Five Miles South of Peculiar

Five Miles South of Peculiar
Angela Hunt
(Howard)
ISBN: 9781439182048
June 2012/384 pages/$14.99

If these three sisters don’t change direction, they’ll end up where they’re going.

Darlene Caldwell has spent a lifetime tending Sycamores, an estate located five miles south of a small town called Peculiar. She raised a family in the spacious home that was her grandfather’s legacy, and she enjoys being a pillar of the community. Sycamores is the kingdom where she reigns as queen . . . until her limelight-stealing twin sister unexpectedly returns.

Carlene Caldwell, veteran of the Broadway stage, is devastated when she realizes that an unsuccessful throat surgery has spelled the end of her musical career. Searching for a new purpose in life, she retreats to Sycamores, her childhood home. She may not be able to sing, but she hopes to use her knowledge and experience to fashion a new life in Peculiar, the little town she left behind.

Haunted by a tragic romance, Magnolia Caldwell is the youngest of the Caldwell girls. Nolie has never wanted to live anywhere but Sycamores. She spends her days caring for her dogs and the magnificent gardens she’s created on the estate, but when she meets a man haunted by his own tragedy, she must find the courage to either deny her heart or cut the apron strings that tie her to a dear and familiar place.

Can these sisters discover who they are meant to be when life takes an unforeseen detour? In a season of destiny, three unique women reunite and take unexpected journeys of the heart.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

With nearly four million copies of her books sold worldwide, Angela Hunt is the bestselling author of more than one hundred books, including The Tale of Three Trees, Don’t Bet Against Me, The Note, and The Nativity Story. Hunt is one of the most sought-after collaborators in the publishing industry. Her nonfiction book Don’t Bet Against Me, written with Deanna Favre, spent several weeks on the New York Times bestseller list. Angela’s novel The Note (with sales of over 141,000) was filmed as the Hallmark Channel’s Christmas movie for 2007 and proved to be the highest rated television movie in the channel’s history. She often travels to teach writing workshops at schools and writers’ conferences, and she served as the keynote speaker at the 2008 American Christian Fiction Writers’ national conference. She and her husband make their home in Florida with mastiffs. In 2001, one of her dogs was featured on Live with Regis and Kelly as the second-largest dog in America.

You can read more at her blog, A Life in Pages, where right now Five Miles South of Peculiar is the Book of the Month and she shares about writing this novel.

MY THOUGHTS:
I always look forward to a new book by Angela Hunt, and from the moment I read the title and that first tagline, If these three sisters don’t change direction, they’ll end up where they’re going, I knew I was going to be hooked on this story! Don't let the three suitcases on the cover fool you: this tale has more baggage than a Samsonite warehouse! Hunt unpacks the complicated relationships that exists between these sisters, forcing them to revisit memories tucked away and reveal secrets long hidden. I love the characters in this novel; Darlene, Carlene, and Magnolia (Nolie) and others within the story seemed to step straight off the pages as I read. Hunt expertly alternates between the voices of each of the sisters, providing glimpses into their wounded hearts as they wrestle not only with each other but with the woman in the mirror, discovering her to be just as flawed as the sisters she resents and accuses. Each sister must not only forgive but seek forgiveness if she is to move beyond her current situation and learn what love really means. The resolution had a turn I didn't predict and left me with a smile. Put Five Miles South of Peculiar on your summer reading list; don't miss this riveting novel, available tomorrow, June 5!

FIVE MILES SOUTH OF PECULIAR LAUNCH

To celebrate the release of Five Miles South of Peculiar enter the contest where you could win a Kindle touch, preloaded with at least four books from some of Angela's author friends (Terri Blackstock, Robin Lee Hatcher, and Tamera Alexander), PLUS an autographed copy of Five Miles South of Peculiar, PLUS a copy of "The Apron Book," a book about aprons that includes a pattern for making your own, PLUS a beautiful new apron sewn by Angela Hunt!

Five other winners will receive an autographed copy of Five Miles South of Peculiar and a beautiful apron.

Details can be found here.



Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from Howard Books as part of their Blogger Review program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. 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.”