4.5 stars. I'm a sucker for gentle books about family drama, and this one was no exception.

Molly Fader, who has written fifty (!) books, effectively conveys the trauma of Hope and Tink, who have escaped from an abusive sitation, and that of Peg, who has secrets of her own. I loved Fader's depiction of this small town; she conveyed the warmth and the distinct cast of characters without making it twee or cheesy.

It is a cozy book, but it also contains a great deal of depth. Read for an experience that is both heart-warming and heart-wrenching.

Hope has nowhere else to turn, so based on the stories her mother told her about Orchard House, she arrives there with her young daughter and a secret she vows will never see the light of day. The cherry farm in Michigan has been home to Hope’s aunt Peggy her entire life, and because Hope is family and she needs the help. she offer to let her niece and her daughter to stay in exchange for help with the harvest. As time passes, Hope begins to find herself relaxing a little, even beginning to care for a man she meets there. But the past is never truly buried, and when Hope’s past surfaces, this fragile little family will have to fight to keep their new family together. This is a sweet and gentle story about the power of love and family