I enjoyed this romantic historical novel set alternately in 1916 and 1983. Somewhat twee / overly dramatic in places but well written and with a lovely sense of place. This was my first book by Karen McQuestion and I'll be looking up her other books.

This is kind of an old-fashioned book, and while that's not a bad thing, I wasn't so keen on the slut-shaming. The character whom it concerns IS very unlikeable and she does do a lot of stuff selfishly, and she did live in an age where women were supposed to be very shy and humble. She openly acts improperly because she wants to be happy and live life, though. The book felt quite judgy about this, and I wasn't fond of it at all. You can judge her for the manipulation and her selfishness and jealousy, but not the fact that she romanticizes relationships and wants to get into one as fast as possible.

That said, the rest of the characters in the book were also very simplified, they're either all good or all bad, there's pretty much no in-between. I prefer to read stories with more complex characters, but I do admit that this lends somewhat of a fairytale feel to the book, which might be what the author was going for.

Other than that, the plot is good, although easily predictable within the first few chapters. The main plot of the story IS very sweet and quite romantic, but in a sort of starcrossed, yet tragic way. It's not a bad way to tell a story at all. I gather that this book was simply written for older readers, and so I am just not the intended audience for it. It did leave a warm feeling in my heart, though - that I must admit.

I thank the publisher for giving me a free copy of the ebook in exchange to my honest review. This has not affected my opinion.

Set in two timelines - about family secrets. The story is a bit slow moving, but almost magical. It would be great for a book club discussion.

Wonderful story full of all the love and warmth of a true romantic novel. With the right amount of tension, good versus evil and a beautiful ending. Set in two timelines, it is a story of secrets, betrayals, and uncovering the mysties of the past.

Dovetail was surely one of a kind... I wasn't sure how or what direction the book was taking when a few hints of the Supernatural started occurring, but I think I've got it pretty much figured out 🤔😉💯 Either we're reading about reincarnation, or restless spirits influencing their younger familial generations, that's where I've ended up, what do you guys think is going on??

I really like the dual narrative and how it essentially allows for two stories being told throughout one book. The multiple POVs are a plus as well, it allows the reader to experience the thoughts and feelings of all the main characters, thus becoming invested in their individual plights and ultimate destinies.

I really enjoyed this ride, and I think you will too! The dose of suspense and mystery was juuuust right- just what I was looking for in my next read. I'm so glad it didn't disappoint. 4.5 gold stars for Dovetail!

Thanks Netgalley for giving me a copy of the PDF so that I can share my thoughts and feelings with y'all 💛

The vivid dreams Joe Arneson had nearly every night terrified both Joe and his family, who made the decision to have Joe committed to a psychiatric hospital in hopes of a solution. His father refused to have him released, and Joe was surprised when an elderly woman claiming to be his grandmother signed him out of the hospital and took him to her house in Pullman, Wisconsin. The woman, Pearl, offered him the opportunity to work for her, clearing out the house and sorting things for resale, and Joe jumped at the chance, although the little Pearl told him about the rift in the family bothered him. After meeting Kathleen, the owner of the second hand furniture store, Joe’s dreams became more specific and were as confusing as ever.

Pearl Bennett was very different from her sisters, and in 1916, that was not always a good thing. Her older sister, Alice, had taken over management of the house after their mother’s death, and though Pearl was often asked to help out, she rarely did, believing she was destined for an exciting life far away from Pullman. When a young man, John Lawrence, came to stay for the summer to work with the girls’ father, Pearl was determined to get his attention. John, however, only had eyes for Alice, and Pearl was jealous. After Alice’s death, Pearl felt horribly guilty, and paid the price for the rest of her life.

Told through alternating time periods, Dovetail is the story of Pearl Bennett Arneson and her shattered family, first by Alice’s death and then by the suicide of her husband, the estrangement from her only son, and the hopeful reconciliation with Joe, the grandson she just met. I liked Pearl, and felt she had experienced more than her share of heartache in her long life. This was an interesting story with well - developed characters, and I enjoyed my time in Pullman.

I loved how the characters were brought to life by their vivid descriptions in this novel! The story ties together two different times, today and years ago when Pearl was a young woman living at home with her siblings. The characters tie together in their own ways as they have their own ties to the past. The story focuses on family, love, and new beginnings. There are heart wrenching moments and beautiful moments throughout.

Dovetail by Karen McQuestion is time slip at its best. I have never read anything by this author and I was so impressed with her ability to tell a story in two time periods. The beginning of the story unfolded so beautifully and quickly hooked you in the story. And what a story! Full of heartache and pain, mistakes and regrets— it’s a fascinating read from start to finish. I highly recommend it. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

Dovetail by Karen McQuestion is an amazing story. Ms. McQuestion wrote a wonderful story which drew me right in, making me forget everything else and did not let me go until I turned the last page. This book is very well written book set in dual timelines which are perfectly woven together. The characters are well defined you feel as if they are standing right next to you. This was a very emotional read, keeping you turning the pages wanting to know what happens next. I highly recommend this book to readers of any genre.

