I don’t know why it took me so long to read this book, but I really enjoyed it! The opening hooked me right away and I did like the dual era storytelling. There were a few small details I felt were messily done or didn’t quite fit, but overall it was great!

Honeysuckle Season by Mary Ellen Taylor

This book follows a duel time line between the 1940’s and present day. About one family and many secrets. Libby returns home after the death of her father, her divorce and two miscarriages. She is trying to start her life over as a photographer when she is asked to do a wedding at the historical Woodmont Estate. At the wedding she meets the owner Elaine Grant who asks her to do before and after pictures of the renovations of her historic greenhouse which holds many secrets and will ultimately change Libby’s life.

A book full of strong characters and the timelines are done well. Even if the connections don’t all come together til later in the book.

A bit slow in parts but stick with it as it is worth the read. Whilst jt Cover many difficult subject that happen in the past very well.

When I think of romance, I think of books just like this one, that gives all the feels and satisfies every romance junkies' heart. This is a perfect books to snuggle up with on any day.

This beautiful over sold me. Then, I curled up with this book and didn’t look back. This was an true pleasure read! Duel timeline from 1942 and 2020. Family drama at its best. New author to me but I’ll definitely pick be looking forward to reading her again! Timelines are switched and the story flows well between the two. Characters are well written, and situations are realistic for the 1940’s. The end happens quickly, but it could be it felt that way because I became so invested in the story.

Thanks to Ms. Taylor, Montlake Romance and NetGalley for this ARC. Opinion is mine alone.

Adrift in the wake of her father’s death, a failed marriage, and multiple miscarriages, Libby McKenzie feels truly alone. Though her new life as a wedding photographer provides a semblance of purpose, it’s also a distraction from her profound pain.

I’d never read Mary Ellen Taylor before, but was offered a NetGalley widget by the publisher. I’m so glad I took the time to read this and I found myself deeply moved by the story. Libby McKenzie feels truly alone after the death of her father, and a string of miscarriages, followed by the end of her marriage. This is so much to process all at once, and Libby is lost. The only thing that gives her some sense of purpose is her job as a wedding photographer and it keeps her going. When photographing a wedding at the Woodmont estate, she meets the owner Elaine Grant. Elaine is starting a project to open the estate to the public and has hired a gardener to revamp the grounds. She asks Libby if she would like to photograph the process and introduces her to the gardener Colton Reese. In the whole garden, Libby is drawn to an old greenhouse swathed in honeysuckle vines. But underneath these vines lies a generation of secrets, and when Libby goes through her father’s study she uncovers a letter that changes Libby’s perception of her family and links her further to the estate.

The narrative splits into the present day and the 1940s where we meet Elaine’s grandmother Olivia, and a girl called Sadie Thompson who was hired to drive and accompany Olivia. In the present day, aside from Libby and Elaine, there is Margaret who cooks and looks after the house and her son Colton, who lives on the estate. Colton is a widower, now looking after the gardens and outbuildings. Although there are links and reveals throughout, this doesn’t read like a thriller and nor is it designed to shock. It’s a gently unfolding story, with a deft interweaving of past and present that’s easy to follow. Each character is charming and likeable and I found myself sympathising with Libby due to many shared experiences. I’ve experienced recurrent miscarriage and it’s a deep grief and longing I never want to experience again. Anyone who’s lost someone close will also empathise with where she is. Even though these are tough themes, something that continues into the past sections too, it never feels like a difficult read - an effect that’s very hard to pull off, but done beautifully here. In the 1940 storyline, I really felt I was back in that era with the sexism and outdated attitudes to people living in poverty. With this backdrop, it was lovely to see the natural and warm friendship grow between Sadie and Olivia.

In the present day there were gentle romantic sparks between Libby and Colton. I was worried about what mysteries from the past might encroach on this fledgling relationship. However, the romance isn’t the central part to this story. This is a novel about women, their friendships, their strength and situations they are forced to endure at the hands of unscrupulous men. I enjoyed this so much I will try out some of her earlier work.

Honeysuckle season is a beautiful woman fiction story about life and how some difficulties make you stronger to strive forward and find a better future.

