Gina’s Review: Secrets of the Porch by Sue Ann Sellon

Secrets of the Porch
written by Sue Ann Sellon
published by Tate Publishing & Enterprises, 2014

find it here: (affiliate links) Barnes & Noble, Amazon, iBooks, Book Depository, Goodreads

Disclosure: I received a complimentary copy of this book in exchange  for an honest review.

Did I enjoy this book: I really liked this book. Secrets of the Porch made me think about faith, forgiveness, and love. I think one of the biggest themes is love. Yes, there’s romantic love, but there’s also a love for family and friends, love for God, and finding a way to love yourself. My favorite character is Lila. She is a strong woman with love running through her veins, and she has many layers. I think she made the book for me.

The only thing I don’t love about the book is how quickly the dramatic event happen toward the end. The whole thing seems to be thrown into the book to draw out something dark, but it seems out of place and out of character. The only thing I can think of is that maybe Sellon was hoping to use the event in order to add an emotional punch to Lila’s story. If that was the case, it worked, but I wish it had been done better.

Overall, I found myself happy that I read this book. It gave me that warm fuzzy feeling, just like a grandmother’s hug.

 

 

GOLDEN LINES

“Life doesn’t recognize far. What it does recognize is what isn’t.”

“Love doesn’t come when we’re ready, and sometimes it doesn’t even come when we need it most. It comes when it’s true, and time has no place in the framework of our lives.”

Would I recommend it: Yes, I think I would.

About the book – from Goodreads: How long can a person hold their secret safe? The agony alone is unbearable. This porch has a story, a life. It breathes with memories of love—and secrets.

Sixteen-year-old Sophie Mae Randolph, caught robbing a gas station with her boyfriend Gabe, avoids the juvenile detention center by accepting the Judge’s alternative: that she spend a year on a Nebraska farm with her grandmother, Lila, whom she has never met. None too happy at first, Sophie eventually settles into farm life and opens up to the love of her grandmother, a dog named Hunner, and a new boyfriend named Blake.

Along the way, Sophie realizes that not only does she have her secrets, but Lila does too.

When Gabe reappears, Sophie’s very life may be in danger. Will Sophie and her grandma share their deepest secrets, or will they hide in the shells they’ve created for so many year? Discover the transforming power of love and the Secrets of the Porch.