4.75 out of 5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

An intense and heartbreaking novel told in the voices of three broken but strong women: Oretta, Gertrude, and Annie. Oretta is the hired kitchen help for Annie and her family, the Coles. Gertrude is running from a drunk, abusive husband, and is hired on as a sewer in Annie's The Women's Circle.

Oretta and her husband, Odell, had a daughter named Esther who died years earlier and have buried her on their property until such time as they die, and then they'll be buried together. Gertrude has three girls, the youngest of which is desperately sick as we enter this story. Annie and her husband, Edwin, have two grown girls and two grown boys. There was a third boy who died when he was twelve.

The secrets come in fast and hard in this Depression-era story, and I was desperate to get to the end to find out how it all panned out.

The author is very adept at drawing you in and making you feel for each of the women and their families. You feel their deep heartache, their violent desolation. As a storm makes its way for the small town, secrets begin to come to light, and the lives of all involved are irreparably changed.

The book was incredible. The voices were clearly independent and unique, and it almost felt as if three different authors wrote it, it was that well-written. There was a moment in the book when items part of a secret I didn't even see coming were revealed, and my heart and stomach just dropped. It was one of the most intense moments I have ever come across in any book, and I've read a lot. I am grateful for the tact and delicacy that the author maintained for this particular secret, as I do not feel as if I could have gone on if she had felt the need for shock and gory details.

I am grateful to have had the chance to read this epic family tale.

I was instantly drawn to this book when I read of the setting: 1920’s South Carolina just after the boll weevil infestation. I’m intrigued by any book about the South during the long-struggling period after the Civil War when there were dirt poor whites who still felt they were better than blacks due to their upbringing. I’ve always found it interesting that the white Southerners are normally depicted as rich and lazy, sitting on the veranda fanning themselves and sipping mimosas while the maids do all the real work. In reality, the overwhelming majority of Southern whites were poor, often much worse off than the blacks they were prone to judge.
This book gives us a colorful character of each discipline: the well-to-do lazy white, the trash-poor white and the hardworking black. We meet their families, walk in their shoes, and see the world through their perspective. What seems like the good life slowly evolves into the least favorable of all.
The paths of these three women cross and the unraveling events to follow are down to earth and easy to believe. This book will make you think of each lady for a long while after you’ve read the last sentence.
(I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review. Thank you to Harlequin – Trade Publishing for making it available.)

The novel is set in the 1920s in Shake Rag, a small black neighborhood in Branchville, NC. It revolves around 3 strong, courageous and independent women living in different circumstances, each with their own challenges. Each chapter is told through their voices.

Annie is married with 4 children - 2 sons, and 2 estranged daughters whose relationship she was trying to improve; Retta, a freed slave, works for Annie and had a daughter who died at 8 yo; and Gertrude is married to an abusive husband and is struggling to keep her 4 daughters safe. All of the women were trying to uphold their roles as mothers - the pillar and protector of their families. How much will they do to keep their families at harm's way?

A story of strong women overcoming hardships is right up my alley. But despite the many positive reviews here, I just didn't and couldn't enjoy this as much as I wished to. The characters fell flat for me - the structure of the characters was there, but the heart of it wasn't - felt like they were too perfect and clean, and weren't gritty and rough around the edges. Nobody really stood out. They were what you'd expect from strong women - they fight never flee, they toughen up never giving in, they give never expecting to receive, and did what was best for their children and loved ones.

The storyline was just OK for me. I wasn't really drawn to anyone's story more than the other. I tried to get myself more invested in the stories of the three women, but I just couldn't find the pull. It kind of felt like someone else was telling their story.

I did however appreciate how their stories were merged and linked, and how they viewed one another from their own perspective. From a reader's point of view, I saw how they needed each other more than they knew, to survive their circumstances.

What I did enjoy most was the end where the author shared the background story of the novel, and how she came about writing it. That was interesting, especially the part of her grandmother's sister (her mamaw) appearing as a bird as a proof that she was all right after her passing. And the author did see one, three times, over the course of one month. And this bird, a mockingbird, allowed her to hold it in her hands. I thought that was amazing and that it was possible that the afterlife is connected to the present.

That said, I'll still recommend this book to others whom I think might enjoy it more than I did.

Thank you Netgalley and Harlequin for providing me a free eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you netgalley for an ARC of this book. This is not the type of book I normally read but I'm so glad I did. The three main characters in this book are so different from each other with color, wealth, and status. this takes place in the south in 1924 when it was not socially acceptable for a wealthy white woman, a poor lower class white woman and a black woman to band together to raise children safely against very real evils that are still alive today. This was written with perfect descriptions of life in that era. I laughed. I cried. I think I may have prayed.