This book. I wish there was a sequel or two. It just got me. The characters were amazing. The dual timeline (1916 and 1983) showed how Pearl became the woman she is. Family secrets can break a person. Holding on to them and the family house can almost destroy them. Now as Pearl is getting older and sicker she realizes it is time to put some things to rest. Joe Arneson does not realize what he is in for when his grandmother (who he thought was dead) rescues him from the hospital he was at. He is there because of his dreams....dreams that may help Pearl heal. Kathleen comes into the picture and helps Joe find his heart and Pearl her answers. To say more would be spoiler-y. This book was one of those books that makes you laugh, cry, get angry, and wish it was longer. DEFINITELY recommmend.
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

Joe has been in a mental health institution after his family was concerned that he kept having horrible nightmares and continually woke his family up with his screaming. The treatment he is receiving doesn't seem to be helping him. Suddenly, one night he is picked up by a grandmother he never knew he had. She takes him to her home where she no longer lives. She tells him she is dying and needs him to clean out the house so it can be sold. He starts working on the house with a list of instructions from her while she is living in an assisted living facility.
Joe meets Kathleen, who runs an antique consignment shop nearby, as he starts to move out old furniture. Kathleen is a brave woman who has left her abusive husband and is trying to make a new life for herself after her great-aunt left her the business in her will.
The story is told along two time lines: 1916 and 1983. The reader sees Joe's grandmother Pearl as a young girl and how she came to be the old woman she is in 1983. The author does a fabulous job of crafting characters, both good and evil. As time goes on Joe begins to understand some of the reasons for his weird dreams.
Ricky, Kathleen's abusive husband seems to follow the pattern of many of that type. It seems many of those type of men seem to have the same MO, which is very scary. It often makes me wonder if there's some genetic defect in such people.
The story of Alice and John from 1916 is a tender one and shows that it is easy to look beyond someone's past and care for them as a person. In 1916, it seems there was more an emphasis on who "your people" were.
Overall, DOVETAIL is a tale of hope and redemption. We all need to have some forgiveness in our hearts since old hurts tend to fester in those who have held grudges for a long time, despite the reason.
Thanks to Netgalley and Amazon Publishing for giving me a chance to read and review this book.

It's 1983 and pearl was beautiful once. She was born to a nice family in small town in Wisconsin 1899. Pearl married and had one son. Her husband died,a world war 1 veteran and she never remarried. She worked office jobs and lived on her own for as long as could. Pearl prays for her sister Alice. Alice died at nineteen. Joe is being discharged from the psychiatric facility.joe is twenty two years old. Joe had been at the facility for three months. Joe has a little sister Linda. Pearl has never met her grandson but has him discharged. Joe is having bad dreams that feel real and sleep walking that's why he was committed. I really liked joe and kathleen.pearl has made many mistakes but she's easy to like. I loved the connection of what was going on with the dreams and real life.

Dovetail was an enjoyable story. It is 1983 and Joe Arneson has been having four recurring and very life-like dreams, as if he was actually present for the events in the dreams and viewing the events through the eyes of one of the participants. He had temporarily moved back home with his parents and younger sister, but his family had worried because two of the dreams were frightening and he had woken up the family with his screaming. As a result, his father checked him into a psychiatric facility. Joe didn't believe he belonged there but had no way to leave until the day his "grandmother" came and secured his release; as far as he knew, his grandmother was dead, but he was not going to waste this opportunity to leave. He soon learned that Pearl, the woman who secured his release, was his grandmother, but that her son, Joe's father, was not on speaking terms with her due to past events, and had implied to Joe that she was dead. Pearl is dying and convinces Joe to stay in the former family home in the small town of Pullman, Wisconsin, for the summer in order to get the home ready to sell, offering to pay him far more than he could have received at the type of jobs available to him.

The story alternates between the present day (which is 1983 in this story) and 1916, when Pearl was a teenager, with a focus on the life of Pearl, her older sister Alice, and the other family members; Alice dies in tragic fashion in 1916 and that shapes the rest of Pearl's life. As Joe gets the house ready to sell, he, along with Kathleen, the owner of Secondhand Heaven, where many of the household items are going to be sold (and whose great aunt-Edna, the former owner, was the best friend of Pearl's sister, Alice) begin to explore the mystery of both his dreams and the past of Pearl and Alice. The author has events in the present (1983) parallel to some extent the events in 1916, with current events assisting in discovering the truth about the past. Dovetail is a story of love, loss, discovery, jealousy, anger, fear, and redemption.

I received a copy of the e-book via NetGalley in exchange for a review.

