The Peach Keeper

I am amazed at how good books keep lining up to be read at exactly the time when their  "message" aligns with what's going on in my own life. For me, the past few months have been about authenticity -- trying to be truly myself -- and prioritising what really matters, and friendship is right up at the top of the list. My girlfriends are my lifeblood -- each one tapping into a different aspect of who I am and helping me nurture it so that every bit of me can be acknowledged and allowed to shine.

At different times, different friendships seem to come to the fore, like players on a stage emerging as scenes shift. We all need to know we are loved and we all have different gifts we give to each other. One friend teaches me industry, while another teaches faith; yet another shows me my spiritual path while somebody else mirrors back my physicality. It's so important that we do this for each other and so many of the books I've read recently have been about these invaluable relationships between women.

The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen has slightly less "magic" than her previous books, but is no less captivating for that fact. There are still little touches, like smells that each person "wears" having a particular meaning (for example, lemon pie = regret), and I love the fact that she has brought in a character from an earlier novel to interact briefly with this story. Ultimately, it's about love and friendship with a good thread of mystery running through it and how, as we become our true selves, we heal ourselves and that affects everyone around us -- even throughout our family history, bringing down the "stories' of earlier generations so that those women, too, can be set free. One line I loved was: "Willa said happiness means taking risks. And if you're not a little scared, you're not doing it right."!

If you haven't read any of Sarah Addison Allen's books before, you may want to start at the beginning and read your way through. (How I envy you!) I absolutely love her writing and the enchantment she weaves into all of her stories. They will transport you to the South and instil a little magic into your life. Sound good? Then, click here for more. My personal favourite is probably Garden Spells, but don't quote me on that...