Answering a woman’s desperate call for help, young Navy widow Helen Devries opens her Whidbey Island home as a refuge toAnswering a woman’s desperate call for help, young Navy widow Helen Devries opens her Whidbey Island home as a refuge to Choi Eunhee. As they bond over common losses and a delicate, potentially devastating secret, their friendship spans the remainder of their lives.. As they bond over common losses and a delicate, potentially devastating secret, their friendship spans the remainder of their lives.
After losing her mother, Cassidy Quinn spent her childhood summers with her gran, Helen, at her farmhouse. Nourished by her grandmother’s love and encouragement, Cassidy discovers a passion that she hopes will bloom into a career. But after Helen passes, Cassidy learns that her home and garden have fallen into serious disrepair. Worse, a looming tax debt threatens her inheritance. Facing the loss of her legacy and in need of allies and ideas, Cassidy reaches out to Nick, her former love, despite the complicated emotions brought by having him back in her life.
Cassidy inherits not only the family home but a task, spoken with her grandmother’s final breaths: ask Grace Kim—Eunhee’s granddaughter—to help sort through the contents of the locked hope chest in the attic. As she and Grace dig into the past, they unearth their grandmothers’ long-held secret and more. Each startling revelation reshapes their understanding of their grandmothers and ultimately inspires the courage to take risks and make changes to own their lives.
Set in both modern-day and midcentury Whidbey Island, Washington, this dual-narrative story of four women—grandmothers and granddaughters—intertwines across generations to explore the secrets we keep, the love we pass down, and the heirlooms we inherit from a well-lived life.
My Thoughts
"Answering a woman’s desperate call for help, young Navy widow Helen Devries opens her Whidbey Island home as a refuge to Choi Eunhee. As they bond over common losses and a delicate, potentially devastating secret, their friendship spans the remainder of their lives."
Heirlooms is a story of friendship, family, loyalty, and a passion for cooking, and flowers. Written in Sandra's excellent style of writing. Written in a dual timeline, Helen Devries and Choi Eunhee. Helen is a widow who had purchased a dilapidated farm on Whidbey Island, Washington, and restored and planted gardens and flowers. Choi is also a widow, who is Korean, and contacts Helen seeking a place to stay. She can't go home to her parents as she had married an American and turns out that she is also pregnant. This is looked down upon in her culture.
Helen readily agrees and Choi stays through her pregnancy. During that time, Choi helps Helen take care of her gardens and teaches Helen about her culture and how to cook.
At present time Cassidy Quinn who is the granddaughter of Helen and Grace is Choi's granddaughter. They have a close relationship. After Helen passes, her farm and everything goes to Cassidy. Grace is a young woman who hopes to be a lawyer but does not pass the bar. Together they are tasked to go through Helen's secrets in a chest in the attic. There they learn that Grace's grandmother had had a child, but she kept that secret from her next husband and family. Grace has a conundrum, does she go to her family with the secrets that she has uncovered.
Cassidy is faced with many obstacles in keeping the farm, taxes loom and the loan has been called in by the bank. With the help of Grace and others, she is able to persevere in her goals to keep the farm and make it a profitable business. Selling flowers and vegetables is what she wants to be successful at.
All of these women have great faith and triumph over the obstacles in their way. Love and loss of course is the main premise of the story, the author is so adept at writing bout the feelings of the characters in her novels. Generations of women are all able to explore the love and friendship that they share.
I love all of Sandra's books, this one though was different from others she has written. Written with compassion and it shows how the friendships we have affects future generations.
I give this book 5 stars!
Bestselling author Sandra Byrd continues to earn both industry acclaim and high praise from readers everywhere. The author of more than fifty books, her work has received many awards, nominations, and accolades, including the Historical Novel Society’s Editor’s Choice award, two Christy Award nominations, two Library Journal Best Book selections, a Bookpage Top Pick for Romance, and inclusion on Booklist’s Top Ten Inspirational Books of the Year list.
In addition, as an editor and an in-demand writing coach, Sandra is passionate about helping writers develop their talents and has coached and mentored hundreds of writers at all stages of their writing careers.
A dedicated foodie from the age of sixteen, Sandra cooks through the topic and location of every book she writes. In her free time, she collects vintage glass and serve ware, loves long walks with her husband, and Sunday Suppers with her growing family.
Reach Sandra Here: https://sandrabyrd.contactin.bio/
In addition, as an editor and an in-demand writing coach, Sandra is passionate about helping writers develop their talents and has coached and mentored hundreds of writers at all stages of their writing careers.
A dedicated foodie from the age of sixteen, Sandra cooks through the topic and location of every book she writes. In her free time, she collects vintage glass and serve ware, loves long walks with her husband, and Sunday Suppers with her growing family.
Reach Sandra Here: https://sandrabyrd.contactin.bio/
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