Dovetail by Karen McQuestion is a cross between a woman's fiction novel and a contemporary romance tale. The present part of the story is contemporary and the past part of the book is mostly women's fiction. I enjoyed digging deep into Pearl's past where events have haunted her. She's to the point where she doesn't have much longer to live and wants the truth and secrecy revealed. Her mind and heart are heavy with the way she lived her life. Her grandson, joe, is the main protagonist and has much to learn. His grandma wants to spend time getting acquainted. There is a lot to digest in this dual timeline book. However, the emotional pull and the mystery of what happened and how it affects Joe, caught my undivided attention. This was a wonderful story.

Pensive, heartwarming, and mysterious!

Dovetail is a captivating, moving tale that takes us into the life of Joe Arneson, a young man who after years of struggling with tormented dreams finally gets some closure and relief after moving to a new town, forging a relationship with a grandmother he never knew existed, embarking on a blossoming new relationship, and uncovering tragic memories and long-buried family secrets from the past.

The prose is fluid and smooth. The characters are troubled, complex, and genuine. And the plot, alternating between timelines and told from multiple perspectives is an absorbing tale of life, loss, love, family, guilt, grief, friendship, forgiveness, jealousy, obsession, and romance all interwoven with a thread of magical realism.

Overall, Dovetail is a compelling, thought-provoking, emotional novel by McQuestion that reminds us that often even the little choices we make often have far-reaching consequences, and sometimes, perhaps, things are truly just fated to happen.

A beautifully written family story told in dual timelines, this is a perfect read for fans of historical fiction that like a bit of a mix. The importance of family and the art of forgiveness blend to make a great read. This is the first book I’ve read from this author but it won’t be my last. PICK.

#NetGalley #Dovetail #Lake Union Publishing

Written in dual timelines, this story is very well written. Family secrets revealed, regret, forgiveness, with a bit of romance. A very enjoyable book!

I know a book is good when I keep thinking about the characters when I’m not reading. This was the case with this story. I fell in love with all of the characters, even the couple I loved to hate. In fact, I think I loved those the most. The writing was wonderful, and I really enjoyed the supernatural element. Highly recommend this story!!

It is a beautiful book written in parallel in 1916 and 1983 following the unfolding of two love stories, though the latter didn't realize it until towards the end.

Joe Arneson is haunted by dreams that leave him emotional distraught. The dreams cause him so much distress that his family has him admitted for treatment into the mental hospital. Joe knows that no amount of therapy is going to take away these dreams...because unlike any dream before, in these dreams he seems to be watching them unravel from the perspective of the man in the dream. He feels what this man feels, the love for the faceless woman, the agony of watching her die, and then...

But, then one day, Joe is rescued by Pearl Arenson, his father's mother, his grandmother. A woman that he had no idea was alive and well. Because, his entire life, he was led to believe that this woman was dead. Now, he finds himself with more questions than answers, and neither mother nor son seem to be compelled to share what caused the decades long estrangement. But, his time with his grandmother isn't meant for long, she is dying from terminal cancer...will Joe's new relationship be enough to reconcile mother and son before the unthinkable.

Now living in his grandmother's house, going through her things and her family's things, the dreams continue, more vivid, and oddly enough more familiar in this community that he has never heard of or visited before. As he goes through the motions of sorting and organizing the house, Joe finds an unlikely connection with the owner of Secondhand Heaven, Kathleen. The connection between the two is immediate, but both hold back. Joe has his secrets, and Kathleen has hers. But, as the two begin to share time together, Joe finds himself unraveling as his dreams take on a new level. He is feeling deja vu in places he has never been. Oddly enough, Kathleen is eager to help him try to find the answers.

As the story comes full circle, Joe discovers that his dreams directly correlate with his family's history...and at the same he discovers the answer to a secret that was never meant to be revealed.

The narrative changes as the years bounce from 1916 and 1983. Most of the characters are likable, with the exception of Pearl and Frank, though in the end, I expect they both lived half-lives filled with regrets for their selfish, jealous, shallow behaviors that truly altered the future for generations.

A skillfully written novel about romance, mystery, and family secrets. Author Karen McQuestion weaves together a story about the secrets a family keeps and the length they will go to keep those secrets hidden.

When Joe is rescued from a mental hospital by the grandmother he’s never met and thought was dead, he is both confused and intrigued. She takes him to her family home and asks him to pack up her house as she is too old to deal with it. Plagued by disturbing dreams he is unable to understand, Joe takes on the job as an opportunity to get to know his grandmother and to clear his mind. What he doesn’t realize is the past will rear its ugly head and place him right in the middle of a family drama.

I really enjoyed this story that takes the reader between two time periods as the family mystery unfolds. The perfect story for those who love duel-timeline historical fiction with a touch of romance and suspense.