January 1, 2018
In Florence's (Bird's Eye View) second novel, Molly Bannister, broke and unemployed after the crash of 2008, discovers she has been left a remote Canadian farmstead by her estranged great-aunt Mary. The catch is she must live there full time for one year in order to inherit it legally. Leaving Phoenix for the beautiful Peace River region of Northern Alberta is quite a shock. Molly is helped along when she finds Mary's 1924 homesteading journal in the farmhouse; selections are shared, adding warmth and interest. The heart of the story, though, lies in Molly's relationship with her young daughter Bridget; the reason Molly decided to claim the inheritance is to sell it to pay for Bridget's needed medical treatments. Their new neighbors are mostly salt-of-the-earth types, but not everyone is reliable: some mystery and intrigue surround Molly's legacy. There is also a chance at love, in a slightly clunky romantic subplot. VERDICT A heartwarming story about the power of family, this novel of modern pioneering will appeal to many readers. Fans of Debbie Macomber or even Janette Oke will likely find the gentle tone and the focus on wholesome themes a familiar and engaging type of read.--Melanie Kindrachuk, Stratford P.L., Ont.
Copyright 2018 Library Journal, LLC Used with permission.
May 7, 2018
A single mother from Arizona must spend a year living in a remote, off-grid farmhouse on the Canadian prairie in this charming novel by Florence (Bird’s Eye View). Molly Bannister is a laid-off accountant struggling to make ends meet when she learns of an inheritance from her great-aunt: a sprawling farm in northern Alberta that is hers only if she spends a full year living in the isolated farmhouse. Molly agrees, planning to sell the property and return to Phoenix with plenty of money for much-needed medical treatment for her four-year-old daughter, Bridget. But first, she and Bridget must spend the year learning how to get by with a pump well, a wood-burning stove, and very little else. Florence punctuates the story with excerpts from a journal written in 1924 by Molly’s great-aunt, whose love of home and the land is infectious and whose perseverance inspires Molly as she struggles through a long, bitter winter and attains a new understanding of herself and her daughter. The characters are not particularly complex or nuanced, but Molly’s experience of her great-aunt’s way of life is so vividly described that readers will appreciate the strength and courage of past generations and feel grateful for the safeties and conveniences of modern life. The book will have particular appeal to readers interested in early-20th-century social history.
January 1, 2018
Accountant and single mom Molly Bannister is out of money when she unexpectedly inherits her great aunt's homestead in northern Alberta. The catch? She must live there for one year to claim the inheritance. She promptly packs up her four-year-old daughter, Bridget, and heads north, intending to live off the farm's rents from month to month until she can sell it and return to the States. Molly and Bridget gain numerous skills over the course of the year as well as a puppy, a kitten, and friends including some nearby farmers and Wynona, a girl from the adjacent First Nations reserve. Molly even begins to develop feelings for the idealistic farmer renting her land. They survive run-ins with nature: getting lost in the woods, bumping into a grizzly bear mother and her cub, being stuck in a surprise blizzard. Molly and Bridget's story is interspersed with charming entries from the great-aunt's 1924 diary of her first year in the house. Offer this to city slickers dreaming of a simpler life and readers interested in unspoiled natural beauty.(Reprinted with permission of Booklist, copyright 2018, American Library Association.)