A woman returns to her small southern hometown in the wake of her mother’s sudden death—only to find the past upended by stunning family secrets—in this intimate debut novel, written with deep compassion and sharp wit. “A deeply moving work of Southern fiction that will appeal to fans of Where the Crawdads Sing . . . a story to remember long after the last page is turned.”—Susan Wiggs, #1 New … turned.”—Susan Wiggs, #1 New York Times bestselling author of The Lost and Found Bookshop
Lila Bruce Breedlove never quite felt at home in Wesleyan, Georgia, especially after her father’s untimely demise when she was a child. Both Lila and her brother, Henry, fled north after high school, establishing fulfilling lives of their own. In contrast, their younger sister, Abigail, opted to remain behind to dote on their domineering, larger-than-life mother, Geneva. Yet despite their independence, Lila and Henry know deep down that they’ve never quite reckoned with their upbringing.
When their elderly mother dies suddenly and suspiciously in the muscadine arbor behind the family estate, Lila and Henry return to the town that essentially raised them. But as they uncover the facts about Geneva’s death, shocking truths are revealed that overturn the family’s history as they know it, sending the pair on an extraordinary journey to chase a truth that will dramatically alter the course of their lives. The Sweet Taste of Muscadines reminds us all that true love never dies.
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I inhaled this book. Rarely has a story or an author impressed me more. Pamela Terry is destined to be a rising star in the literary world.
The Sweet Taste of Muscadines is an extraordinary and sensorial journey both geographically and emotionally. Pamela Terry offers a powerful wallop of drama, humor, and grief, all gorgeously wrapped in evocative language… A story of family and of courage that begs to be read more than once.
The Sweet Taste of Muscadines is a deeply moving work of Southern fiction that will appeal to fans of Rebecca Wells and Delia Owens. Yet Pamela Terry’s delicious mix of long-held secrets and hard-earned redemption is a unique journey into the heart of a family. A story to remember long after the last page is turned.
A STORY OF FAMILY & HOME
“Maybe home is more something you carry inside you than the ground on which you stand.”
Lila (Bruce) Breedlove and her brother Henry grew up in the small Southern town of Wesleyan, Georgia. Both of them fled for the North as fast as possible after high school where they established successful and fulfilling lives of their own. Their younger sister, Abigail, opted to stay right there in Wesleyan and dote on their over the top, domineering Mother, Geneva. When Geneva dies suddenly and suspiciously, Lila and Henry must return to their hometown. Upon their arrival, they are astounded by new facts that learn about their Mother’s death. This sends them on a journey of discovery to find the truth that will forever change the course of their lives.
Author Pamela Terry’s debut novel is a wonderfully woven tapestry of a family’s past, present and future. Terry carefully unfolds the truths, layer by layer and throws in a bit of suspense along the way. She manages to tackle the topics of family, love, overreaching expectations, religion, friendships that withstand the tests of time, and the consequences of deeply buried secrets and the consequences they caused.
“Home” plays such an important aspect in this novel. When Lila and Henry returned home after their Mother’s mysterious death, they realized how much they had taken their friends and their Mother’s friends for granted. They realized anew exactly who they could rely on without even having to ask! They also realized the toll that staying had taken on their sister. Yet, beyond a shadow of a doubt, they knew they would all get through whatever they might have to face because of the lessons they learned from HOME.
I was provided a complimentary copy of this novel by Random House Publishing & NetGalley. The opinions expressed here are completely my own and without influence.
This moving novel reminds us of the necessity of love, the value of family connection, and the redeeming light of forgiveness. Pamela Terry seems to have a second sight, one that allows her to really see the secret workings of the heart. She writes with humor, elegance, and grace about subjects as universal and diverse as humanity itself.
