Perennials

by Julie Cantrell Narrated by Brittany Pressley

Overview

Eva-known to all as Lovey-grew up safe and secure in Oxford, Mississippi, surrounded by a rich literary history and her mother's stunning flower gardens. But a shed fire, and the injuries that it caused, seemed to change everything ... especially when her older sister, Bitsy, blamed Lovey for the irreparable damage.

Bitsy became the cheerleader. The homecoming queen. The perfect Southern belle who could do no wrong. All the while, Lovey served as the family scapegoat, always bearing the brunt when Bitsy threw blame her way.

At eighteen, suffocating in her sister's shadow, Lovey turned down a marriage proposal and fled to Arizona-a place as far from Mississippi as she could find.

In time, she became a successful advertising executive and a weekend yoga instructor, carving a satisfying life for herself, free from Bitsy's vicious lies. But now that she's turning forty-five, Lovey is feeling more alone than ever and questioning the choices that have led her here.

When she gets a call from her father insisting that she come home three weeks early for her parents' fiftieth anniversary, Lovey is at wits' end. She's about to close the biggest contract of her career, and there's a lot on the line. But despite the risks, her father's words, “family first,” draw her right back to the red dirt roads of Mississippi.

Lovey is welcomed home by a secret project-a memory garden her father has planned as an anniversary surprise for her mother. As she helps create this sacred space, Lovey begins to rediscover her roots, learning to live perennially in spite of life's many trials and tragedies.

Years ago, Lovey chose to leave her family and the South far behind. But now that she's returned, she's realizing things at home were not always what they seemed.

Editorial Reviews

Publishers Weekly

09/25/2017
Cantrell (Into the Free) captures the unbreakable bonds of family in this poignant story. Sisters Eva and Bitsy have never been close, and, after a horrific fire harms one of their close friends when they are teenagers, Bitsy accuses Eva of starting the fire, and their bond seems to break forever. Eventually Eva leaves their hometown of Oxford, Miss., for Arizona and a job in advertising, and Bitsy stays behind and marries a wealthy investor. After more than two decades of avoiding her family, Eva gets a call from her father, who asks her to come home for his 50th wedding anniversary. He is planning to surprise his wife with a special garden that represents the story of their life together through flowers. Although Eva is petrified of seeing Bitsy again, her father cajoles her into making the trip. But it’s not until Eva returns home that she understands the real reason for her father’s request. Cantrell has a great understanding of family quirks and the nuances of family dynamics, and though the secondary characters are thin (and tangential sections concerning William Faulkner needlessly slow the pace), the textured portrayal of Eva will leave readers inspired. (Nov.)

CBA Market

'Cantrell examines the dynamics of a strong family driven apart by jealousy and falsehoods as her characters discover how love can conquer old hurts and unearth the deep roots of truth.'

RT Book Reviews

'Cantrell has penned another quietly contemplative, thought-provoking novel. Her prose is so meaningful that every phrase begs to be mulled over.'

From the Publisher

'Cantrell captures the unbreakable bonds of family in this poignant story. . .Cantrell has a great understanding of family quirks and the nuances of family dynamics, and. . .the textured portrayal of Eva will leave readers inspired.'--Publishers Weekly

'Cantrell examines the dynamics of a strong family driven apart by jealousy and falsehoods as her characters discover how love can conquer old hurts and unearth the deep roots of truth.'--CBA Market

'Cantrell has penned another quietly contemplative, thought-provoking novel. Her prose is so meaningful that every phrase begs to be mulled over.'--RT Book Reviews, 4 1/2 stars, TOP PICK

Product Details

BN ID:	2940169636871
Publisher:	Blackstone Audio, Inc.
Publication date:	11/14/2017
Edition description:	Unabridged

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