Happy Release Day!
Congrats Bette
on the release of
When I Last Saw You!
When I Last Saw You by Bette Lee Crosby
Family Life Fiction, 329 pages
Published May 4th 2021 by Bent Pine Publishing
From USA Today Bestselling Author Bette Lee Crosby comes a powerful southern saga based on a true story… Betrayal and secrets tore her family apart decades ago, now a lonely widow must search for the pieces of her broken childhood.
GEORGIA, 1968 - Margaret Rose McCutcheon has just buried her husband and must now name a beneficiary for their estate in case of her demise. She is hard-pressed to do so because there is no one. No children. No family. At least none to speak of. At one time, she had two sisters and six brothers, but the lot of them were scattered to the four winds, with no one knowing where the others went. In the hope of finding at least one of her siblings, Margaret hires a detective and sets off on a journey to uncover the truth of why the family broke apart as it did.
WEST VIRGINIA, 1901 – When Eliza Hobbs gives birth to her sixth child, her husband is not there to welcome his daughter into the world. No surprise, because Martin is seldom there. He works in Charleston and returns to Coal Creek only when he has a mind to. Yes, he sends money on occasion, but seldom enough to make ends meet. Although Eliza believes each new child a blessing, he sees them as yet another responsibility on his already overloaded shoulders. When he discovers another child is on the way, he demands she get rid of it. he stops returning home and there is no more money.
Left with the children, a mountainside patch of land, and a house in sorry need of repair, Eliza seeks help and turns to someone powerful enough to hold sway over Martin and force him into providing for his family. Pushed to the brink, Martin does something unforgivable and the family is forever torn apart.
Now, after all these years, will Margaret be the one to find the pieces of her broken family?
My thoughts about When I Last Saw You ~~
(I love to note the first lines of the books I'm reading. First lines can really grab a reader's attention and I love seeing where the author takes the reader after their first lines.)
First line—"I lost Albert a week ago Friday. It happened in the blink of an eye. One minute he was on the telephone arguing with a client; the next he was face down on the desk, dead."
Bette Lee Crosby has done it again! She has created wonderful characters who I fell in love with and an interesting setting and time that captured my imagination.
Eliza Hobbs' life is a hard one, not just the time that she was living in, 1901, but then to have a cheating, abusive husband on top of it. But she created a loving family and embraced her many children. She eventually had to do what was best for them and split them apart, which broke my heart. Years later, one of her daughter sets out to find her long lost siblings.
The story of Margaret's quest to find her brothers and sisters uncovers plenty of family drama but also reveals a whole lot of love. When I Last Saw You will take you on a touching, emotional journey—one that fill your heart.
I absolutely loved When I Last Saw You, which I knew I would because I have loved all of Bette's story. She truly has the gift of storytelling and whenever I start one of her books, I know I'm going to get lost in her world and fall in love with her characters. I highly recommend this beautiful, heartwarming story!
I received an ARC of When I Last Saw You and this is my honest opinion.
About the author
"Storytelling is in my blood," Crosby laughingly admits, "My mom was not a writer, but she was a captivating storyteller, so I find myself using bits and pieces of her voice in most everything I write."
It is the wit and wisdom of that Southern Mama Crosby brings to her works of fiction; the result is a delightful blend of humor, mystery and romance along with a cast of quirky charters who will steal your heart away. Her work was first recognized in 2006 when she received The National League of American Pen Women Award for a then unpublished manuscript. She has since gone on to win twenty awards for her work; these include: The Royal Palm Literary Award, the FPA President's Book Award Gold Medal, Reader's Favorite Award Gold Medal, and the Reviewer's Choice Award. ~ Goodreads
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