The prologue on this story drew me right in. A young woman on the run, a dirty sheriff, a mystery, all the key ingredients for a great read.

Then chapter one happened and I was confused as to what was happening. A different young woman, in a different generation, divorced and recovering from the recent death of her father. Libby is a photographer and meets the owner of a generations old estate while shooting a wedding. She is invited to photograph the renovations on the estate and soon discovers several long buried secrets that could change everything she knows about her family.

While I enjoyed the author’s writing style, I found the book slow going and easy to set aside. That said, if you enjoy family dramas, this is a solid read worth four stars from me.

⭐⭐⭐⭐
Rating: 4 out of 5.
“I voluntarily read an ARC of this book which was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.”

Poignant and intriguing, Mary Ellen Taylor has crafted a multi generational story that will stay with you long past the end. Secrets, lies, romance, suspense, this one has it all. The characters are beyond compelling and I was completely wrapped up in their lives. I had to finish this one in one sitting.

This book jumped back and forth between decades but it wasn't that hard to follow. It was amazing how so many people were interwoven with their lives. It all came together by the end of the book and made perfect sense. I loved enjoyed this book and learning about the families that were related or close. Very interested way to write . I enjoyed it immensely. The history of so many people became clear throughout the book and it all came back to the Blue Ridge Mountains and the secrets around so many families.

I got this book from NetGalley for an honest review and I thoroughly enjoyed it

I enjoyed this book so much! It is the first book I have read by Mary Ellen Taylor. The main character Libby has endured a lot of loss and grief in her life. She is dealing with a life as a newly divorced wedding photographer when someone new comes in to her life and it all changes.
I typically do not like novels that have flashbacks or chapters based way in the past but I really enjoyed it in this book a lot.
All of the characters were very well described and the entire novel wrapped up nicely and all unanswered questions were answered.

I will be looking up Mary Ellen Taylor's other books and reading them!

*** I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review, thank you, Mary Ellen Taylor ***

I enjoyed this story. It is a story of family secrets. This book has scandal, moonshine, romance, war, and secrets. It is about Libby finding her self and family history, including a birth mother and home. For me, it started out slow, but got better as it continued. It is a well written novel with a complex story line spanning several generations. This is the second novel by Mary Ellen Taylor that I have read and I look forward to reading more. I really like her style. I'd recommend this book definitely, it's a good read and worth the time.

Mary Ellen Taylor has written a book about the ties between generations, secrets, losses, resentment and regret. I assumed when I started reading this book that it would be a light and sweet romance with little conflict. I was so wrong! I was drawn quickly into the story because of the setting in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, where I was raised. I understood the struggles of young Sadie, trying to help her family to survive any way she can, especially with the secret family recipe of adding honeysuckle to the white lightning that is the family’s main source of income. Sadie is one of the narrators during the time period set in the 1940’s. Fast forward to the current day and the narrator is Libby, a young woman who is aching over the loss of her husband and their dream of having children. Libby is pursuing a new career in photography and it is that job that leads her to Elaine Grant, the owner of Woodmont, a fancy mansion that is perfect for having weddings on its grounds. Elaine introduces Libby to the groundskeeper and handyman Colton and therein lies the hint of romance. There were so many secrets in this book, and the author did a fabulous job of weaving the tale of the main characters and how all of their stories were connected. This is a generational story that was a very satisfying read, but I must say that I want to read more of the story. There was an ending, of course, and it did bring the story to a conclusion. But I think that there are more stories to be told in these secretive mountains. Fans of romance with the nuances of mystery will totally enjoy this book, just as I did.
Disclaimer
Disclosure of Material Connection: I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher via Netgalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255, “Guides Concerning the Use of Testimonials and Endorsements in Advertising.”

Secrets are the focus of Honeysuckle Season. That becomes clear in the book’s Prologue which is set at the meeting point between the book’s two story threads. Sadie Thompson’s story begins in 1942 as the youngest child of a poor family dependant on their moonshine business to survive. Sadie is a self-assured, strong young teenager who is not afraid to stand up for herself. Those are the characteristics she would need when her two brothers head off to fight in World War 2. Alone as the only support for a struggling single mother, Sadie continues to run the successful—though illegal--moonshine business. That leads Sadie to as chauffeur to Dr. Edward Carter’s young wife, Olivia. The two women become close friends and their stories become inseparably linked with the mystery of the past.

