It All Comes Back to You by Beth Duke

☆☆☆☆
Kindle Edition, 273 pages
Published August 27th 2018 by BooksGoSocial
About the Book:
The hidden ties that bind our lives together are the most intriguing. This is a story full of secret, silken threads between many people. Meet Violet. She was stunningly beautiful. She was like a grandmother to Ronni. She inspired her every day. She spent her final years in a nursing home, surrounded by men who worshiped her as a girl. They still did. Everybody loved her. And now that she’s gone, she’s challenged Ronni to be the author she always wanted to be, by writing Violet’s life story. That’s when the threads start to unwind.

You have a knack for painting pictures with words. Youʹre obliged to use it.

This wonderful book alternates between the past and present. Ronni's is trying to write a book about Violet's life and her loves and losses. Ronni's side of the story also includes a little romance and her job working in a nursing home, where she met Violet. I especially enjoyed the parts of the book detailing Violet's life. Being taken back to post-war Alabama was exceptional. I could have read a whole novel on Violet's life alone.

An extraordinary story told with sincerity that evokes empathy for the characters. Ms. Duke tackles a difficult subject and deftly navigates some important issues. Her portrayals of Violet and Ronni are especially touching and memorable. The characters are so real and the writing so vivid that you are pulled into their lives and you share in their hopes and sorrows. This is moving story about love, loss, and the those we hold dear in our lives.

The author has crafted a beautiful novel that takes the reader into another time and demonstrates how the past is critical in understanding who we are. We never fully understand the motivations underlying our choices. However, the past is an intrinsic part of who we are. This novel will absorb you and touch your heart. This is an unforgettable book crafted by a brilliant author.

I highly recommend this book to readers who like to get emotionally involved with the people they meet in novels. When reading leads to actual tears and laughing out loud, I have found a winner. Very well written, with such pain and love. I can't remember the last time I read a book that made me feel so much. This is a beautiful story of love, friendship and family. The characters stories are interwoven, and flow effortlessly. The story is both heartwarming as well as heartbreaking at the same time.

Thank you NetGalley, BooksGoSocial and Beth Duke for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an impartial review; all opinions are my own.

#ItAllComesBackToYou #NetGalley