To keep devastating family secrets from being revealed, a young mother lies, but her secrets could end up destroying everything, and everyone, she loves. The Memory of Butterflies is a poignant story of family and forgiveness–of knowing when to let go and when to hold each other close.Hannah Cooper’s daughter is leaving for college soon. The change is bittersweet. A single mother since the age … single mother since the age of eighteen, Hannah isn’t eager to confront the pain of being alone, but she’s determined not to let her own hang-ups keep Ellen from the future she deserves. As Ellen’s high school graduation approaches, Hannah decides it’s time to return to her roots in Cooper’s Hollow along Virginia’s beautiful and rustic Cub Creek.
With the help of longtime friend Roger Westray, Hannah devotes her energies to building a new house on the site of the old family home, destroyed in a fire more than a decade ago. But Hannah’s entire adult life has revolved around one very big secret. And her new beginning comes with unanticipated risks that will cost her far more than she could have imagined–perhaps more than she can survive.
When a confrontation forces Hannah to expose her secret, the truth may destroy her beloved daughter. Hannah is prepared to sacrifice everything to protect her family, but can their lives and their bond withstand the seismic shift that’s coming?
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The characters and settings of this book are extremely authentic and well written. Greene has a charming style of telling the story in a truly believable Southern voice. The secret that Hannah hides is one that can tear a family apart and Greene does not sugar-coat the issue.
The Memory of Butterflies is an emotionally gripping tale of a mother’s love and the secret so great it threatens to destroy her world. Grace Greene masterfully captures the beauty and isolation of Cooper’s Hollow and enriches it with deftly created characters that tug at your heartstrings. A beautiful story, beautifully told.
The power of a mother’s love can overcome everything…until secrets and betrayal threaten what means the most. In The Memory of Butterflies, Grace Greene weaves a captivating tale of loss, love, and forgiveness.
Exploring themes of motherhood and the secrets we keep from those we love, this book is beautiful and haunting. This would be a great choice for book clubs, as it brings up a lot of questions and discussion points.
I loved the characters in this book. Even though I definitely wouldn’t have made the same decisions, the author kept the characters true to themselves. This book had it all, laugh out loud; oh my what’s going to happen; and, of course, tears. The author wrapped up the story line just enough for closure, but not too tight to leave no room to continue the story.
Hannah Cooper leads a simple life. She follows simple rules that her grandparents followed; mind your own business and don’t let others dictate who you are. She thought all was well. She was raising her daughter, Ellen, to the best of her ability. All was well until the secrets she had been harboring for years finally started crashing down on her. This story is one of unconditional love a mother has for her daughter and one you must add to your a summer reading list!
A fantastic read. I love how past decisions and regrets are integrated with current events. I really enjoy the characters, especially the family bond. Well written and emotionally charged.
Although it is not a sob story, be warned as you may need a good supply of Kleenex 🙂
This book is now going on “my favorites” list, it’s captivating and touching and simply wonderful!
Hannah’ story shows both the strength and the vulnerability of the human nature. Is doing “the right thing” without consequences? Is avoiding hurting the loved ones worth the sacrifice? Does the “right thing” always guarantee a happy ending? Hannah’s choices seem easy given the circumstances, but are they?
One thing that is so clear throughout the story is the love of family, both received and given. The lessons prior generations give us should not be taken for granted. The partial truth is sometimes the best answer, even if just for the moment.
I also liked the unexpected twists in the story. Many novels are more or less predictable on “what’s next” or “why”, but this one had quite a few surprises.
If that place is real, I wish some day I can see it with my own eyes.
“Brimming with heartrending choices, The Memory of Butterflies celebrates the unshakable bonds of parental devotion in an uplifting tale of love’s ability to heal the deepest wounds and silence the darkest regrets.”
Keep my interest. I loved it.
Grace Greene’s writing is impeccable! She just gets it. She weaves stories that draw me in from page 1. She understands the human condition. I absolutely loved The Memory of Butterflies. It is moving on so many levels. Love, loss, acceptance, the list goes on and on. Once again, I find myself having to take little emotional breaks with this book. That’s not a bad thing. It means I’m so emotionally invested in the story that I need to calm myself down before continuing. With that said, I still finished in 2 days. The characters are real and imperfectly beautiful. I cannot recommend this book enough, or anything by Grace Greene.
Powerful thought provoking and emotional
story!!
Many issues ran throughout the story, such
as: loss and grieving, secrets, deceit, choices.
family issues, fear to love, forgiveness, lies,
friendship, personal growth, transition, truth,
faith and love.
Hannah Cooper’s life starts in Cooper’s Hollow
which is located along Virginia’s beautiful and
rustic Cub Creek. It is here where she makes
choices that will keep her aloof from others
until the point where she must wipe the slate
clean. Her life as she knows it, love, and
happiness are on the line. What choice will
she make this time?
Intricately woven story creates an utterly
believable storyline that will keep the reader
engrossed up to the last page.
