The Orchard at the Edge of Town by Shirlee McCoy
Posted: 09 Jul 2015, 06:39
The Orchard at the Edge of Town by Shirlee McCoy
Contemporary Women’s Fiction Romance
Aunt Rose’s house in Apple Valley Washington is to be a hideaway for Apricot Miller. Apricot is running from a groom that didn’t know what fidelity meant; well maybe not running, when her old truck, King Henry III, gave up the ghost and died on the side of the road, Apricot pulled her 1940 Schwinn out of the trailer attached to old Henry and pedaled off in her pink wedding gown. So, Apricot was pedaling her way to Apple Valley Washington, which is just the beginning of Apricot’s adventure in Apple Valley Washington. She peddles into an almost arrest for B&E at Aunt Roses empty house, meet her cantankerous neighbor and that handsome Deputy Simon Baylor. The cast of characters in Apple Valley never ends, gossips runs rampant, some are just odd, some eccentric, and some just plain crazy, oh the life of a small town. Ms. McCoy betrayed small town life so well with all its quirks. Apricot is not what she seems, rather than being a fruit cake in a dingy pink wedding dress, she is a millionaire owner of an herbal company; Apricot was raised very unconventionally by hippies and an Aunt that was an original DIY herbalist. She craves consistency, peace, quiet, and structure. Something she never had as child. Guess what, she doesn’t get it in nosy, gossipy, interfering Apple Valley either.
Apricots life in Apple Valley does not turn out quite like she thought; handsome Deputy Baylor, his two wonderful girls, a supposed haunted house, kittens that mysteriously appear on her door step, a family that insist on coming to “help” her because they think she needs them, and the idiosyncrasies of small town life has her world turned up side down. The author has a way with humor, I laughed out loud over the scene in the café with Handsome, the cat that looks like a rat. When her family showed up was a riot, it was hilarious. The book has humor throughout, I chuckled as I read. This was a very enjoyable read.
In truth Apricot does not know what she is looking for in her life, what she thinks she wants is definitely not what she finds or needs. It was wonderful to watch her grow and realize what life had in store for her. Simon carries guilt about his wife’s overdose; Simon feels he should have seen what was happening to her. Apricot wants security, peace, structure in her life and Simon doesn’t represent that to her way of thinking. Ms. McCoy created a wonderful story of letting go of old dreams, hurts, preconceived ideas and responsibilities and ideas of what we think we want to accept the amazing wonder of what we have and can have with all its flaws. Simon and Apricots travel a road of awareness to find what is priceless in life and creating a family from the pieces. This book was a treat to read as the author kept the pace going without lags, she kept the story line interesting, love blooming, interfering families, a little mysterious mugging thrown in for good measure, and the view of small town Americana spot on. Kudos Ms. McCoy.
I highly recommend this book.
I received this book from the publisher and Netgalley in return for an honest review.
Contemporary Women’s Fiction Romance
Aunt Rose’s house in Apple Valley Washington is to be a hideaway for Apricot Miller. Apricot is running from a groom that didn’t know what fidelity meant; well maybe not running, when her old truck, King Henry III, gave up the ghost and died on the side of the road, Apricot pulled her 1940 Schwinn out of the trailer attached to old Henry and pedaled off in her pink wedding gown. So, Apricot was pedaling her way to Apple Valley Washington, which is just the beginning of Apricot’s adventure in Apple Valley Washington. She peddles into an almost arrest for B&E at Aunt Roses empty house, meet her cantankerous neighbor and that handsome Deputy Simon Baylor. The cast of characters in Apple Valley never ends, gossips runs rampant, some are just odd, some eccentric, and some just plain crazy, oh the life of a small town. Ms. McCoy betrayed small town life so well with all its quirks. Apricot is not what she seems, rather than being a fruit cake in a dingy pink wedding dress, she is a millionaire owner of an herbal company; Apricot was raised very unconventionally by hippies and an Aunt that was an original DIY herbalist. She craves consistency, peace, quiet, and structure. Something she never had as child. Guess what, she doesn’t get it in nosy, gossipy, interfering Apple Valley either.
Apricots life in Apple Valley does not turn out quite like she thought; handsome Deputy Baylor, his two wonderful girls, a supposed haunted house, kittens that mysteriously appear on her door step, a family that insist on coming to “help” her because they think she needs them, and the idiosyncrasies of small town life has her world turned up side down. The author has a way with humor, I laughed out loud over the scene in the café with Handsome, the cat that looks like a rat. When her family showed up was a riot, it was hilarious. The book has humor throughout, I chuckled as I read. This was a very enjoyable read.
In truth Apricot does not know what she is looking for in her life, what she thinks she wants is definitely not what she finds or needs. It was wonderful to watch her grow and realize what life had in store for her. Simon carries guilt about his wife’s overdose; Simon feels he should have seen what was happening to her. Apricot wants security, peace, structure in her life and Simon doesn’t represent that to her way of thinking. Ms. McCoy created a wonderful story of letting go of old dreams, hurts, preconceived ideas and responsibilities and ideas of what we think we want to accept the amazing wonder of what we have and can have with all its flaws. Simon and Apricots travel a road of awareness to find what is priceless in life and creating a family from the pieces. This book was a treat to read as the author kept the pace going without lags, she kept the story line interesting, love blooming, interfering families, a little mysterious mugging thrown in for good measure, and the view of small town Americana spot on. Kudos Ms. McCoy.
I highly recommend this book.
I received this book from the publisher and Netgalley in return for an honest review.