Lovely, lyrical, and often profound, The Sweet Taste of Muscadines is women’s fiction at its finest and then something more. The search for truth re: the narrator’s family on the backdrops of Wesleyan, South Carolina and a remote island off the coast of Scotland is breathtakingly visceral, in an engaging, emotionally evocative story with a strong sense of place. Secrets within a family dynamic lure the reader through this wonderful book!
Why would Geneva be out in the muscadine grove with a spoon in her hand when they found her. What even possessed her to go there in the night?
Geneva’s three grown children were puzzled about why, but did one of them have an idea?
Lila and Henry hadn’t been back to their Southern hometown in Wesleyan, Georgia, for ten years.
Abigail had never left Wesleyan and was the one who found their mother the morning she stopped to pick her up for their breakfast outing.
Abigail was the one who was most out of sorts especially since her mother didn’t want a formal funeral. Abigail couldn’t understand why because that was just what you did.
We follow the children as they unravel the lives of their parents and try to make sense of it all.
The writing in THE SWEET TASTE OF MUSCADINES is absolutely marvelous, beautifully detailed, and pulls you in just like the taste of sweet tea and Southern charm.
If you grew up in the South, you will love this entertaining book that has life-changing, heartbreaking secrets revealed after many years. It is truly an enjoyable, thoughtful read.
If you have ever been to Scotland, this book will also take you back to its magic and beauty.
A do-not-miss, heartwarming read. 5/5
This book was given to me by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
The Sweet Taste of Muscadines is one of those rare books that you want to read fast to find out how it ends but you also want to read it very slowly so that you don’t miss any of the beautiful writing. Believe me when I say that the writing is exquisite. Not only are the characters well written and believable but the scenery is so well described that you feel like you are there — sweating in the sun in the south and cold on the windswept island in Scotland. This book was my last read of 2020 and will be on my top 12 books of the year (out of the 215 books that I read.)
Lila, her brother Henry and her sister Abagail grew up in Wesleyan, Georgia with their mother. Their beloved father died when they were very young and they were raised by an often-disapproving mother. Both Lila and Henry left home as soon as possible while Abagail stayed home and lived a life as a best friend to her mother. Lila moved to a remote island in Maine and Henry to NYC. When they receive a call from Abagail that their mother has died, they both reluctantly return home. When they find out more about her death – that she died in the muscadine arbor with a digging spoon in her hand, they work to find out answers to the questions around her death. The more they find out, the more confused they become until their search threatens to destroy the foundation that their childhood was built on. As their search takes them to Scotland, they re-discover the importance of love, family and forgiveness.
“Maybe home is more something you carry inside you than the ground on which you stand.”
I read this book on Kindle but have a hard copy book on order. I need to read it again and underline all of the beautifully written phrases. The writing was so beautiful that a lot of the book will end up highlighted. This was a debut for this author and I can’t wait to see what she writes next.
“So much hurt in the world, and for so many years. All over who people love.”
I was definitely caught up in this story! It is most definitely an absorbing read!
This family, with so many secrets, mysteries and sadness that need to be discovered and spoken about; yet, have been deeply hidden for many, many years!
Three adult children return to their home town when their mom departs the world in a precarious way.
What is it that this family has to discover in order to heal together?
Will this mystery be solved?
This novel is brilliantly written with the descriptions of the grounds, flowers, and journey of these characters coming alive as we attempt to resolve the hurt that has been hidden!
I will be looking for more of Pamela Terry’s future books! Excellent!
I have been reading this book off and on for months. The struggle is just too real for me trying to read this. I’m sure most find the story beautifully written, I find too much has been written. I don’t need the big, long descriptions of every single thing. Will I finish the book? I don’t know. I received a copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher.
Not what I was expecting.
i wasn’t sure i was going to like this but after a little while became very interesting
I loved this book. Made me feel that I lost something not being brought up in the south! Could not put it down.
The Sweet Taste of Muscadines came to me as the perfect escape. A wonderful debut novel, with everything from a dysfunctional family to a rich cast of characters.