The deep characterization will allow the reader
to loose themselves in these characters. You
will be sympathetic to their situation or plight.
The characters were well fleshed, well
developed plus very realistic. They were
broken people with secrets past trying to keep
them hidden.
You will accompany them on their road to
freedom, independence and redemption.
The fluid description will put the reader as
a part of the story. The running water of the
creek, the field of butterflies, the family
cemetery, working with clay to form treasures,
city living versus country living are so deftly
defined to warm the heart with wonderment.
I will always think of the contents of this book
whenever I see a butterfly?
Overall good development with superb creative
writing and colorful detail. This story will stay
with the reader long past the final word. It is
a keeper.
I volunteered to read The Memories of Butterflies.
Thanks to the author via Net Gallery for the
opportunity. My opinion is my own.
The Memory of Butterflies by author Grace Greene is one of the best books of this year! The pages are filled with family secrets, family devotion, and the devastating fallout for all involved when certain truths becomes known.
Hannah’s grandparents raised her after the deaths of her parents when she was a child. So, Hannah postpones going to college in order to care for her aging grandmother. Although Hannah is mostly isolated from friends, she is invited to attend a party with people she knew from school. This will begin a chapter in Hannah’s life for which she is unprepared.
I do not want to post spoilers, so I will summarize this review by saying the events in Hannah’s life are heartbreaking and the more she tries to cope with the disappointments, the more entangled her truths are intertwined with her lies. Hannah gives her whole life as a caregiver to her grandmother and then to her child, but it is not enough to stop the coming storm of unraveling truths which could destroy her relationship with her daughter. Is it acceptable to lie if the reason is justified and seems to be the best course of action for those you love? A very good story with so many twists!
The Memory of Butterflies by Grace Greene is a moving story of family, secrets and forgiveness. To keep the family secrets hidden, a young mother lies, but when her secrets are forced to be revealed, it could end up destroying everything and everyone she loves. Hannah Cooper’s daughter, Ellen, is leaving for college soon. The change is bittersweet as she desires her daughter to have the opportunities she was forced to give up but she also isn’t eager for life alone. As Ellen prepares for her senior year and college, Hannah rebuilds the family home that was destroyed in a fire and returns to her roots in Cooper’s Hollow along the beautiful and rustic Cub Creek in Virginia. With the help of her longtime friend, Roger Westray, Hannah begins shifting through the ashes. Soon the secrets she fought hard to keep hidden rise from the ashes and when one rumor circulates, Hannah is forced to reveal her secrets. Can they survive the earth shattering truth?
Once again, Grace Greene writes a story with a tough subject with realism and heart. There is no clear heroine or villain. Sometimes with life’s choices, there are no winners or losers. You feel for Hannah as she is faced with difficult choices as a young woman and now as a mother who raised her daughter alone. It’s easy to see the “should have done” choices but what would you have done in Hannah’s shoes? As one character points out, “Life doesn’t always lend itself to clear, easy choices.” There is one particular scene near the end that had me crying my eyes out as Hannah finally faces the pain she has been pushing aside for so long and the realization that she needs to stop hiding, to stop running and face what may come. The reactions and emotions portrayed by the characters are very realistic. It was a fast read. I finished it in a few hours as I couldn’t put it down. I recommend The Memory of Butterflies.
The Memory of Butterflies is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook.
A beautifully written story of love, loss, broken hearts, small towns, judgments and what family will do to protect those they love.
What a position Hannah is put herself in. As a young girl, excited about going to college, makes some life-altering choices. Hannah was put in adult positions before she was ready and made choices that she could not have imagined the outcomes for. She takes all that is thrown at her and does the best she can until she must tell her daughter about her life. She knows that telling about her past and the choices she made can change her daughter’s future.
Whatever choices Hannah made and continue to make, no one can doubt her love for her daughter. Ellen is her everything. Every choice, every decision, everything Hannah has done is so that her daughter will be happy, successful, and loved. I could feel my heartache as she wrestled with how much to tell her daughter knowing that what she has to say would change their relationship forever.
The Memory of Butterflies is a heart-wrenching story of the love a mother has for her daughter and the lengths she will go to protect her. The characters are not perfect, their circumstances difficult, but their love is strong and pure.
Emotional read.
This book drags your heart around quite a bit. The characters are easy to feel for, and boy did I!
The Memory of Butterflies by Grace Greene was a great book. Secrets can dig you into a hole you can’t get out of. Hannah has covered up secrets for too long and these secrets are revealed as you learn her history. You wonder if put in the same position, would you have handled it differently? And how can she tell her daughter the truth? This was an emotional book and I enjoyed the characters and how the story unfolded.
The plot is original and interesting, if sometimes predictable. I had to take a break now and then because the emotions seemed melodramatic and lengthily described, to me. But, I was interested in the characters just enough to finish the story.
This was a wonderful warm story about personal choices and their impact on lives. Also describes strong women who manage through generations despite obstacles.
It was just OK for me. I didn’t think the story line was realistic and the ending was rather predictable.