrets. It reminds us that we all need to be who we are, not who we think we should be and that we all need to open some space up in our lives for something good to come in.
Paxton is in charge of the restoration of the Blue Ridge Madam, a spectacular home formerly owned by Willa's ancestors, but lost during the financial crisis of the Depression. During the landscaping, a skeleton is dug up from beneath the lone peach tree. The skeleton brings to light secrets from the past, secrets of a Magic Man who held the town captive under his spell. Secrets belonging to Willa's grandmother Georgie and Paxton's grandmother Adele. The secret brings the younger women together, in an attempt to protect the older ones. Their unlikely alliance leads each woman to discover something special and magical about herself, love and the power of friendship.
I am a huge admirer of Sarah Addison Allen's work. The Peach Keeper: A Novel tells a wonderful story of love, loss and regrets. It reminds us that we all need to be who we are, not who we think we should be and that we all need to open some space up in our lives for something good to come in.
Helpful Score: 8
This book was amazing. Once you pick it up its hard to put down, the book is about true friendship, and what you will do and go through to keep it. It's a touching story. I recommend it to any one who has let life pull them away from the true friendships in their life.
Helpful Score: 5
There aren't many things in life that can matter more than friendship. It will stand the test of time, old age and silly little arguments, no matter what.
Sarah Addison Allen has once again brought a startlingly sad and sweet tale that combines people, love, and relationships with just a hint of magic that borders on the realm of coincidence. The Peach Keeper is a surprise, bursting with richness set in a curiously eclectic Southern town in North Carolina called Walls of Water that boasts tourist traffic for its famous waterfalls, along with the mystical morning fog that tends to slightly disorient visitors. The famous fog from Walls of Water is also sold in jars. Tourists love that.
Willa runs an outdoor store in her regimented, even boring, life. After all, Friday night happens to be vacuuming night. Quite a difference from her years in high school many moons ago as the known prankster. And Paxton, a high society princess has much more heart underneath all of the precision and planning she so religiously undertakes in every aspect of her life. Working on bringing back the dilapidated manor that once roared with life seventy five years ago so that she can hold a gala, she is consumed with order and makes lists as a hobby. In order to clear out the weeds and to allow for the landscaping to begin, an aging tree out front is removed, which unearths a most unique discovery that brings the past into the present, and ties Willa and Paxton together into an unexpected friendship.
There's no other way to say it except that Sarah Addison Allen has never let me down. She's my comfort read, the type of author who paints a magical world somehow stuck in the midst of reality. I am drawn to her work because it completely removes me from the day-to-day stresses and makes me think for just one blissful moment that perhaps there really is just a little bit of magic still left in the world. I was hooked on when I first read Garden Spells. Then The Sugar Queen, and now, The Peach Keeper. Color me giddy with glee when I realized that there is apparently a book that came out after The Sugar Queen that I didn't know about and I can pick up!
Her mixture of magical realism, friendships, and food, leap out of the pages with its lyrical dance of description so effectively, I can feel each moment, sense the oddness in the scene with what could very well be just coincidence, and taste the sugary sweetness of the food that is fleetingly described.
This is yet another remarkable story from Sarah Addison Allen of friendships, love, and a reminder to never let a chance of true happiness ever slip you by. And as I mentioned the other day, Sarah Addison Allen is the "sucks-you-in-and-keeps-you-reading-until-your-vision-blurs" type of storyteller. I eagerly await anything she writes. Absolutely anything.
Go. Get. This. Book. Now.
If you enjoyed Liz Michalski's Evenfall and of course, Alice Hoffman, then you should pick up The Peach Keeper right away. Oh, and The Monsters of Templeton by Lauren Groff, too. All equally magical, heartwarming, and delectable.
Sarah Addison Allen has once again brought a startlingly sad and sweet tale that combines people, love, and relationships with just a hint of magic that borders on the realm of coincidence. The Peach Keeper is a surprise, bursting with richness set in a curiously eclectic Southern town in North Carolina called Walls of Water that boasts tourist traffic for its famous waterfalls, along with the mystical morning fog that tends to slightly disorient visitors. The famous fog from Walls of Water is also sold in jars. Tourists love that.
