Dreams of Falling
Fiction
Berkley
June 5, 2018
E-book
416
Publisher via NetGalley
It's been nine years since Larkin fled Georgetown, South Carolina, vowing never to go back. But when she finds out that her mother has disappeared, she knows she has no choice but to return to the place that she both loves and dreads--and to the family and friends who never stopped wishing for her to come home. Ivy, Larkin's mother, is discovered in the burned-out wreckage of her family's ancestral rice plantation, badly injured and unconscious. No one knows why Ivy was there, but as Larkin digs for answers, she uncovers secrets kept for nearly 50 years. Secrets that lead back to the past, to the friendship between three girls on the brink of womanhood who swore that they would be friends forever, but who found that vow tested in heartbreaking ways.
My review:
One thing you can always count on in Karen White's books is that you will not be disappointed. While I still have my favorites (The Sound of Glass and The Night the Lights Went Out), and this one was not up there with those, it was still a really enjoyable read. Set in two time periods, present day (2010) and the 50's, we follow three main characters who have remained friends from early school years to the present. We also follow the children and grandchildren of those women, so it can get a bit confusing at the beginning who belongs to who. No worries though, Ms. White will guide you through, as her writing just flows along with the story. I did actually enjoy the early time frame story more than the present, but I may have been jaded by the fact that a lot of it took place on a vacation the girls took to Myrtle Beach. We own a vacation house in Myrtle, so I quite enjoyed all the references to places I know well (and it reminded me again how sad I am that the Pavillion is no longer there!). Of course the book also has its share of secrets and twists that keep you guessing, and the quintessential Karen White southern charm!
Another solid read that Ms. White can add to her impressive resume. If you like books set in the south, with great characters, lots of secrets kept and a bit of mystery, I think you will enjoy this one. Put it in your beach bag, especially if you are planning a vacation to an Atlantic ocean beach this summer.