Libby McKenzie’s story is set in 2020. Though Libby dearly loves her parents, she knows that she was adopted and has always been curious about her birth parents. As a successful wedding photographer, Libby becomes acquainted with Elaine Grant, the owner of the historic Woodmont Estate. As the granddaughter of Dr. Edward and Olivia Carter, Elaine wants to restore the eighteenth century estate to its original glory. After watching Libby photograph the wedding at the Estate, Elaine immediately hires Libby to photograph the restoration work she has undertaken. That brings Libby to Margaret Reese and her son Colton. These four are inseparably linked with the mystery of the present.

After being raped by Dr. Carter’s cousin Malcolm, Sadie becomes pregnant. The overarching mystery of the two time periods focuses on two questions: What happened to Sadie and her baby? And who were Libby’s birth parents? The fascinating story weaves its way through the years between the 1940’s and the present day leaving clues along the way for the reader to follow.

Mary Ellen Taylor has crafted a wonderfully engaging novel that spans over eight decades of the lives of several families. The clues dropped along the way lead the reader along a sometimes troubling path toward a surprising ending. I loved this mixture of mystery, romance, and drama and highly recommend it.

Loved it! This was my first book by this author and definitely not my last. This story was told in past ( 1940) and present. The storytelling makes you think you are standing right there !

Libby McKenzie has suffered the loss of her marriage, several miscarriages, and the death of her father in a very short time. Photography is her passion, and she begins to build a business as a photographer. Her best friend lives next door, and she is her only emotional support. And then she has a opportunity to photograph a wedding at the historic Woodmont estate. She remembers her time there with her mother for garden estate tours as a child and is excited about this opportunity for several reasons. Elaine Grant has plans to open the estate as a wedding venue and wants to see see how the estate presents itself in a photograph.

The young widower Colton Reese shows her an old greenhouse on the estate that has not been used in many years, and it is covered in honeysuckle vines. This greenhouse was a wedding gift to the owner's grandmother, and no expense was spared when the greenhose was built. With the renovation, and the developing relationships, Libby finds the emotional courage to start cleaning out her father's office and finds that there is more to her story than she ever knew.

I enjoyed this book. It is told in flashbacks and the story goes from present day to the past and back and forth as the secrets are all revealed.

This review is for an ARC of the book provided by Netgalley, but the review is my own.


As Libby forms relationships and explores the overgrown—yet hauntingly beautiful—Woodmont estate, she finds the emotional courage to sort through her father’s office. There she discovers a letter that changes everything she knows about her parents, herself, and the estate. Beneath the vines of the old greenhouse lie generations of secrets, and it’s up to Libby to tend to the fruits born of long-buried seeds

My first read by Mary Ellen Taylor, and I thoroughly enjoyed reading the journey of Libby McKenzie and her life as an oncologist nurse, and a wedding photographer. As she develops beautiful pictures her life beginnings start to come together, and secrets are revealed the 1940s come full circle in 2020. Thank you, NetGalley for the opportunity to read this amazing author's work looking forward to more.

The Honeysuckle Season was evocative, I felt enveloped by the setting and the mood of the story. The pacing however, was slow. I think this is a book that can be enjoyed when in you are in the right (nostalgic) mood for immersing yourself in a descriptive story with alternating timelines. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to engage with this story and would have preferred a more plot-driven narrative.

I liked this book. It's a fast read and has a bit of family, mystery and romance all throughout. Set in Virginia, Honeysuckle Season jump back and forth through time to tell the story of two families that become intertwined. While I don't always enjoy stories that jump around in this way, Taylor does a great job with it. While the story could be a bit over-dramatic for me in some parts, the characters were believable and I enjoyed the sisterhood between all the women in the book. Overall, a good read and one that puts this author on my to-read list.

