This was a lovely southern fiction tale of family and secrets. It was easy to engage with the characters and I wanted to keep reading to absorb all of the answers.
Many thanks to Ballantine Books and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Book Review for The Sweet Taste of Muscadines by Pamela Terry
Full review for this title can be found at: @fyebooks on Instagram!

Lila has removed herself from her Southern upbringing by going away to college, falling in love, and creating a life as a weaver in Maine. With a deceased father, a dramatic sister, and a younger brother who she felt had to protect, she felt overwhelmed growing up and never had a connection with her mother. So when her mother is found dead in the muscadine arbor, the place Lila spent her entire childhood as an escape from reality, Lila returns to the South to uncover the mystery surrounding her mother’s death. But what she finds in the muscadine arbor is a secret beyond her wildest imagination. As her and her brother unravel the mysteries and secrets their mother left behind in her death, more secrets are unearthed. Will they get to the bottom of it, or will their questions go unanswered?

This book took me a little while to get into. I even put it away for a bit. And then....wow! Did it get interesting!! This was a great story about what might be hidden in your past!

I am a romance reader-lover at heart. This book spoke to that very sacred part of my love of reading in such a beautiful way. From the concept of "returning home" to a small-town and discovering family secrets to the intrigue and drama, which is always a delight, I found myself willing this book to never come to an end. It is rare to find a read so beautiful that you wish it to be endless and just continue on and on. This was that book for me. From the escapist nature through which the story is told to the wonderful character development, this reading experience was like a much-needed chat with a good friend. I thoroughly enjoyed every page of it! Highly recommend!

Twins, Lila and Henry return to their small hometown in Georgia when their Mother unexpectedly dies. They begin a journey that will lead them to Scotland. Family secrets that will make them question their childhood memories and who they have become. Very well written and interesting. Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy.

This is a book I did not want to end. From the low, sultry deep south to the rolling green hills of the Scottish isles, this book captivated my attention and spoke to my romantic soul. The sister and brother duo of Lila and Henry balance each other out. Henry's practicality and Lila's big-sister influence help each other come to terms with their mother's unexpected demise. Together they unearth the mystery of the secrets she kept, and discover more of themselves along the way.

Lila did not need romance in her life to complete her story. The person she was looking for all along was herself, and I love that this romantic, dark, humorous story is told as it was. The main characters are written with depth and are extremely well rounded and likeable. From the beginning lines I was charmed and found myself devouring this book in every spare moment. It is not often I look for sequels, but the stories I would love to read more about. I found it to be a really well written story, and am so glad I was given the opportunity to read it.

This book was a lovely read. The language while proliferating with descriptive words and beautifully arranged phrases, was easy to follow. The plot was engaging, however, towards the end, I felt the pace slow down a bit which I personally didnt like. It felt like traveling to a part of the world that I am not very familiar with and getting to sit down with people from that place to hear their life story.

As someone who grew up in the South (North Carolina), I fell madly in love with this novel. It’s about a woman who returns to her small hometown in Georgia in the wake of her mother’s death—only to find the past upended by stunning family secrets.

I was instantly swept up in this story, carried away by these wonderful characters and compelled by all of the unexpected twists in their story. Something about this book felt deeply familiar to me, even while the story itself was a fresh and moving experience. With deep compassion and sharp wit, Pamela Terry brings to life the culture and expectations of a small Southern town that values appearance over authenticity—and where the struggle to live honestly can lead to devastating consequences.

Reading this book was a wonderful experience that pulled me into Lila's story and kept me there through the emotional journey. The writing is skillful, Pamela Terry not only beings the characters to life, she brings the Southern lifestyle in as a character. Having lived in the South for many years, her descriptions are amazingly evocative. I could feel the humidity, smell the flowers and hear the birds in the background throughout the story.

Three siblings come together when their mother dies. Each has their specific memories of growing up in this community and how it molded their lives. Their mother's death has left many questions that Lila, Henry and Abigail must resolve. Their journey through their mother's history will lead them to many discoveries, causing them to challenge their memories. A very unique story line that is written with skill.

It was very easy to lose track of time while reading THE SWEET TASTE OF MUSCADINES. There are few places that you'd decide...okay I can come back later...once you meet this family, you will want to stay with them to the end.