Finished this book last night. I really had a hard time putting it down and really enjoyed it. I loved the way the story was told from the perspective of 3 women in the same region but from vastly different backgrounds and circumstances. I had *lost* this book in the docs on my kindle and then found it recently and was immediately hooked. A great story about the strength of women.

I did receive an ARC of this book but the review/opinion is my own. :-)

Thank you to Harlequin and Net Galley for the chance to read and review this book.
This is the story of three women living in the south in the 1920's whose lives become connected. This story deals with several heavy issues-prejudice, racial tension and incest. I thought this book was very well written, but at times the story was very depressing. These women dealt with a lot of family problems, and would stop at nothing to protect their young. It took a lot of courage for them to do the things they did. I liked the end where the author explained where she came up with the idea for the story.

This book sang my song - three women, stories interrelated but three different perspectives, different hardships, all that jazz. Where the title derives from is also found buried in the book and I love that. Free advanced copy from Netgalley, comes out June 2019

Call Your Daughter Home had me hooked with the very first sentence. Killing an alligator is all about the “wait,” the author explains. Alligators become a metaphor for four evils that three brave women face who struggle to survive the swamps of the South in the 1920s after a boll weevil infestation cripples the cotton-dependent economy. Though they come from different walks in life, these three women find themselves tackling the same four evils—misogyny, poverty, racism, and pedophilia. Vivid imagery and emotional energy propelled me through the pages of this practically perfect story. The dialogue is descriptive and authentic. I heartily recommend this read to anyone interested in the history of the strength of women surviving the odds.

I would give this book 6 stars if they would let me. It is an incredibly beautiful book that is rich and textured in its depiction of the South in the early 1920’s. "Call Your Daughter Home" tells the story of 3 strong women who, while coming from different backgrounds, find their lives colliding and intersecting. The book tells of their journey in an unforgiving time where these women seek not only mere survival, but also grace, justice, and redemption. Throughout the book, the three main female characters display a goodness that is much larger and more defining than their often bleak circumstances. It is this goodness that allows the book to examine the dark circumstances of their lives without being either dark or depressing. Instead, it is a story of resilience and hope. At times the book read like poetry and felt like listening to a symphony, many beautiful little pieces put together to create a deep and moving experience that lasts well beyond the final note. And like a symphony, "Call Your Daughter Home" is a moving story that will continue to be thought-provoking long after the last word is read and the book is closed. I was honored to receive a free copy of this book from NetGalley and HARLEQUIN – Trade Publishing, in exchange for an honest review.

I really, really enjoyed this book. The storylines are very well distinguished so you don't find it difficult to keep up with whose story you're in. The writing is beautiful, I loved how well the author was able to handle the inner dialog of such different women. I think I finished it in less than two days, I was so pulled in.

The book follows the lives of three women, Gertrude a mother of four daughters and wife to an abusive husband. Annie, wife and mother, coming to terms with the breakup of her family. And Retta, first generation freed slave employed by Annie Coles family.

Rettas story while important to the book was at times (in my opinion) lacking. I wanted so much more from her story.
For me Gertrude saved this book, strong willed and hardened by life, tho dealt a rough hand never made excuses for herself.

This book had its ups and downs, some chapters I read so quickly, and others I could not get into.
The book itself was enjoyable but I probably would not recommend it.

Thanks to Harlequin and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

The setting of this book is 1924 South Carolina. The region is still recovering from the devastating boll weevil infestation that decimated the cotton crop and left a lot of wealthy plantation owners (and those that depend on them for work) in a lot of trouble. We meet Annie Coles, the matriarch of a well to do family where her husband and oldest son run the tobacco plantation (since their cotton crop is no longer an option). Annie runs a sewing circle with her son Lonnie, where they are at the beginning of a new venture of providing mens and womens clothing to stores throughout the south and Chicago. Retta, is a first generation freed black woman whose family was owned by the Coles and where she is currently employed. Lastly, there is Gertrude, a mother of four girls with an abusive, drunk of a husband. All three women have very different backgrounds, but end up becoming intertwined in ways they wouldn't have anticipated.

This is a very strong novel with great, great writing. There are many highlighted sections and quotes that I included in my Goodreads updates that really spoke to me. All three women are very independent and have a lot of gumption, which is refreshing since there are very tough topics and you never quite feel like they will be defeated. I think this is one of the better showcases of women triumphing when their male counterparts struggle and would be excellent required reading for all the boxes it checks.

I read this book very quickly and while it was a wonderful snapshot I was left wanting more. The Great Depression is just around the corner and with the great cast of characters, I think a sequel would definitely work. Who knows? Maybe Ms. Spera is watching and will consider the idea!