Willa runs an outdoor store in her regimented, even boring, life. After all, Friday night happens to be vacuuming night. Quite a difference from her years in high school many moons ago as the known prankster. And Paxton, a high society princess has much more heart underneath all of the precision and planning she so religiously undertakes in every aspect of her life. Working on bringing back the dilapidated manor that once roared with life seventy five years ago so that she can hold a gala, she is consumed with order and makes lists as a hobby. In order to clear out the weeds and to allow for the landscaping to begin, an aging tree out front is removed, which unearths a most unique discovery that brings the past into the present, and ties Willa and Paxton together into an unexpected friendship.
There's no other way to say it except that Sarah Addison Allen has never let me down. She's my comfort read, the type of author who paints a magical world somehow stuck in the midst of reality. I am drawn to her work because it completely removes me from the day-to-day stresses and makes me think for just one blissful moment that perhaps there really is just a little bit of magic still left in the world. I was hooked on when I first read Garden Spells. Then The Sugar Queen, and now, The Peach Keeper. Color me giddy with glee when I realized that there is apparently a book that came out after The Sugar Queen that I didn't know about and I can pick up!
Her mixture of magical realism, friendships, and food, leap out of the pages with its lyrical dance of description so effectively, I can feel each moment, sense the oddness in the scene with what could very well be just coincidence, and taste the sugary sweetness of the food that is fleetingly described.
This is yet another remarkable story from Sarah Addison Allen of friendships, love, and a reminder to never let a chance of true happiness ever slip you by. And as I mentioned the other day, Sarah Addison Allen is the "sucks-you-in-and-keeps-you-reading-until-your-vision-blurs" type of storyteller. I eagerly await anything she writes. Absolutely anything.
Go. Get. This. Book. Now.
If you enjoyed Liz Michalski's Evenfall and of course, Alice Hoffman, then you should pick up The Peach Keeper right away. Oh, and The Monsters of Templeton by Lauren Groff, too. All equally magical, heartwarming, and delectable.
Helpful Score: 3
This was one of the best books I have read in awhile. Not only does she dig deep into the roots of what true friendship means, but she also intertwines two romances simultaneously that leaves you wondering which story you liked more. You will love to see each character grow throughout, and it leaves you with a smile when you are finished.
Helpful Score: 2
I know there are hundreds of readers waiting to dive into this novel. Be patient, don't bite your nails, i went out and bought it & found it not worth it. I loved The Sugar Queen and Garden Spells, but The Peach Keeper did not really make me feel good, i could not connect with anyone in the story and if i had to lay the book down, i had to force myself to pick it up again to finish. I would of stopped reading half way through but i kept thinking that there just has to be more or something i missed. It is a " flat sweet" story about friendship, love, and murder with nothing really exciting happening. Even the murder was "oooh hum". My curisoity was never peaked and i felt pretty disappointed after i spent all that time and then it was just over and i couldn't wait to start something else, i know this author can do better. I hope others find a totally different experience with this novel.
Helpful Score: 2
This is one of those predictable feel-good books that are nice to read occasionally. The story is about four people, all complex recognizable characters that could be in our own lives. Paxton is a wealthy young woman who tries to be perfect. In her mind she never succeeds but to others she is just that - always dressed perfectly with not a hair out of place. Wilma is a single young woman whose grandfather built a mansion for his bride. Known as The Joker in high school, she has become a shop owner in her hometown leading a quiet life. (Her family had lost their fortune when the lumber industry collapsed.) Colin, Paxton's twin, returns to help Paxton restore the mansion and falls in love with Wilma. Paxton and Sebastion are friends. What happens when a skeleton is found on the grounds by the mansion leads all of them to investigate the past. What happened and why? This is a pleasant quick read for a relaxing afternoon.
Helpful Score: 1
The relationships between the characters of this story really made this book worth reading. The small town setting reminded me of one of my favorite vacation destinations, Eureka Springs, AR. Because of this, I fell in love with the setting right off the bat.
Helpful Score: 1
I picked this book up because I saw a review in some women's magazine and thought it sounded quirky and interesting. Honestly, it's girly, chick-lit drivel, but I couldn't put it down. By the middle of the book, I knew how the book was going to end (except for the background "mystery" -- that wasn't as predictable), but it was still a fun little tear-jerker of a read. I wouldn't want to make a steady diet of this genre, but I plan to read Garden Spells, since I already received a copy through PBS.
Short romance, with good characters that don't fall into the usual molds.
