Review: Falling Home by Karen White

Harriet twisted the gold wedding band around on her finger, her gaze focused far beyond the front porch and green grass.  “She loved him so much that she sacrificed everything she loved so he could be happy.”  Her eyes met her sister’s, her expression somber.

Cassie shook her head.  “Love isn’t about sacrifice.  It’s about meeting each other’s needs — it’s about companionship.  not to mention the fact that Miss E’s sacrifice makes Daddy sound incredibly selfish.”

“I don’t think Daddy was being selfish — because that’s not like him at all.  I don’t think he was given a choice.  I read that letter up in the attic, too.  It seemed that Miss E was doing everything she could to make sure Daddy didn’t find her.”  She pushed her hair out of her eyes, her gold band catching the sunlight.  “And I think you’re wrong about the sacrifice part.  Love is all about sacrifices — big and small ones.  It’s only when you know how much you could give up for somebody that you know what true love really is.”

(from Falling Home, page 230)

Karen White is my go-to author for Southern fiction.  Her endearing characters, emotional stories, and rich descriptions make me want to drop everything, move to a small town far below the Mason-Dixon line, and incorporate humorous phrases like “Butter my butt and call me a biscuit” into everyday conversation.  So when I was offered a copy of her latest release, Falling Home, I jumped at the chance to read it.  Falling Home was originally published in 2002, and this latest version has been revised to include two additional points of view.

Falling Home is, of course, a coming home story.  Fifteen years after leaving home, Cassie Madison is called back to Walton, Georgia, by a late-night phone call from her sister, Harriet.  Their father is dying, and Cassie must put her pride on the backburner and make peace with the past and the sister who stole her boyfriend so many years ago.  After all, she has several nieces and nephews she’s never met.  So Cassie leaves her stylish New York apartment, arrogant fiancé, and successful career behind to say goodbye to her father.

When Cassie learns she has inherited the family home, she stays longer than she’d planned to prepare it for sale.  And while Andrew waits for her to return home and is dismayed that her Southern accent has returned, Cassie must figure out how to rebuild her relationship with Harriet; manage her feelings for Sam, the local doctor and an old friend; uncover a secret her father harbored for years; and figure out where she stands in the battle of development vs. preservation.

Told in alternating points of view by Cassie, Harriet, and Harriet’s eldest daughter, Maddie, Falling Home is an emotional tale of family, love, and sacrifice that, despite being predictable, had me shedding a few tears by the end.  White’s love for her characters and the small, close-knit town setting shines through, and her easy writing style makes for a quick read.

Cassie, Harriet, and Maddie are all lovable and easy to relate to, and Walton has several eccentric characters, those types that have a special place in my heart for making me laugh.  The book made me think about all the places I’ve lived over the years and what home means to me.  I thought about my sister and how we’ve been living 8 hours away from one another for nearly a decade.  If you’re like me, you’ll need a box of tissues close by when you’re reading this one.  Falling Home is both humorous and serious, heartwarming and heartbreaking, but the emotional rollercoaster is definitely worth the ride.

Other Karen White reviews:

The House on Tradd Street
The Girl on Legare Street
The Lost Hours
On Folly Beach

Disclosure: I received a copy of Falling Home from Joan Schulhafer Pulbishing & Media Consulting. I am an Amazon associate.

© 2010 Anna Horner of Diary of an Eccentric. All Rights Reserved. Please do not reproduce or republish content without permission.

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