Sad, this book made me feel really sad. This story jumps between Libby McKenzie in 1994 and Sadie Thompson in 1943 at the height of WWII in the poverty stricken Blue Ridge Mountains of Virginia. Libby is struggling with a career change, divorce and grief after a series of miscarriages. Sadie is the sibling left behind when her brothers both enlist and go off to war leaving Sadie as a teenager to help support her mother running moonshine, dodging a less than honorable sheriff and just plain creepy men of the time.
I could not put down this book and that is a testament to the author’s way with words. The overall story arc was like I said sad. Both women suffer tremendously and even though Libby finds her HEA it was not enough to offset the suffering of Sadie. Like I said Mary Ellen Taylor has a wonderful way with words and her writing style is what saved this book for me since I really, really want to be uplifted in these troubled times.

Honeysuckle Season is one well plotted story spanning several generations and full of secrets. The characters are real, the emotions true, and the situations certainly will keep readers engaged from the very beginning. Contrasting good and bad, rich and poor, Mary Ellen Taylor has written a book that this reader won’t forget. I voluntarily reviewed an advance copy of this book from NetGalley. Most highly recommend.

Absolutely loved the book! Very well written and good storyline. Definitely wasn't expecting the ending, but it all made sense. Definitely recommend!

Mary Ellen Taylor is a gifted writer whose creativity shines through in her work. Her talent for mystery is apparent with all the twists and turns in this novel. The chapters flip back and forth between the early 40's and present day. The characters span multiple generations which makes it difficult to keep up with who is related to whom or what year it is. Ms. Taylor brings to light the struggles, judgement and injustices suffered by unwed mothers. Women of wealth struggled as well and were at the mercy of their husbands, with little freedom, during the 40's. Regardless of how or by whom we are raised, blood ties still bind and determine to some extent the person we will become. Sadie, Olivia and Libby show that how you handle the cards you have been dealt make all the difference.
Thank you to NetGalley and Mary Ellen Taylor for my advanced review copy. All opinions and thoughts are my own.

Honeysuckle Season is a story that is filled with emotions that tug at your heart. When I first started reading the book I couldn't put it down. I wanted to know more about the characters and how they tied together. I enjoyed how the author went from the past to the present. How she explains what happened in the past affected the future. She does an amazing job of weaving the story together and tying it nicely together at the end. Libby McKenzie is a character that is struggling to overcome the loss of her father and a failed marriage. She is trying to come to terms with her past and decide what to do with her future. As she is staying in her fathers home she discovers secrets from her past. Libby is a strong woman and refuses to let her world come crashing down after discovering a secret that has been kept from her. I like how she faces her challenges head first and gives herself the opportunity to change her future. If you enjoy reading stories about love, loss, and family this is the story for you.

I thoroughly enjoyed this novel set in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains in Virginia. Fiction that switches between generations are a favorite of mine. This one involved characters from the 1940s and the present day. There are relevant ties between the generations, and the past history influences the present day. The life of Sadie Thompson in the 1940s, whose family is poor, is affected by Olivia Carter, who helps her out and employs her. In the present day, Libby McKenzie, after being hired as a photographer for a wedding at the Woodmont Estate, where Carter descendants still own the property, she is rehired to photograph the renovation of the estate’s greenhouse. The secrets, the mysterious history of the greenhouse at Woodmont, and the connection between the generations were thoughtfully and beautifully done. I loved it. [I received a complimentary copy of this book from the author through NetGalley and my opinion is my own.]

Libby McKenzie comes back to her hometown after a divorce and 3 devastating miscarriages determined to make a new start as a photographer. Elaine Grant asks her to photograph a derelict greenhouse which is being renovated. The story switches between the 1940's an the present day, and as always with this author, it is a nice gentle read but still with enough twists and turns to keep the reader happy.

WOW! The genre doesn't matter. Whatever this Author writes either under this name or her other name, I love it. The story is fabulous. The characters are wonderful. I have read and loved everything she writes. Many thanks to NetGalley, Montlake Romance and the Author for the privilege of reading and reviewing this book.