Helpful Score: 4
This book sucked me right in! I had my doubts at first because I am NOT a romance novel reader. However, it captured my attention and I found it very interesting. I am a grief therapist and I found that this was an excellent book about recovering from loss, years later. Also, I am a quilter, and there is a LOT of quilting in this. What fun!
Helpful Score: 2
This is the second book by Emilie Richards I've read and I really enjoy the depth of her characters. The interactions are so real and human and touching. I guess Im at the age where a story about interactions between three generations of women in a family has me thinking about those relationships in my life. I like the fact that the characters are not prefect and they dont fit into a set formula. They are flawed and honest and I enjoyed the journey.
Helpful Score: 1
Story of generational relationships between grandmother, mother and daughter. They discover the healing gift of family, momories and love. There are life struggles that are figured out.
Helpful Score: 1
Very nice story about family and how a mother, daughter and grandmother learn things about each other that they never knew before.
Helpful Score: 1
This was a hearwarming tale of two generations of women coming to terms with their past and present, and making choices to improve their future. A good book about personal struggle and finding yourself amidst the pressures of society and life.
Helpful Score: 1
Story about three women related by birth that have never been close and how they get through the summer and begin to see each other for the flawed and courageous women they actually are.
Helpful Score: 1
The first one in a series. Endless Chain and Lovers Knot are the others in the series. Good Reading
Helpful Score: 1
The story of four women's life's. As a quilter it warmed my
heart.
heart.
Helpful Score: 1
I almost hate to say this, but I enjoyed this book even more than the Elm Creek Quilt series. I loved how the quilts were worked in and boy do I wish I could have seen pictures of them! The story held my attention all the way to the end, and I had a very hard time putting it down. Needless to say, I went to bed WAY too late last night! LOL It was a terrific and heart warming story.
Helpful Score: 1
Fantastic book about three generations of women in a family ~ makes you think and appreciate!!!
Helpful Score: 1
What a wonderful story. Not only does the author catch the details of the era in which the action is set, but she also is honest in the emotions of her characters. Three generations of women in a family that reflects the trials and tribulations of our country over the last 80 years. And for anyone interested in quilting the subplot offers a wonderful appreciation for that time honored art.
Helpful Score: 1
I usually don't like books like this, but once I got into this story and learned more about the strength of Helen an expert quilt and family matriarch; Helen's daughter Nancy, who has had quite the uphill battle to overcome her simple country roots; and Tessa, Nancy's daughter who has lost a daughter and is determined to keep the drunk driver behind bars. the more of this book I read, the more I adored the women that I have met and the message that they tell.
Helen is now getting to the age where it's harder for her to take care of her home and her farm and when Nancy and Tessa go out for a visit they are shocked at what has become of Helen. Indomitable Helen just isn't able to do it all anymore, and when they arrive to discuss leaving her mountain home they are shocked at the mess the place is in. Helen has turned into a hoarder. Remember, she came from a time when you didn't throw anything away, you never know when you might need it again. Now there are just so many piles and such clutter that the home isn't safe anymore. While gathering up and throwing away Tessa finds the old quilts that her grandmother has made and with each quilt a little bit more of her grandmothers and in turn her mothers stories come out.
These three women deeply love each other, but with any family ties there are moments that you could just as easily walk away. But walking away isn't what these women are about and when they are face to face with that truth, you see them fight amongst themselves and those that love them to, come out better strong women in the end.
Family isn't easy but when you combine it was aging, failing marriages and the loss of a child what doesn't tear you apart will in time make stronger bonds that are what help woman who love each other accomplish anything.
First book in the Shenandoah Valley Series
Helen is now getting to the age where it's harder for her to take care of her home and her farm and when Nancy and Tessa go out for a visit they are shocked at what has become of Helen. Indomitable Helen just isn't able to do it all anymore, and when they arrive to discuss leaving her mountain home they are shocked at the mess the place is in. Helen has turned into a hoarder. Remember, she came from a time when you didn't throw anything away, you never know when you might need it again. Now there are just so many piles and such clutter that the home isn't safe anymore. While gathering up and throwing away Tessa finds the old quilts that her grandmother has made and with each quilt a little bit more of her grandmothers and in turn her mothers stories come out.