I love a good family secrets book and this one doesn't disappoint. A trio of siblings returns to the family home after the death of their mother and find out things that eventually sends them on a search in Scotland. I loved the descriptions of Scotland. It really made you feel like you were there. The family dynamics seemed authentic and not overly dramatic or sappy, common issues with family drama books.

Pamela Terry has written a superb novel in the true southern tradition and she can take her place among the best authors of the south. Her descriptions of places and people are wonderful. You can picture it as if you were actually there or actually talking to the characters in person. She has woven a heartwarming story beginning in a different time in the south and winds up in modern day Scotland. What a different world we lived in then. I could not put this novel down. It is definitely a 5 star read.

A great read about family ties, the South, Scotland, and secrets. It caught my attention right away, This debut tells the story of three different siblings and how one secret and their mother's death changes everything.

This book was a heavy read for me but it did seem to flow along rather quickly and easily. This book involves complex family relationships and is set in Scotland as well as a home in Georgia which was very relatable as that's where I'm from so that was neat!
This book tells of 3 siblings raised in a southern town after the death of their family who was killed in Vietnam.

An excellent read. Great characters, great atmosphere, and just the perfect amount of romance. I highly recommend this book.

This was a sweet, sad, and wondrous journey. This book moved quickly and kept me engaged through every page. Lila is called back home to her small, southern, home town when her mother passes away. She and her brother soon realize that their mother was hiding more than they could have guessed. This book makes the reader reflect and is a glimpse through tough choices that people are forced to make. There is a lot of exploration of the meaning of love and family and homosexuality is a prominent topic despite the southern religious setting. I really enjoyed and think it’s an important message how blind hatred can limit choices people have and force them to make mistakes. I highly recommend this book and am excited to see what else this author will come up with!

Oh my goodness did I LOVE this book!!! Every family has SOME secrets. When Lila's mom is found deceased in a most unusual place, holding a spoon, you know this story is going to have a lot of twists and turns. Lila and Henry embark on a journey they never thought they would find themselves on to find out the truth behind the secrets.

The Sweet Taste of Muscadines is one of those books that sort of wraps around you like a comfortable blanket. From the first line, the reader is drawn into the story of Geneva who is called home to attend her mother's funeral. Geneva has long left her life in the south for a much different life in Maine. She and her brother Henry both come home for the funeral which they know will be a very uncomfortable experience for them. Their sister Abigail who never left home begins her own identity crisis when she realized that her mother kept her health issues from her. This book is about the secrets we keep. Each character is either harboring some secret or discovering some secrets. We learn that some secrets are only secrets in our minds because we refuse to acknowledge what is right in front of us or fail to realize that they really aren't secrets at all. Others are secrets that could possibly haunt us in our dying days. I definitely recommend cozying up with this book. You won't regret it.

I requested to read and review this book from Ballantine Books. This is the first book I have read by author Pamela Terry. This is a powerful story about family. Sometimes the things we remember as a child can be different then as an adult. And all families have their quirks. Family secrets have a way of coming out and some knew sooner then what you think. And sometimes a lie changes the course of time. This book traveled to some great places, the South, Maine and overseas!

Lila never felt at ease in Wesleyan, Georgia, especially after her father's untimely death when she was a small.. She has a brother Henry and a sister Abigail. But she her and brother always to leave their hometown and they do. But their sister stays back with their mother. Everything is going well in their lives, until one day Lila and Henry receive the news of their mother - Geneva's death.

Geneva has suddenly and very mysteriously died in the muscadine arbor behind the family estate. Henry and Lila return to Wesleyan. As they start to uncover to the truth, they discover shocking and unfathomable truths. All of a sudden everything that they believed while growing up is shaken in appalling ways that is hard to assimilate.

- Why is Geneva out in the middle of the night in the muscadine arbor?
- What is it that Henry and Lila discover?
- What is the shocking truth they uncover?

Rating - 4/5 Stars
Recommendation - High

Conclusion,
This is a very cozy book which is a lovely page turner. We follow the main character Lila and her brother Henry who embark upon a quest to find something that they stumble upon by sheer serendipity. Hidden truths, thrilling discoveries and surprising changes open up in front of them. Things that they never thought could have happened are happening. The plot development is brilliant and it keeps you on the edge as elements of shock and surprise are introduced. The characters develop well. Overall a very enjoyable read.

Trigger Warnings – Mild mention of death of losing a parent and suicide.