Generally I liked it!

Another great First Reads pick! Thoroughly enjoyed this story. As a wedding photographer who also lost her dad, it felt familiar in places. My family history isn’t quite as interesting!

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Honeysuckle Season is a story of two adoptions and three women. How and why their stories intertwine is what makes this a must-read book if you are a fan of women's fiction.  Modern-day Libby is divorced after a series of miscarriages and switches careers from oncology nurse to photographer. Her father, a doctor, has died recently and Libby moves back home to her dad's house. Her childhood best friend lives next door with her mom after her husband recently died. 

World War II-era Sadie is a poor country teenager barely making a living with her mother and brother by making and selling moonshine. The moonshine uses honeysuckle syrup in the mash, and is a local favorite. Another brother has already left for the war, and Sadie's remaining brother says he is going to join up and leave her to fight in the war and make more money than he had at a local factory that sometimes hired him.

Libby is hired to be the wedding photographer at a country estate that she used to visit with her adopted mom during a public opening of the gardens every year. The estate owner, Elaine, is thinking of turning the estate into an event venue since she lives in a nearby city and works as a lawyer. She hasn't lived at the estate in years. While the house and some of the grounds have been restored to their former glory, there's a greenhouse that hasn't been touched since the 1990's. Elaine wants to hire Libby as the photographer for a possible website, and invites her to shoot the restoration of the greenhouse. Libby meets the caretaker, Colton, a widower with two young boys who also grew up on the estate, and there's an immediate attraction.

I can't give away much more than that without giving up some of the story's secrets. Mary Ellen Taylor does an expert job weaving a tale of love, loss, betrayal, discovery, acceptance and renewal. When I thought I had figured out the connection of Sadie and Libby, I was thrown a curve ball. It wasn't until the end when the whole truth comes out and the pieces fit together.  I highly recommend Honeysuckle Season.

What I liked the most about this story was the way the author gave little clues throughout the story but never gave away the whole secret until it was absolutely necessary. This was a lovely story about family, loss and the importance of being honest.

It was quite raw when describing the miscarriages that Libby had and the impact it had on her marriage. But it was also so gratifying when Libby ends up getting her happy ending.

This is great read for a Sunday afternoon sitting in the sun which is exactly where I read it.

Feel good read

I will say I enjoyed the story, but there where times that it felt a bit muddled when going between the timelines at that start of the story. I like the characters and found them well developed and also very relatable especially Libby. I will say I was surprised how easily Libby mentioned her pregnancy despite past miscarriages however decided to just chalk that up for her need for honesty. My only issue was how fast her and Colton got married. Yes I know it can be common for people to get married quick, but I feel it to be a breath of fresh air if for once the characters waited especially since this story is suppose to take place in present day why was marriage necessary when they barely knew each other.

This storyline was a bit different, not so obvious as to what the end will be. I just know I would love to see the greenhouse on the Woodmont estate.

I had no idea the depth of hearing the stories of how women were treated in this time period, by those in authority would impact me, but while it didn't go into great detail, the stories were clear. Forced sterilization, adoption, being blamed for rape, and the stigma of being poor were only a few of the topics discussed in this story about brave women across the centuries.

Didn't enjoy the plot setup of so many people experiencing loss. Stopped reading about 30% through, just not for me.