These three women deeply love each other, but with any family ties there are moments that you could just as easily walk away. But walking away isn't what these women are about and when they are face to face with that truth, you see them fight amongst themselves and those that love them to, come out better strong women in the end.
Family isn't easy but when you combine it was aging, failing marriages and the loss of a child what doesn't tear you apart will in time make stronger bonds that are what help woman who love each other accomplish anything.
First book in the Shenandoah Valley Series
Helpful Score: 1
For Helen, Nancy, and Tessa, three generations of Henry women, quilts truly represent the fabric of their lives. Using scraps of feed sacks, wedding gowns, and baby clothes, matriarch Helen has chronicled her family in the hundreds of quilts she's made. Helen is now a recluse beset by an irrational paranoia that induces her to hoard everything she can, and her bizarre behavior motivates her daughter, Nancy, and granddaughter, Tessa, to spend their summer cleaning out their Shenandoah Valley homestead. For Tessa, the project is a way to avoid facing the tragedy of her young daughter's death, and the toll it is exacting on her marriage. For Nancy, returning to the house where she grew up forces her to confront the questionable circumstances of her own marriage and motherhood. Recalling her work as a volunteer in the Ozark Mountains, and acknowledging her roots in Virginia's pastoral Shenandoah Valley
Loved this book (as well as others in Shenandoah Album series)
I do not consider myself a "reader". My mother and sister read more books than I can count but I never found as much joy in books as they did. Until I found PaperBackSwap! This was the first book from PBS that I read and I have always wanted to really learn to sew but this book gave me an intense desire to learn how to quilt!!
The characters were so well developed that by the end you felt like there were dear friends.
There was one main issue regarding Tessa and Mack that I thought was unresolved by the end of the book, but I am hoping to find it mentioned in Endless Chain- which I started the second I read the last page of Wedding Ring. =)
Also, I found this author while doing an online search for Christian Romance novels, and for having been reviewed as "Christian" I was surprised to find as much reference to sex/sex scenes (although minimal compared to secular romance novels)as I did. I was saddened that the word "erection" found a place in this book more than once.
Overall though, I loved the book and can't wait to see how the legacy lives on in the next books.
The characters were so well developed that by the end you felt like there were dear friends.
There was one main issue regarding Tessa and Mack that I thought was unresolved by the end of the book, but I am hoping to find it mentioned in Endless Chain- which I started the second I read the last page of Wedding Ring. =)
Also, I found this author while doing an online search for Christian Romance novels, and for having been reviewed as "Christian" I was surprised to find as much reference to sex/sex scenes (although minimal compared to secular romance novels)as I did. I was saddened that the word "erection" found a place in this book more than once.
Overall though, I loved the book and can't wait to see how the legacy lives on in the next books.
This book is about 3 generations of woman needing to discover the healing gift of family, memories, and love. Tessa MacRae needs time to think about her troubled marriage, agrees to spend the summer with her mother and grandmother cleaning out the family home in Virginia's Shenandoah Valley. The 3 women have never been close. Helen, the family matriarch, is domineering and sharp-tongued. Nancy Tessa's mom appears to care more about social climbing, and Tessa is in turmoil following a family tragedy that has affected them all.
With the gift of time, Tessa's eyes are opened, and she begins to see her mother and grandmother for the flawed but courage filled women that they are. As she works on restoring a vintage wedding-ring quilt pieced by her grandmother and quilted by her mom, the secrets that have shadowed their lives unfold at last, and each woman discovers that sometimes you have to clean house to find the things you thought were lost.
An excellent book in this series.
With the gift of time, Tessa's eyes are opened, and she begins to see her mother and grandmother for the flawed but courage filled women that they are. As she works on restoring a vintage wedding-ring quilt pieced by her grandmother and quilted by her mom, the secrets that have shadowed their lives unfold at last, and each woman discovers that sometimes you have to clean house to find the things you thought were lost.
An excellent book in this series.
