Synopsis
A lifetime of lies, and a truth too painful to tell.
When Suzanna Duff was ten years old, she lost her mama, and that’s when the lies began. At first, they were just harmless little fibs, a way to hide her unbearable loneliness and the truth about a daddy who came home rip-roaring drunk every night. But in time, the lies grew bigger and now, when she is a grown woman with a daughter of her own, they threaten to destroy everything she loves.
The irony of this situation is that Suzanna never planned to stay in Georgia, she was simply passing through, looking for a fresh start in New Jersey. Attending that wake with her daughter Annie, was a fluke. An opportunity to enjoy a free meal. It should have entailed nothing more than a solemn nod and a brief expression of sympathy but, Ida Parker, the grieving widow mistook her for her the granddaughter who was carried off as an infant. Too embarrassed to do anything else, Suzanna played along. What harm was there in pretending to be someone else for a few hours? Hours turned into days and days into weeks; strangers became friends, love happened, and before long a year had flown by.
Now the past is standing on her doorstep and Suzanna must decide to leave here and disappear as she has done before, or tell the truth and break the hearts of those she loves most.
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Review
If you are looking for a good southern fiction novel, look no further than this book. I think I have read everything by this author and I have yet to be disappointed.
What happens when you start a new life based on lies? Can you keep up with the lies you have told so you don’t get caught? That is what Suzanna is having to face and it doesn’t help when you have a young child that doesn’t understand what needs to be kept secret and what you can say to others. Add on to that the woman that has taken in her in believing that she is her granddaughter. Is it Ida’s desire to not be alone that has her convinced, or is there more to the situation?
This book is set in the 1960s which allowed Suzanna to get away with more than you probably could today. No social media, no cell phones, no internet, none of the modern technology that we have today. In fact, when she gets a job there is no checking social security numbers to make sure you have the right person working for you.
As I read this book, I could feel empathy for Suzanna and what she endured when she discovered she was pregnant, the father walking out on her and not taking responsibility, the way her own father kicked her out of the house because of her situation, and ending up with someone that didn’t treat her well. But I applaud her pluckiness in getting out of the situation she was in and off to find something better for her and her daughter.
Despite many positive characters in the book, it wouldn’t be complete without a few antagonists. Earl and Bobby and not the kind of people you want to inhabit your life. Earl is a drunk and Bobby is something of a misogynist. Bobby doesn’t hate women, he just believes no woman can resist him. Talk about your ego! But I have to give Bobby props near the end when he actually does something that benefits someone else. You’ll have to read the book to find out what exactly he does right.
There is romance in this book for Suzanna which allows her to see what a real relationship should look like and how women should be treated.
This is a story that will touch your heart but might also leave you a bit nervous at times when it comes to some tense situations regarding Earl and Bobby.
We give this 5 paws up.
About the Author
USA Today Bestselling Author and Award-winning novelist Bette Lee Crosby brings the wit and wisdom of her Southern Mama to works of fiction—the result is a delightful blend of humor, mystery, and romance along with a cast of quirky charters who will steal your heart away.