I was very taken from the start with this story of 3 women of different social and economic situations during the early 1920's. Love, abuse, grief, sacrifice, survival ..... you will be on a rollercoaster of emotions as you read each of their stories. The author does a very good job painting a picture of each of the women's lives as you are reading that you feel you are there in person.
If you are searching for a good historical fiction book and you are able to handle the emotion you will feel.. I recommend this one. I rarely give a book 4 stars unless it REALLY moves me or captures my attention all the way through. This one was definitely one of them and was so glad I was given the opportunity to have read it.

This is a haunting book of life in the South during the '20s. Family secrets and racial discrimination abound, and our 3 main characters must all make choices to protect the ones they love. An interesting look at a life and time I know nothing about, and I greatly enjoyed reading the afterward by the author, who provides a little more context and information about the setting.

I loved this book. The time period was evocative and the characters believable and real.
It is a story that will pull on you heart like The Help.

This is a story told by three women who lived in the same neighborhood in rural South Carolina before the Great Depression in the 1920’s. Annie is a rich white woman, Retta is a poor black woman and Gert is a poor white woman. At first it seems that these three women have nothing in common, but they come together to overcome a number of terrible injustices including racism, extreme poverty, abuse of power, and pedophilia. They each bring out the strength and grit in each other. This is a great book. It was written in a way that it was enjoyable and heartwarming in spite of all the hardships these three women and their families endured. I didn’t want to put this book down. I highly recommend it. I was provided an ARC of this book by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

"Sometimes I feel like a motherless child
Sometimes I feel like a motherless child
Sometimes I feel like a motherless child
A long ways from home
A long ways from home
True believer
A long ways from home
A long ways from home
Sometimes I feel like I’m almos’ gone
Sometimes I feel like I’m almos’ gone
Sometimes I feel like I’m almos’ gone
Way up in de heab’nly land
Way up in de heab’nly land
True believer
Way up in de heab’nly land
Way up in de heab’nly land
Sometimes I feel like a motherless child
Sometimes I feel like a motherless child
Sometimes I feel like a motherless child
A long ways from home
There’s praying everywhere" - African American Spiritual

This was not a pretty book. It was depressing, raw, gritty, and ugly. Much as the truth often is. I'm not sure there was even one page that was pleasing in regard to the storyline itself or the lives of the characters. This is not to say that it wasn't a pleasure to read such a wonderfully written book. It certainly was, and it was obvious that the author did her research and knew her topic well.

This is a fictional story told by three women in pre-depression South Carolina. They are Gertrude, Oretta and Annie. Their lives, while vastly different, are entwined and much the same in many ways. They are wives and mothers; they are products of the era and the places in which they lived, they are shaped by the actions of men who figure prominently in their lives. Each of these women meet death on an intimate level, through family members and friends. Sometimes they met death head-on and deliberately, and sometimes they try to hide from it. But they all know it well.

There is almost every kind of monster you can imagine in this book - murder, physical abuse, emotional abuse, bigotry, poverty, suicide, pedophilia. There is also a strong spiritual cover that lays over it all. I am not a religious person; however, this book would not be accurate in an historical sense or for the setting if religion was not included here. Not only that, the mysticism and beliefs among the main characters are critical to their actions throughout the story. Because of these reasons, I found the spirituality described as fascinating and compelling.

I appreciated very much the voices of the three women and the vernacular of the times and locale. There were many expressions that I highlighted in the book due to their beauty or uniqueness or even the fact that they resonate still today, so many decades later.

The book was originally entitled "Alligator," for reasons that are clear as the story is read. I received this as an e-book galley from NetGalley and Harlequin Trade Publishing and Park Row in exchange for my review. I thank them for this opportunity. 4 stars

Wow. Received an advance reader copy of this book from NetGalley & I’m so glad I did! This book was absolutely beautiful. Weaving family stories together, developing strong characters that stand alone, and staying true to the hardships the families endured for the time period...it was a winner of a book. I cannot wait for this book to be published so I can add it to my actual shelf- perfect for a book club, present or just a straight good book recommendation for the friend that doesn’t know what they like to read. LOVED THIS ONE.

Call Your Daughter Home is a tale of three women in the South during the 1920s. I wasn't sure what to expect from this book and was actually surprised at how much the story drew me in. You couldn't help but be caught up in the lives of these women from three different backgrounds and how they ended up coming together.

Loved loved loved this book. The characters are easy to love and the character development is so well written and developed. The hardships and trials these people face are written in a way that make you feel like you are living it with them. Highly recommend Call Your Daughter Home. Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced reader copy in exchange for an honest review.