I have loved Ashley Farley's books and Nell and Lady is no exception. I want to thank Ms. Farley and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity and honor of reading an ARC of this amazing book.
The story is of the bonds of friendship between two mothers and their two daughters. The girls, Nell and Lady, promise to always be life long best friends,' "Together, forever. Let nothing or no one ever come between us." They sealed the pact with their secret handshake-fingers clasped together, thumbs and pointers forming the shape of a heart."'...... until one fateful night when their friendship falls apart. Secrets, resentments, fears, and accusations become a wall that seems insurmountable after years and years. My heart ached for the loss of what time took from them. The consequences of actions and then the choices that were made because of them that had my heart torn to pieces for them. This book is an emotional ride that left me realizing even more how important family, friendships and relationships are. Never to take for granted. This is a story of no matter how long or how far apart things can seem to be, love and forgiveness is stronger and can overcome when given the chance. I give this book a huge 5 stars for the wonderful characters and the caring way Ms. Farley writes about issues that can be difficult to address. Thank you!

"Together, forever. Let nothing or no one ever come between us."
This quote is between two young girls who are best friends and sisters- until they weren't.
Present day- Willa, her daughter Lady, and Willa's beloved granddaughter Regan live in a large estate in Charleston, South Carolina. They have not seen Nell in years and now that Willa is nearing the end of her life, she longs to reconnect to her long lost adopted daughter and learn what made her run from her family.
The secrets and hurt that occurred so many years past have separated this family and time is running out.
The angel is Mavis who can help Willa, Lady and Nell reconcile. They must listen to their hearts!
A beautiful novel of friendship, family and love!

A thought provoking story that takes place in Charleston, SC with a privileged white family who adopts her maid's daughter when she passes. Willa doesn't let her neighbors or friends decide that it looks bad to have a black girl living with her white family. Mavis was her best friend and knows she has to take care of Nell. The story provides a glimpse into race, privilege, heartbreak and rebuilding friendships broken.

Nell and Lady, by Ashley Farley, is a beautiful story of best friends, disappointment and loss, and of family—what it was, what it should have been but wasn’t, and what it, please God, could be again. Farley captivates readers with believable characters whose lives and stories are compelling and driven by their past. Nell is an amazingly strong and vibrant character--her emotions and actions resonate with readers. They are realistically and powerfully depicted as Nell tries to keep her life all neatly put together despite the desperate situations that had come her way and despite the anger she has harbored for decades. Lady, too, is portrayed realistically as she struggles with a broken life made tolerable through alcohol abuse. Their relationship, fractured many years before, had shaped their lived for a lifetime and now they are being forced to face the past. Was there a bridge strong enough to mend the horrific divide? And to be considered as well are two other best friends affected by the estrangement—their children, Booker and Regan. I loved the character of Mavis, housekeeper, nanny, forever friend. The story is riveting and moves quickly as the secrets and hurts from the past are revealed. It is permeated with love, drama, and emotional tension as the author tackles sensitive and gritty subjects—alcoholism, racism, cancer, physical abuse, heartache. Nell and Lady is a story from a talented author not to be missed.
I received a complimentary copy of the book and was not required to write a review. The opinions are my own.

HEARTRENDING!

Nell and Lady is a heartrending story spanning thirty years and three generations. Farley’s novel is set in Charleston, SC and involves two families who consciously chose to bind their lives together. The unusual thing is the two families are from different races - one is Lady’s wealthy white family and the other is Nell’s African American family (The Help) that works for them. “The Help” becomes “The Best Friend” & so do their children because they don’t think there is anything wrong with their friendship. One horrible episode changes everything and they become estranged for many years. This is a beautiful story of redemption in the truth, color doesn’t matter and love never fails. I was provided an ARC of this book by Lake Union Publishers. The opinions expressed here are completely my own and without influence. I have also preordered a copy of this book for my own personal library.

What an amazing story about friendship and family. This story is told over most of Lady and Nell's lifetime and starts when they're adults with kids about to graduate high school. It's about 2 girls who grew up together and were the best of friends and then sisters, about when friendship changes which in turns affects their entire life. The author tells a story about 3 generations and how one night affects everyone but when you can open your heart everything will come together again.