Almost Home: A Novel

Almost Home by Valerie Fraser Luesse is a magical book that captures the essence and charm of the South. At times, the story seemed so familiar, that I felt like I was reading about my own memories of Southern life. Luesse spins an intriguing tale of a woman who opens her Alabama home as a boarding house during World War II. The odd assortment of people who seek shelter there are ultimately changed by their host’s love and endearing charm. I thought it was very well written. Luesse’s characters are varied and complex enough to captivate. Even though this is a rather long book, the story moves at a good pace. I had a difficult time putting it down. There are several delightfully sweet romances. “As Anna’s tears subsided, Jesse’s hands were no longer comforting but reclaiming. The waters of the slough reflected a kiss, long and deep before Jesse carried Anna to her mother’s quilt and the two of them let the tall pines drink in their kisses and sighs and whispers.” Almost Home is a delightful book with a great cast of characters. I am looking forward to reading more by Luesse in the future.

Almost Home by Valerie Fraser Luesse has Dolly and Si Chandler opening their home to boarders during World War II. In April of 1944 Anna and Jesse Williams arrive in Blackberry Springs, Alabama and get the last bedroom available at the Chandler home. Jesse begins work at the local munitions factory which leaves Anna at loose ends and feeling homesick. Dolly takes Anna under her wing and introduces her to the other ladies in the house as well as the neighborhood women. Dolly and Si can see that the young couple need a help with their marriage and give them subtle nudges in the right direction. One day Dolly tells Anna the story behind the original owner of her home. Anna is intrigued when she learns that no one knows what happened to Catherine and Andrew Sinclair. She decides to look for the answers and maybe find the missing treasure along the way. Almost Home is a satisfying Southern novel. It is well-written with developed characters set in a charming small Southern town. Dolly Chandler has a gregarious personality. She is friendly and nurturing. Dolly and her husband, Si opened their home to help pay the property taxes. They also have a roller rink across the street with dancing and refreshments and Si is building a pond for people to swim in (for money, of course). Dolly has a way of making her boarders feel welcome. There was just one couple who did not fit in and Si soon took care of them (it was a hilarious scene). I liked the variety of residents in the home. There are two college professors, a veteran with PTSD, and a widower as well as Anna and Jesse Williams. There is also Daisy Dupree who becomes close friends with Anna and Lillian the blind woman who lives on the same street. I enjoyed the mystery of Catherine and Andrew. We learn what happened to the couple through diary entries. The search for the so-called missing treasure was great. I love how Almost Home ended. It is a Christian story with the most important lesson being that God should be a priority in our lives. We should put Him first and let Him guide us. All the storylines in Almost Home blended together into one lovely, heartwarming story.

Almost Home By Valerie Fraser Luesse Anna and Jesse Wiliams are looking for a fresh start after losing almost everything - between the Depression, the war, and the poor weather over the last few years everything has been in a downward spiral. But a chance for Jesse to find employment in a government munitions plant finds them leaving Illinois behind (hopefully temporarily) for Blackberry Springs, Alabama. Anna and Jesse find themselves renting a room from Dolly and Si Chandler. The home was once a grand showplace and has been in Dolly's family for several generations but times and taxes have taken a toll on the home. Dolly has turned her home into a boarding house to make the annual tax bill and she has an array of people calling her home theirs for the time being. There are Evelyn and Harry Hastings (professors from Chicago), Joe Dolphus (from Missippi), and the Clanahans (a most disagreeable couple from Reno). When a young man from Dolly's past needs a place to recover from the trauma of war she offers a room to Reed Ingram. Blackberry Springs is a tight-knit community that welcomes all the newcomers who are happy to call it home. And Dolly's home sits on something known locally as "the loop" and it is here that Anna finds new friends, especially Daisy Dupree who left what she knew behind falling the death of her beloved Charlie in the war. Daisy is almost as scarred by her pain as Reed and this pain seems to draw the two together in a mutual "I get your pain" sort of way. Almost Home is a more than just a WW2 era book that focuses on those who find themselves left behind. Rather this a book that focuses on forging on in the face of pain and loss. Looking for a chance to continue on. And there is a mystery one that focuses on the past of Dolly's house before her family came to call it home. The mystery centers on a young bride Catherine O'Dwyer and the man she married Andrew Sinclair. Following their wedding, the two disappeared with evidence pointing towards their deaths. But Anna isn't satisfied with this story and is determined to discover the truth behind their disappearance and if there is indeed pirate treasure hidden in Dolly's home. I highly recommend this book it is on a whole an enjoyable read. It is historical fiction but it also an examination of life and what makes us or breaks and how we can rise above that which pulls us into a dark place. This book is yet another example of Valerie Fraser Luesse's literary skills. I was provided a complimentary copy of this book by the publisher with no expectations but that I offer my honest opinion - all thoughts expressed are my own.