Fantastic. A great story about four generations of women dealing with the unraveling of deep hurts and finding out who they are and loving who they are and knowing together they are stronger. There is also the mystery of a close friend Diana who has disappeared and discovering just what happen to her.
.Lillian, mother to Poppy and grandmother to Zoe, who was a fiction writer who is slowly developing dementia and coming to terms with the disease and also remember her own betrayal of her daughter by not being there when Poppy need her.
Poppy, mother to Zoe and daughter to Lillian, who escape marriage because of its constriction and left her seven year old daughter behind to find herself and finding love with a man who was married not thinking of the consequences of that relationship.
Zoe, the daughter of Poppy, who keeps people at a distance so she doesn't get hurt again (I understand this one), who is still dealing with being abandonment by her mother.She is also dealing with her own betrayal of her old boyfriend Sage.
Isabel, Zoe daughter,Poppy granddaughter and Lillian Great granddaughter, who is dealing with a sexual assault from people who she thought were her best friends and dealing with such a deep hurt that I don't know how she survived it, but she does it with the love of the strong women in her life.
The mystery of the friend seems secondary but it helps to tie all the elements together nicely and I kind of figure it out at the beginning.

While I enjoyed this book it was not my favorite by Barbara O'Neal. I liked the story but I feel like it was too wordy and descriptive and not enough of the story. The last part of the book was better than the first for me. That is when the story began to tumble out and get good. Even so, this author will always be an automatic read for me.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book for an honest review.

This is a multi-generational story....4 generations, great-grandmother Lillian, grandmother Poppy, mother Zoe and her teenage daughter Isabel. Their trials and tribulations, the dysfunctional setting between two women Poppy, and Zoe as well as Isabel who is running away from school and her friends set the stage for this story in the village of Devon. As this scenario plays out, we have a missing women Diana and the mystery behind her disappearance. What happened between Poppy and Zoe, and what caused Isabel to leave her friends and school? As we seek the answers to these questions, we're also trying to solve the disappearance of Diana, was it a murder?

This book set with emotions, frustrations, secrets and forgiveness was a book I just couldn't put down. The author's details in writing this novel was amazing. Highly recommended, a book you're sure not to want to miss.

This is a multigenerational tale of love, abandonment, intrigue, and forgiveness. Lillain, Poppy, Zoe, and Isabel are all going through transitions when tragedy strikes. The Devon village setting is quaint and expertly described. The suspense is mysterious and thrilling. But what stood out in this story to me is the absolutely stunning way this author is able to describe emotions. From old to young, you feel like you are experiencing the emotions along with these characters. I couldn’t put this book down! (Reviewed from an uncorrected proof.)

I really enjoyed this story! Loved all the characters and the setting too! Highly recommend...this is the 3rd book by this author! Great writing

I really enjoyed this book. I love books with a strong sense of time and place, and this one did not disappoint. The author did an excellent job of describing the area that I felt like I was there. The different POVs helped me get to know the characters, but the plot moved along nicely. I loved the way the women in this story finally find peace with their family, and I adored the love story between Zoe and Sage. The mystery of Diana was a nice addition ad well. Overall, this was a well written story, and I look forward to reading more from this author.
Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for making this story available for me to read.

RR Rating: 3 off-balance stars
Format Ebook*, 351 pgs, pub. 7/14/2020
RR Synopsis: Four generations of women reflect on their relationships to one another, past regrets, and current desires, all amidst a missing woman storyline.
RR POV: This is my first read by O’Neal, so I wasn’t sure what to expect. I found two of the primary characters very compelling but didn’t enjoy the chapters centered around the other two. Ultimately it felt like the balance of the story was just off. The subplot mystery about the whereabouts of one of their missing friends would have made a much more interesting focus in my opinion.
Recommended Readers: Women’s fiction fans who love character-driven standalone novels told from multiple points of view.
*I received an Advanced Readers Copy from #NetGalley & #LakeUnionPublishing in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the eARC.
On the whole I enjoyed this book, but didn't care for Zoe at all, I thought her behavior towards Poppy was childish and selfish, despite their past. I liked the grandmother and daughter, as well as Sage. But Zoe was, in my opinion, way too controlling towards her daughter and feeling too sorry for herself, which was a tad annoying. That said, it was a fast and feel good read. The area sounded beautiful, was well described and I also enjoyed reading about all the lotions and potions Poppy made.
I'm rounding up my review to 3.5.

I'd read previous books by this author and enjoyed them, so I was happy to receive this for review. Ms. O'Neal writes stand-alone stories, which I appreciate. It takes more effort and creativity than a series. This book dealt with several generations of women, all dealing with their own issues from the past and their mothers, and trying to work toward a path of healing. There was a subplot of a missing friend and reconnecting with the main character's childhood friend and love. There are also relevant topics about teen bullying. This book has a lot between the pages, and I think you'll love it. Thank you to Net Galley and Lake Union Publishing for an e-ARC of this title in exchange for my honest review.

Barbara O'Neal just keeps getting better and better and better. I have read, and loved, every word she's written and if you haven't read anything she's written, this is a perfect book to start with. You won't be disappointed. She brings her characters to life and they stay with you.

I absolutely adored this book. The characters were so real that it sucked you in and made you feel a part of the story. You didn't want it to end!

While Zoe vowed she would never return to the small village of her birth, the disappearance of her grandmother’s caretaker, and Zoe’s friend brings her home. Zoe and her teenage daughter return and meet Zoe’s mother, who abandoned her when Zoe was just a child. Now generations of the same family of women will meet and will need to draw strength from each other as another woman in the village falls victim to tragedy. This is a multi-layered novel of family bonds and the ability of women to rise above tragedy and carry on when the strongest of men would surely falter