Sarah Addison Allen delivers again with her fourth novel, The Peach Keeper, released today. Sarah Addison Allen creates another magical story in another charming small town tucked in the mountains of North Carolina.
Willa Jackson returned to her hometown, Walls of Water, North Carolina when her father died six years ago. She moved into her childhood home, visits her senile grandmother weekly and opened an outdoor outfitter shop at the foot at the waterfalls which are town’s namesake. At the time, she promised herself she would give up her trouble-maker lifestyle and grow up, as her father would wish and she has done a good job of it until the town’s past suddenly interrupts her best laid plans.
Meanwhile, Paxton Osgood has always done what is expected of her and never created a wave in her life but now at 30 years old and living in her parents pool house, she realizes that she might just need to shake things up a bit.
Willa and Paxton may not be friends but their grandmothers shared a bond 75 years ago that Willa and Paxton may not be able to ignore. When Paxton takes on the project of restoring the vacant mansion that once belonged to Willa’s family, these two, who travel in separate social circles, will have to work together to unravel a magical mystery.
Add a little bit of unrequited love, a spunky octogenarian, an adventurous brother, a strikingly beautiful dentist and a fun-loving barista and Walls of Water is a town you may never want to leave. The town even attracts a brief appearance from Claire, Allen’s heroine in her first novel, Garden Spells.
Allen crafts a tale of friendship and teaches an important lesson, best summed up by Willa, “Happiness is a risk. If you’re not a little scared then you’re not doing it right.”
The universe that Allen has created in The Peach Keeper, as well as her other novels, is a comfortable, magical home to curl up to, the kind of story that makes your wish your subway commute was a little longer, urges you to turn off the phone and keep your nose in the book until the very last page.
The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen was received for free by Boston Book Bums
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