The Peach Keeper

A brief synopsis:

Willa Jackson comes from small town Walls of Water, North Carolina. Her family was once wealthy, her great-great-grandfather built the finest home in town, the Blue Ridge Madam. But then the family met financial ruin, and so did the Madam. It has stood in ruin for many years, but “townie” Paxton Osgood is in the process of restoring the Madam to it's former glory, complete with an anniversary gala for opening night. But when a skeleton is found buried under the lone peach tree on the property, the town is thrown into scandal once again and Willa and Paxton's families are forced together to figure out what happened at the Madam so many years ago.

What I enjoyed:

Okay, first you should know that I'm a sucker for a good Southern sweet tea, peach pie, we love nature, small town story. They're characteristically cheesy, but I think I love them because I'm from a small, Southern town in Tennessee and the reality is that it's actually just full of meth heads and racists. I think I always wanted that sweet Southern belle ideal to be real and not problematic. Plus, if you've ever read Sarah Addison Allen before, you know this has some elements of magical realism. Now, I don't love high fantasy or supernatural fiction, but I like a little sprinkling of fantasy. And magical realism fits the bill. So all in all, the setting was perfection for me.

I'm going to put this in the category of what I enjoyed although it may actually be what I'm on the fence about. There's an enemies to lovers trope here. I honestly never know how to feel about those! As an avid reader of young adult contemporaries, you know I've read a lot of them. I don't love them or hate them. I'm somewhere in between. For this particular story, I feel like it worked and the first blossoms of ~falling in love~ described within made me nostalgic for those days with my now husband myself.

What I didn't enjoy:

The writing is a liiiiitle cheesy, as I already mentioned. Typical of sweet Southern story. But the mystery was not really a mystery. I think it was fairly obvious, after the skeleton was found, what happened. But although it's kind of billed as a mystery, I didn't personally think that was the plot. It was more a story about family, friendships, finding out who you are, etc. So I'd say this isn't a mystery, but I didn't mind.

Would I recommend?

This story is cutesy. Do you like cutesy? Then sure, yes. Especially if you like a lighthearted Southern belle story. But listen, if you're only into high-brow, intellectual stories, this is not the one for you.

Favorite quote:

“Happiness is a risk. If you're not a little scared, then you're not doing it right.”

I have heard so much about this author, but I just never picked up the book. I guess I didn't think I would be in for all the hype. Well I was wrong! The hype is worth it and I'm now in love with this author.
Paxton and Willa are like my new friends. Their families are people I would like to visit more often. The touches of magic realism are just heavenly! I love this place and thse people. Why did I wait so long? I'm so glad I corrected that error.

Happiness is a risk. If you're not a little scared, then you're not doing it right.

Yet another great story by Sarah Addison Allen! This one focuses on the bonds of women and friendship through the story of Willa and Paxton, two girls who grew up in the same town but never had anything to do with each other until the remodeling of the Blue Ridge Madam. Together, they discover family secrets and break through barriers that they didn't know were there.

Willa was the high school prankster who tried to grow up and calm down like she thought her family wanted her to. Paxton was the girl who did what everyone wanted her to for her entire life and never took any chances. They both finally embrace who they truly are and find a deep and lasting friendship, while also opening up to love.

I identified very strongly with Paxton as the girl who grew up being the person that people expected her to be. It was fun to see her journey and realize that I have been through some of the same. Mainly learning not to control every aspect of my life and not to worry.

The magic element is not as strong in this book as in Allen's other stories, but it was still a fun read because of the nostalgia it causes. It made me miss my mom and all of my high school and college girl friends. I have spent the entire day texting and catching up with all of them. It gave me hope to find those types of friendships as I move along in life wherever I am.

Overall, there are a lot of lessons learned in this book all wrapped up in a sweet happily ever after.

Oh... and Claire Waverley from Garden Spells makes an appearance!

I love Allen's books. They go down like iced coffee on a hot day. Interesting stories? Check. Everyday magic? Check.
I like to think of Allen as “Alice Hoffman-lite”. Allen never really dives deep, it's all surface work, but for fans of women's fiction who are looking for something a little more, then these books fit the bill. The stories are always about discovering who you really are-in this one it is defined by who you are romancing (blech- I am not a romance person), but still a good story.
Allen's writing has improved. I could have done without the cameo from one of her characters from a different book (it felt really out of place and was kind of pointless, not to mention would throw off someone who has not read all of the other books).
Overall, a great Spring read for anyone who wants something light and airy-with a touch of magic.
I have to confess that one whole star goes just to all of the coffee references. Coffeeology rocks.
Cream and an equal over here.