Ashley Clark has written a book that weaves history and modern day together so seamlessly that it was hard to put down. She has researched life in the south in the 40s and 50s, and brought understanding to the rights or lack thereof of people of color during that time era.
Millie is the daughter of a black woman and a white/Italian man and she has skin light enough to "pass." So her mother encourages her to leave Charleston, South Carolina, and make her way in Fairhope, Alabama. On the way to Alabama, she meets Franklin, a train jumper and the two of them make an alliance to help each other out. They end up at a boarding house where the owner believes them to be married. Still in the back of Millie's mind is the desire to own a dress shop.
Harper is a young lady who has studied sewing under Millie and has gone to the Savannah College of Art and Design to get a degree in clothing design, but her advisor tells her she's nothing special. Harper's dream of owning a dress shop using her own clothing designs goes up in so much smoke.
Peter is actually Millie's grandson, but he doesn't know that. He just knows that Millie's been a close family friend for many years. In his search for some family heirlooms that his stepfather gave away after his mother's death, he finds the truth about the relationship between Millie and him.
I found the plot of this book to be so deep I had to take breaks in reading once in a while just to let it sink in. The quality of Ashley's writing is of the highest caliber. Her plot moves at a steady pace and her settings induce the reader to want to be a part of the story. The characters are realistic and likable. This is a five star book, with two thumbs up, and a sweetgrass basket to hold your secrets.
Bethany House and NetGalley.com provided the copy I read for this review. All opinions expressed are my own.
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