I enjoy Allen's magical touch to realistic southern locations and warm loveable personalities all her novels bring to life. Her stories are my favorites to read between heavy serious reads. All that said this book so far was my least favorite. It lacked something I can't quite put my finger on. I'm still a big fan of Allen and will continue to read whatever she puts down on paper.
Allen is good at telling a modern-day magical tale and although I enjoyed this quick, easy read, I think I enjoyed her earlier works like "Garden Spells" better.
I read THE PEACH KEEPER on recommendation from some of my online book buddies, but I can't say I felt its charm.
The story read a lot like a 1990's Harlequin, with two couples pussy-footing around each other for most of the 270 pages. So if you're into Harlequin romance novels, you'll probably like this.
It had a dash of mystery and a forced "magical" thread that seemed thrown in for good measure.
THE PEACH KEEPER was a dud for me. I stopped reading books like this when I was about 18.
The story read a lot like a 1990's Harlequin, with two couples pussy-footing around each other for most of the 270 pages. So if you're into Harlequin romance novels, you'll probably like this.
It had a dash of mystery and a forced "magical" thread that seemed thrown in for good measure.
THE PEACH KEEPER was a dud for me. I stopped reading books like this when I was about 18.
Sarah Addison Allen is my absolute favorite author, so I was excited to read The Peach Keeper. While I didn't enjoy it as much as her other books, I did find myself staying up late at night to finish it. It seems to be lacking some of the "magic" that Allen's other books have, but I do love that a character from Garden Spells made an appearance in this book. Overall, if you've enjoyed other books by this author then I think this one is worth reading.
It isn't Sarah Addison Allen's best book but I still enjoyed it quite a bit. Even though it didn't dazzle me like her others, I found the characters very compelling. I love the theme of friendships and acceptance in this book. There isn't as much magic but I don't think it deters from the story. It was a very fast read.
If you have never read her, she reminds me a lot of Joanne Harris.
If you have never read her, she reminds me a lot of Joanne Harris.
Loved this book.
The Peach Keeper is a fun, easy read. Everyone old enough to know that their family history is loaded with intrigue and long-kept secrets will enjoy the unwinding of this family's.
Plus a little romance for the ladies.
Plus a little romance for the ladies.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book! A good story with endearing characters. Humor, wisdom, history, family, friendships, a little magic and a bit of spooky superstition. Very nicely done!
This is the 2nd S A Allen Book I've read. Like The Girl Who Chased the Moon, it was an easy and enjoyable read.
The story takes place in South Carolina and centers on the restoration of a local inn, Blue Bridge Madam, to its former glory. The focus of the story is 4 millennials who were high school acquaintances and how their relationship to each other grows.
For the most part I enjoyed the story.... though I was bothered by the "mystery" of Sebastian, as I felt it was obvious.
The story takes place in South Carolina and centers on the restoration of a local inn, Blue Bridge Madam, to its former glory. The focus of the story is 4 millennials who were high school acquaintances and how their relationship to each other grows.
For the most part I enjoyed the story.... though I was bothered by the "mystery" of Sebastian, as I felt it was obvious.
I've read all of Sarah Addison Allen books. They are all great. I liked this especially, although, not the best, because of her writing style. She can easily flow and change her POV without causing confusion. It amazes me to study her style. This was a well thoughtout story with old secrets and new friendships because of it. And, of course, just a little magic.
This book has a wonderful story, inviting characters, and like Sarah Addison Allen's previous books, a little bit of magic. The South must be full of magical people, food, places and things. Walls of Water North Carolina is without a doubt full of all of them. A small town, full of history and mystery. You will find that this is a quick read, and you will finish it longing for more. Pasts come to meet the present, Grandmothers and granddaughters, old high school friends, and enemies, all join together to give you a glimpse of magic and mystery.
I enjoyed reading this book, it is a whimsical light summer read.
Pretty disappointed in this book. Seemed like it was written for a young audience with too stereotypical characters and denouement
I found this book boring and very predictable. I kept reading to see if would get any better and it didn't. It ended happily ever after just like I thought it would.
I've always enjoyed Sarah Addison Allen's books - light women's fiction with just a "touch" of magical realism. This book was a light fun read. Predictable at times, but that was OK. I actually wished there had been a few more magical touches.
Her books are simply lovely. ?