What a wonderful, heartwarming story! This is the perfect book for a long, lazy weekend (or in my case, when you are staying home sick from work and need a distraction). It tells that story of three generations of women who are forced to spend the summer together. Tessa, Nancy, and Helen never really got along, but that's also because they never really got a chance to know each other. Helen is seen as a crabby, old woman who doesn't know how to show love, but her daughter Nancy and granddaughter Tessa, never knew the secret heartache that she's carried for so long. Nancy is only seen as a shallow, social climber, but that's because she's been trying to hide her true self under layers after getting hurt earlier in her life. Tessa is trying to pick up the pieces of her marriage and of herself after a devastating loss a few years earlier. Helen is at a point in her life where she can no longer maintain her home properly, and Nancy & Tessa come spend the summer to help clean out the clutter she collected. Throw into this mix a shared love of quilting, and the arrival of Cissy, a young pregnant neighbor who help these women with their problems by letting them help her prepare for her baby. Together, they beginning to see something not only in each other that they never saw before, but something in themselves as well. If you are a mother or a daughter, you will certainly find yourself connecting to this book! :-) I found out that this is part of a series, so I might end up picking up one of the others in the future! :-)
I loved this book. We got it for a book club read...haven't done the discussion on it...but now I want to finish the rest of the series:) Great...emotional...draws you in.
Very interesting read! I loved the way the author used quilts as a metaphor for life! This is the first book in a series and I am looking forward to reading the rest of the seris.
Great reading
Teena M. (shephardsdaughter) reviewed Wedding Ring (Shenandoah Album, Bk 1) on + 12 more book reviews
Good book, easy read. 3 generations all start out problems and personal tradgedies haunting their past. Gets warm and fuzzy by the end, they are working it all out. Country Charm, quilting, friendship.
Not a rave review because I feel the whole problem tradgedy section of this book gets repetitive.
Not a rave review because I feel the whole problem tradgedy section of this book gets repetitive.
I enjoyed this book more than I thought I would once I got into it. Let me explain. I picked this up expecting a light easy read, maybe a little romance. What a got was a deep, powerful story of redemption and love. I wasn't sure if I would enjoy it, but continued reading, and ended up liking it. The characters are strong, and the changes they make are heartening. It's not just another quilting story. I'm looking forward to the next book, Endless Chain.
I loved this book. Three estranged generations of a family found trust, love and understanding through the simplicity of quilts.
A wonderful book, entertaining,about life and how we need to cherish the family we have and live each day like there is no tomorrow. I liked all the information about quilts and quilting tips. This book brought back fond memorie of both of my grandmothers and our quality time, as they each taught me something about quilting. There are pieces of ones life in a quilt, if you close the right material.
I thoroughly enjoyed this book. So much so, until I really had to force myself to post it and not keep it.
I loved the way in which the author, Emilie Richards, wove the story, incorporating the three women's subplots, without losing the reader. I also liked how the characters grew or changed over the span of the story. A page turner for sure.
If there is a regret, it is that it was not longer. I wanted to know how Tess and Mac regained solid footing in their marriage.
I loved the way in which the author, Emilie Richards, wove the story, incorporating the three women's subplots, without losing the reader. I also liked how the characters grew or changed over the span of the story. A page turner for sure.
If there is a regret, it is that it was not longer. I wanted to know how Tess and Mac regained solid footing in their marriage.
Loved loved this book. Kept me wanting more! Could not put it down!!! Cant wait to read the next one.
Lovely story about three generations of women. The daughter and granddaughter come together to help the mother - who has let the family farm overwhelm her. Tracing the joys and sorrows of this family was rewarding. I truly enjoyed the story.
Nice story about family love. Had me in tears several times.
First book in the series; slow to get into it but it gets much better and has a surprise ending!
A warm, wonderful, caring book.
Great book to read-from start to finish!
An awesome book about three generations of women and how they are more alike than they ever knew..A great read!!
Great book about a daughter building a relationship with her mother after many years of not understanding each other. Highly recommended!