I was enthralled by Pamela Terry’s gorgeous debut novel about the pleasures and perils of family and the enduring nature of love. Give yourself the gift of imagining the fragrances of magnolia and pine while savoring The Sweet Taste of Muscadines.
This was a fabulous read. I’ve hit a rough spot lately so this was truly an extra special treat. It is smart, well written and will kept me in my seat. I lost track of time and that rarely happens. It’s about family, secrets, lies and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. Three siblings are having to deal with the sudden and somewhat suspicious death. It is during the time when they all realize that much of what they’ve been told and believe is not at all real. There are so many layers and all is so masterfully written that just when you think you know what’s going on, the next page upends it all and you need to regroup. Do yourself a big favor and get a copy of this book. You’ll be glad you treated yourself. I very much look forward to whatever comes next from this truly gifted author.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.com in exchange for a fair and honest review. My thanks to NetGalley, Pamela Terry and Ballantine Books for the gift of an opportunity.
The Sweet Taste of Muscadines is an interesting debut novel – and one I’m not going to dive into with details. This time you need to discover anything beyond the cover description on your own. There are secrets to be discovered, secrets that will affect a family forever… and secrets should never be given away in a review.
I enjoyed the experience but feel that this time my rating is going to have to do the talking for me.
*I received an e-ARC of this novel from the publisher via NetGalley. That does not change what I think of this story. It is my choice to leave a review giving my personal opinion about this book.*
This is a wonderful book. I was hooked from the very beginning, as Lila says “The first time mama died…” It was an engaging read, and I honestly read it in one night, as I couldn’t put it down.
Lila never felt like she was a part of the town Wesleyan, Georgia, especially when her father died overseas while in the service. Her mother, Geneva, was the epitome of a Southern lady, and Lila felt like she was a constant disappointment to her. As soon as Lila was able, she moved to the East coast to pursue her education, where she met and fell in love with her husband and moved to Maine. Lila’s brother Henry followed his sister to the East coast and became a successful art gallery owner there. Lila’s younger sister, Abigail remained in Georgia near Geneva. Abigail had no problems fitting into the role of the Southern lady and Geneva’s best friend.
One day, Lila learns that Geneva has passed away unexpectedly in unusual circumstances. As Lila and Henry return to the town they always felt apart from, they learn some life-altering secrets that their mother kept from them.
The secrets lead Henry and Lila on the journey of a lifetime. I loved this book. I love Lila and Henry. Their relationship is so sweet and they both recognize how lucky they are to have each other. I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a great fiction novel.
I won this book as an ARC in a Goodreads giveaway
When I read, I tend to skim right over a lot of the descriptions, scenery, etc. I take in just enough to get a sense of place. I cannot stand audiobooks, because they are interminably slow and NEVER-ENDING when all the fluff is read. HOWEVER, I read every word, every description, everything in this book. The writing was that good. Terry has a real gift for providing just the right amount of information, couched in the some of the most lyrical prose I have read. I almost never do highlights when I read, and yet I have multiple highlights from this book because I wanted to remember a certain turn of phrase. I loved the story, which had enough twists and turns to keep it interesting, enough eccentric characterization (just a touch) to make it fun, and a real sense of the south, with some of our favorite quirks on view as well as our warmth. Terry provided her characters with vibrant personalities without detailing them to death, and the story-line was quite engaging. I can’t believe this is her first book, and I will be anxiously waiting for her next.
This is the first novel by author Pamela Terry and certainly did not feel like a first novel!! The writing was evocative. You felt like you were in Georgia on a hot summer day. I was a bit suspect regarding the length of the book…but each page went more quickly than the one before as I raced to the end. It was the exact number of pages needed to tell this story ranging over decades.
A number of difficult subjects were discussed, suicide, homosexuality, death, and the ‘normal’ family and small town secrets. The biggest secret was one I didn’t see coming.
I was not anticipating the ending and it was perfect! Read this book. It is just that good!