The past and present chapters and storylines were a bit confusing at the beginning, but after a while everything made more sense and the way the author has interwoven them it just made up for a wonderful addictive novel.

Libby has gone through so much in her life and deserves a better future. When she gets a new job in her new way of starting a new life, she also finds out more about her inheritance that will help her build the future strong and caring woman inside her come out and live at its wholeness.

I really enjoyed this book. It includes moments of humor and sadness, romance and intrigue, drama and adventure. I loved the dual timeline and the flow between the two time periods was handled well. The mystery that threads itself through the pages will keep you invested. You will probably figure out…or have an idea…of the resolution to the mystery. But that doesn’t take away from the pleasure of the book.

The author does a wonderful job of developing the characters and she does an amazing job of dealing with the aspect of how women were treated in the 40’s. This is a touching story that will have you sitting back and sighing once you’ve read the last word and closed the book.

Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake Publishers for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own. I look forward to reading more books by Mary Ellen Taylor.

I'm so glad I requested this book!
Four strong female characters, two timelines and a talented author finding the perfect equilibrium between all that material are not usual to be found. Once I'd read the prologue, I was all in.
The book goes back and forth between two storilines, describing with such detail two different times full of brave and lovable characters. Olivia, Sadie, Elaine and Libby are strong women, each of them going through difficult situations, but always finding the courage to upgrade their mourning into personal growth. They stepped up.
Another subject that caught my interest is the balance in the development of the characters. Every one started up in a way but only found the freedom to be their true selves when they did the most boldest thing expected from them.
The pace of this book is fabulous, and even when I was arriving at the end, I must say it kept the rhythm and consistency up to the last sentence.
My congratulations to the author!
Thank you Netgalley for the chance to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

Honeysuckles Season by Mary Ellen Taylor is a very well written story. The characters are interesting with a unique storyline. Very enjoyable read.

Thanks Netgalley!

I found this book on my NetGalley page, and decided to read the book. What a fortuitous choice! This book is remarkable, with layers of unexpected mysteries unfolding, along with growing relationships between Libby McKenzie, Elaine Grant, the owner of Woodmont estate, and Colton Reece, the caretaker of Woodmont estate. Libby is divorced, and moves back home to Bluestone, Virginia, in the Blue Ridge Mountains. The story takes place in the early 1940’s and 2020, with the connections between the two times unclear until near the end. And what a ride! I highly recommend this book!!!

Honeysuckle Season by Mary Ellen Taylor is a perfect story for a Hallmark movie. It is also an complete diversion from the events of the day. The characters are likeable. The family issues of loss, childbirth, secrets, and romance are engaging and told through two closely overlapping timelines. The primary mystery focuses on who is related to whom. I thoroughly enjoyed the story. Unfortunately, the ending was both a little abrupt and a little too neat for my taste. The author raises some important themes about class and gender differences, secrets, and dealing with loss.

Thanks so much to NetGalley and Montlake Romance for the opportunity to read a digital ARC in exchange for an honest review.

The only reason this book was a 4 star from me was that I was able to predict much of the storyline but then again, as an avid reader, this happens often.

The one part of this book I loved the most is that while this is a romance, it was a romance with real problems and issues that they worked through as we would in the world. My biggest pet peeve with books in this genre is when they make a mountain out of a mole hill with such simple issues.
I also enjoyed how quickly this book flowed and was to read. The writing and storyline sucked me in and I was able to lose myself in the story easily.

This is my first Mary Ellen Taylor novel but will not be my last!

Honeysuckle Season is one of those books that is a total immersion experience. Once I began reading, I had to continue until the final page was turned, the final secret revealed. Two stories told in dual timelines, one in the early 1940's, the other in present day. Lives intersecting, long-held secrets exposed, forgiveness given, and hope restored. This book has it all.

Mary Ellen Taylor has a gift for bringing stories to life. She draws you into her world and into the hearts and minds of her characters. I could feel the desperation of Sadie as the story opened in 1943, feel the damp earth beneath her hands, hear the night sounds of rural Virginia as danger surrounded her. After reading the first page, I was completely hooked. I had to know what happened next. And Libby, in present day, is such a relatable character. My heart ached for her to find her way back to hope...and happiness. I was in her corner the entire way.