For Helen, Nancy, and Tessa, three generations of Henry women, quilts truly represent the fabric of their lives. Using scraps of feed sacks, wedding gowns, and baby clothes, matriarch Helen has chronicled her family in the hundreds of quilts she's made. Helen is now a recluse beset by an irrational paranoia that induces her to hoard everything she can, and her bizarre behavior motivates her daughter, Nancy, and granddaughter, Tessa, to spend their summer cleaning out their Shenandoah Valley homestead. For Tessa, the project is a way to avoid facing the tragedy of her young daughter's death, and the toll it is exacting on her marriage. For Nancy, returning to the house where she grew up forces her to confront the questionable circumstances of her own marriage and motherhood. Recalling her work as a volunteer in the Ozark Mountains, and acknowledging her roots in Virginia's pastoral Shenandoah Valley, Richards launches a trilogy of novels inspired by quilt makers, a series that will resonate with fans of family sagas. Richards pieces together each woman's story as artfully as a quilter creates a quilt, with equally satisfying results, and her characterizations are transcendent, endowed with warmth and compassion.
an enjoyable story; well written
This book was so good I didn't want it to end. Typical of Ms Rice, it brings family members together as adults so they can heal hurts and pain from earlier years. A great story.
From Booklist:
For Helen, Nancy, and Tessa, three generations of Henry women, quilts truly represent the fabric of their lives. Using scraps of feed sacks, wedding gowns, and baby clothes, matriarch Helen has chronicled her family in the hundreds of quilts she's made. Helen is now a recluse beset by an irrational paranoia that induces her to hoard everything she can, and her bizarre behavior motivates her daughter, Nancy, and granddaughter, Tessa, to spend their summer cleaning out their Shenandoah Valley homestead. For Tessa, the project is a way to avoid facing the tragedy of her young daughter's death, and the toll it is exacting on her marriage. For Nancy, returning to the house where she grew up forces her to confront the questionable circumstances of her own marriage and motherhood. Recalling her work as a volunteer in the Ozark Mountains, and acknowledging her roots in Virginia's pastoral Shenandoah Valley, Richards launches a trilogy of novels inspired by quilt makers, a series that will resonate with fans of family sagas. Richards pieces together each woman's story as artfully as a quilter creates a quilt, with equally satisfying results, and her characterizations are transcendent, endowed with warmth and compassion.
For Helen, Nancy, and Tessa, three generations of Henry women, quilts truly represent the fabric of their lives. Using scraps of feed sacks, wedding gowns, and baby clothes, matriarch Helen has chronicled her family in the hundreds of quilts she's made. Helen is now a recluse beset by an irrational paranoia that induces her to hoard everything she can, and her bizarre behavior motivates her daughter, Nancy, and granddaughter, Tessa, to spend their summer cleaning out their Shenandoah Valley homestead. For Tessa, the project is a way to avoid facing the tragedy of her young daughter's death, and the toll it is exacting on her marriage. For Nancy, returning to the house where she grew up forces her to confront the questionable circumstances of her own marriage and motherhood. Recalling her work as a volunteer in the Ozark Mountains, and acknowledging her roots in Virginia's pastoral Shenandoah Valley, Richards launches a trilogy of novels inspired by quilt makers, a series that will resonate with fans of family sagas. Richards pieces together each woman's story as artfully as a quilter creates a quilt, with equally satisfying results, and her characterizations are transcendent, endowed with warmth and compassion.
Emily B. (koreanprincess24) reviewed Wedding Ring (Shenandoah Album, Bk 1) on + 136 more book reviews
Good book. It brings 3 generations who have never got along with one smiple quilt. It is a must read!!!!
Three generations of women discover the healing gift of family, memories and love.
Entertaining reading about family dynamics and the special love that quilting and a quilt can share.
three generations of women discover the healing gift of family, memories and secrets.
great read - kept me up past my bed time
I really enjoyed this book. Just enough "quilting" in it...!!! Looking forward to reading the next book in this series.
Very good novel especially if you love quilting.
Part of a trilogy about the Shenandoah Valley and three women from one family who are tied together by loyalty and background. A good story of quilts and quiltmaking, too.
Excellent book. Covers three generations in a family.
If you love quilts this is a wonderful story of three generations of women and a guilt. Good a bad times in life.
Needing time to contemplate her troubled marriage, Tessa MacRae agrees to spend the summer helping her mother and grandmother clean out the family home in Virginia's Shenandoah Vally. But the three women have never been close. Helen, the family matriarch, is domineering and sharp-tongued. Nancy, Tessa's mother, appears to be little more than a social climber. And Tessa herself is in turmoil following a family tragedy that has affected them all...
I thought it was a great book!
I loved this series.
Great story
