Tracie Peterson and Kimberley Woodhouse teamed up to come out with this historical fiction novel that brought to light the power of silence over spoken words.
Central to the success of this work is the character of Lilian Porter, who wanted to see the world beyond her sheltered rich life inside her grandfather’s mansion in Indiana. So she took a job as a nanny for the Colton family at Angels Camps, California even when her grandfather threatened to disown her.
Her involvement with Jimmy Colton, the boy who refused to talk after the death of his mother, and Jimmy’s father, Woody turned her life around and made her experience things she wouldn’t have otherwise done in the comforts of her pampered life back in Indiana.
Her feisty and robust personality is hard to miss in the novel and her enduring nature and positive attitude push the story forward eliciting hope and the promise for a better ending for all of the story’s characters.
Peterson and Woodhouse did a splendid job in weaving a character in Woody Colton, owner of an olive grove, who is kind and just to his workers but has developed the habit of not forgiving himself for every harm that comes in his family’s way. The authors gave birth to a character with just about the right balance of brusqueness and tenderness. Woody Colton is a representative of every human being who struggle to reconcile two different sides and constantly fought internal wars. Hope is not extinguished as this character brought about the redeeming value of humankind in forgiving oneself and fully accepting God’s presence in their lives.
The character of Darwin Longstreet is terrifying. Juxtapose this character with that of Lilian Porter or the warm Mrs. Goodman, the Colton family’s housekeeper, and you’ll see the good and the bad of life.
Perhaps not highlighted in most reviews is Harry Longstreet, a special man described as simple-minded in the story. From the authors’ description of Harry, I reckoned he has autism. His placement in the story not only shed some light on a sensitive issue on how to treat persons with disabilities, but also on what they can accomplish if given the chance to flourish in mainstream society.
The plot of this story is pretty common but what the authors brought in is the intricate work in painting a convincing, near realistic fictional happenings to an existing town (Angels Camps). I personally love the olive farm and the details provided on how table olives and olive oil reach our pantries and dining tables. I would never look at olive oil as a mere companion to balsamic vinegar after reading this book.
The power of silence over spoken words was a strong message of this book. Little boy Jimmy’s silence eat up his father’s heart and was the very reason that motivated Lilian to be better in carrying out her duties as his caregiver. The decision of Adam Fletcher, Lilian’s grandfather, to cut off communication ties was more hurtful than the words he uttered in rage before her departure.
I am giving this book eight out of 10 stars. I would have loved to read Lilian and her grandfather’s reconciliation but I think that part is left for the readers to ponder on.
This was my first time to read a historical fiction work and it turned out to be quite a 300-page read. I am now interested to further explore this genre.
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Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a copy of this book from Litfuse Publicity Group for the purpose of this review. I was not required to write positive reviews. Some of the links in the post above are “affiliate links.” This means if you click on the link and purchase the item, I will receive an affiliate commission. Regardless, I only recommend products or services I use personally and believe will add value to my readers. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising”.