Alternating between past and present, and from different characters' points of view, this multi-generational saga slowly unfolds under Taylor's expert guidance. The fully-dimensional characters, realistic circumstances, perfect pacing, and exquisitely painted settings had events rolling through my mind like a cinematic masterpiece.

Honeysuckle Season is an immersive experience that engaged my heart, my mind, and my emotions. I walked beside these characters every step of their journeys. If you enjoy multi-generational women's fiction with a romantic thread (and a happy ending), I highly recommend this book.

An engaging emotional story told in dual story lines. Full of family secrets, loss and tragedy that affects multi generations. Wonderful descriptive writing. Loved how the greenhouse played a major roll throughout the story. This was a book that I didn't want to end.

This book blew me away! I was unable to but it down. Perfect, dazzlingly, very well written. The details the author described throughout the book was so amazing. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Thank you! Thank you! Thank you! No spoilers. Beyond amazing I enjoyed this book so very much. The characters and storyline were fantastic. The ending I did not see coming Could not put down nor did I want to. Truly Amazing and appreciated the whole story. This is going to be a must read for many many readers. Maybe even a book club pick.

An incredible well written family saga that tells the story of several different women across dual time periods and the ties that bind them all together. Beautiful and poignant it captures the time periods in such a way that you feel like you are their with the characters, experiencing what they are going through and the turmoil just grabs you and won't let go! It evoked an array of emotions and it has taken me a few days to mull them all over. There is some darkness and definitely some pain and sadness. It's sweet and charming and the friendships formed are inspiring. Loved it so much! It's always a pleasure to discover new and talented authors to add to my library.

I have never read anything by this author before but I found this story to be refreshing and riveting. It does go back and forth between two times but it is easy to follow along.

This was my first book by Mary Ellen Taylor and boy was I impressed! The story was told in a dual timeline, but done in such a way that it was not confusing at all. The characters were developed so well that I had no problem keeping them all straight (which can be a huge problem for someone with short term memory problems).
This was a powerful story of strong women, complicated lives, finding friends and struggling with family. I especially liked how strong the characters of the women were--even back in the time when that probably wasn't the norm.
Totally awesome book!
I was given a complimentary copy of this book via NetGalley. All thoughts are my own.

The downfall of being a book blogger and reviewer that reads so many books each month is that sometimes I forget whether I’ve read a certain author before or not. And honestly…I think I may have read Mary Ellen Taylor before, but I’m not 100% sure. With that said, I WILL be reading more of her books!

What I liked most about the book: I liked how the mystery surrounding all the characters’ relationships to each other was revealed in little bits as she switched between the past and the present. Sometimes that can be confusing to a reader, but this author did a wonderful job with this technique. And it gives the readers a chance to really unpack each main character. Not to mention, it kept my squirrel-chasing brain engaged!

NICUnurse’s Rating: Honeysuckle Season is a story about grief in so many different forms. The loss of a future that seemed secure. The loss of relationships. Death. And how the complex timeline and overlapping types of grief shape what lives look like in the moving forward. Life doesn’t stand still while we grieve. Grief doesn’t allow us to hide away or run away for long before it catches up and overwhelms. While the book was a wonderful depiction of picking up the pieces of a broken life and broken dreams, it also evoked so many emotions that are so complicated in the moving forward. And it also showed that grief doesn’t move forward in a linear fashion…you move through the stages of grief in varying patterns. It’s a two-steps-forward-one-step-back progression most of the time which can wreak havoc on our emotions.

During these “unprecedented times” I’ve found that sometimes it’s hard for me to really enjoy reading. Which is a tragedy to me because I’ve always been an avid, voracious reader. When I first picked up this book, I had a hard time falling into the story. I thought it might be just me and not a reflection on the author’s ability to weave a tale, so I walked away from it for several days. Once I felt that I was in a better headspace, I absolutely fell into the story and finished it in less than a day. I usually have a harder time getting into a story with less dialogue, but with the POVs switching so frequently, it kept me involved and invested so well that I really didn’t want to put it down.

I give Honeysuckle Season by Mary Ellen Taylor 5 out of 5 stars!