Book Review – The Forgiving Kind by Donna Everhart #bookreview #blogtour #giveaway @wordstogobuy @KensingtonBooks @suzyapbooktours

Book Details:

Genre: Historical Fiction
Series: None
Publisher: Kensington
Publication Date: 1/29/2019
Pages: 352 (Paperback)

I am delighted to be taking part in the blog tour for The Forgiving Kind by Donna Everhart. Thank you Suzy Approved Blog Tours for the invite and Kensington for my review copy!

Goodreads Synopsis:

For twelve-year-old Martha “Sonny” Creech, there is no place more beautiful than her family’s cotton farm. She, her two brothers, and her parents work hard on their land—hoeing, planting, picking—but only Sonny loves the rich, dark earth the way her father does. When a tragic accident claims his life, her stricken family struggles to fend off ruin—until their rich, reclusive neighbor offers to help finance that year’s cotton crop.

Sonny is dismayed when her mama accepts Frank Fowler’s offer; even more so when Sonny’s best friend, Daniel, points out that the man has ulterior motives. Sonny has a talent for divining water—an ability she shared with her father and earns her the hated nickname “water witch” in school. But uncanny as that skill may be, it won’t be enough to offset Mr. Fowler’s disturbing influence in her world. Even her bond with Daniel begins to collapse under the weight of Mr. Fowler’s bigoted taunts. Though she tries to bury her misgivings for the sake of her mama’s happiness, Sonny doesn’t need a willow branch to divine that a reckoning is coming, bringing with it heartache, violence—and perhaps, a fitting and surprising measure of justice.

My Opinion:

I love this book! I was addicted to this story from the opening pages! The book starts off very grounded and family-oriented. But just wait – there is a whole lot more to this book than what initially meets the eye.

Lloyd and Olivia Creech are the proud owners of a successful cotton farm. It is a family effort to keep the farm running and whether they like it or not, even the kids – Ross (16), Trent (14), and Sonny (12) – all must pitch in. Tragedy strikes the Creech family when Lloyd unexpectedly passes away. Now the family must figure out how to go on without him and not lose their home and farm.

This book is beautifully written and rich with detail. I was right there in North Carolina on the cotton farm with the Creech’s. I found Sonny and her dad’s relationship to be very touching and quite special. They share a gift that not everyone can appreciate or even believe is real.

“Girl, you’re the first Creech female ever with the gift. That’s what divining water is, what you did, right there. That’s it!”

After Lloyd’s passing, Olivia and the children are heartbroken. Lloyd was the backbone of the family and farm.

There was a section missing in our familial, our way of living, thinking, and doing spilled out of the brokenness, creating a weakness whereas we’d always been so strong.

They knew they had to put their grief aside so that they could push forward and do what they had to do to keep the farm going. It was admirable the way they picked themselves up and took whatever odd jobs they could to make the money they needed to get the cotton planted. Unfortunately it just wasn’t enough. This is where Frank Fowler, a neighboring farmer, enters the story.

Ugh!! Frank drove me nuts! He is a horrible horrible man. He is unfriendly, mean, and opinionated. Things went from bad to worse and just when I thought things could not possibly get any worse – they did!!

This book is intense, raw, and heartbreaking. If you are expecting a light and fluffy read this is not it! It is a book about family and loss, but it also quite dark and tackles tough issues like bigotry and racism. The characters are unforgettable and it is a testament of a mother’s love and how far she will go for her children.

The Forgiving Kind will no doubt make my top ten list of the year. It is one of those books that I will not soon forget. This is my first book by Donna Everhart and I cannot wait to read more of her books in the future!

*The Forgiving Kind is available for purchase at these fine retailers:

Amazon US
Amazon UK
Book Depository

About the Author:

Donna Everhart is a USA Today bestselling author who writes stories of family hardship and troubled times in a bygone south. A native of North Carolina, she resides in her home state with her husband and their tiny heart stealing Yorkshire terrier, Mister.
Readers can visit her at donnaeverhart.com.

You can follow her at –
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Giveaway…

I am hosting a giveaway for The Forgiving Kind on my Instagram page! Be sure to check it out for an opportunity to win this fantastic book!
**Sorry international friends this giveaway is for US only, as requested by the publisher.
Good luck and thank you for entering!

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