'Under the Magnolias,' by T.I. Lowe | Book Review
About Under the Magnolias
Via Amazon
This night not only marked the end to the drought, but also the end to the long-held secret we’d kept hidden under the magnolias.
Magnolia, South Carolina, 1980
Austin Foster is barely a teenager when her mama dies giving birth to twins, leaving her to pick up the pieces while holding her six siblings together and doing her best to stop her daddy from retreating into his personal darkness.
Scratching out a living on the family’s tobacco farm is as tough as it gets. When a few random acts of kindness help to ease the Fosters’ hardships, Austin finds herself relying upon some of Magnolia’s most colorful citizens for friendship and more. But it’s next to impossible to hide the truth about the goings-on at Nolia Farms, and Austin’s desperate attempts to save face all but break her.
Just when it seems she might have something more waiting for her—with the son of a wealthy local family who she’s crushed on for years—her father makes a choice that will crack wide-open the family’s secrets and lead to a public reckoning. There are consequences for loving a boy like Vance Cumberland, but there is also freedom in the truth.
T. I. Lowe’s gritty yet tender and uplifting tale reminds us that a great story can break your heart . . . then heal it in the best possible way.
Release Date: May 4, 2021
Publisher: Tyndale House Publishers
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My Review
Confession: I almost set this book aside, after reading some early descriptions of the "First Church of the Riff-raff" and, admittedly, side-eyeing a bit. Where was this book going to go? What did I sign up for? Little did I know I'd learn a few lessons about myself while reading the book. Turns out I could learn a thing or two from said church. Who knew life could imitate art?
T.I. Lowe is a welcome voice in today's Christian-fiction realm. Under the Magnolias is not romance-driven, per se, though there is some of that. I found it much more plot- and character-driven, getting to know a family, life, and town very, very different from my own. Lowe confronts tough topics head-on; I appreciate how she pulls the rug back on many a hard-to-bring-up subject and uses historical fiction to pave the way for present-day conversations.
Excellent read, recommended for fans of Robin W. Pearson.
(Also, can I say what a beautiful book cover it has?)
I received an eARC of the book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.
About the Author
T.I. Lowe is an ordinary country girl who loves to tell extraordinary stories and is the author of nearly twenty published novels including her debut, LULU'S CAFÉ, a #1 bestseller. She lives with her husband and family in coastal South Carolina. Find her at Tilowe.com or on Facebook (T.I.Lowe), Instagram (Tilowe), and Twitter (@Tilowe).