I've read four of Lauren's previous books and really enjoyed the stories. This one was hard to enjoy. It seems really familiar, like I'd read a book with the same gist and kept trying to remember where.

Violet and Trudy are aging sisters in Sugar Bend, one never married and the other's husband disappeared and never was seen again. Violet is obsessed with bird watching and watching over Trudy. Trudy is a former beauty queen that is mute after the horrible night her husband disappeared. They run a gift/art store together and hire newcomer to town, Maya - freshly outted from the foster system and trying to find a place to belong. Then there is the retired cop who returns to town just in time to rehash the night Trudy's husband disappeared. And the local boy just graduated that doesn't want to take over the family store due to dreams of his own.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a temporary, digital ARC in return for my review.

This book is about Trudy and Violet, 2 sisters who live in a small town and they own an art shop. I didn't love this book, I could not connect with any of the characters and I felt it dragged throughout so I DNF at 40%. Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this early release in exchange for my honest review.

Two sisters still living and working together in the mature years of their lives. A secret in their past that has rendered one mute and the other tied to the small town that she was hoping to flee. A young woman set adrift after a troubled childhood drawn to the town by a festival. A hometown boy at odds with the future that he was born with and struggling to become his own person. A retired cop looking for a new beginning in his old stomping grounds that contain the lost love of his life. Strong, relatable characters and a plot that has mystery and romance tied to a small town culture are the things that make me love this book and continue to want to read anything by this author. While the ending felt a little abrupt and slightly unrealistic for a small town gossip culture, I still enjoyed the build up to it. I highly recommend this book to anyone who wants a good beach read! Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book for an honest review.

An atmospheric Southern tale. Set in a small town in Alabama, Lauren K. Denton’s latest is a story of three women - sisters Violet and Trudy, who own a shop featuring Trudy’s art created from shells, driftwood and other found objects, and Maya, who is newly emancipated from the foster system in which she grew up. As with Denton’s previous novels, this one provides a strong sense of place, strong women and Southern spice. And I enjoyed the bits about Trudy’s creations and Violet’s bird watching hobby. Overall, however, the tone of this tale struck me as a bit dark and depressing, and I was not drawn in to the extent I recall experiencing with prior Denton works I’ve read. Many thanks to NetGalley and Harper Muse for the complimentary ARC.

As usual, Denton delivers strong Southern fiction, although I could have done with a little less time spent on birdwatching.

*Thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for providing an e-galley in exchange for an honest review.

A Place to Land by Lauren K. Denton The story of sisters, Trudy and Violet, their secrets and their passions. Southern fiction with a touch of magic and mystery that alternates between the past and the present. Although the story was slow to advance, it was all in all a good read.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the opportunity to preview the book.

A PLACE TO LAND is a surefire winner for fans of southern fiction. Perfect for book clubs!

I immediately felt invested in the journeys of Trudy, Violet, and Maya. I love the bond between sisters and also the difference between generations as the younger Maya enters the picture. The theme of making art out of discarded/broken bits is just perfect. The sense of place is strong and I appreciate how we see Trudy and Violet in the present day and then the past slowly comes back to haunt them.

Fans of Lauren's previous works will love this novel, which should also appeal to fans of Patti Callahan Henry, Karen White, and Sarah Addison Allen.

The story of two sisters, secrets and love, if what A Place to Land is about. I've read all of the other books by the author. And I really enjoyed them. But this story was slow, choppy, and had lost of things added that fit but didn't at the same time.
The story itself was good. I just felt off reading it. It never grabbed me. I had to make myself finish the book.

So while a good story, it wasn't the best book I've read by the author.

Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Muse for the opportunity to review this book.

This is the story of two sisters, Trudy and Violet. They live in a small town and they run a small art shop in town. Trudy makes art out of found objects and has not spoken in years. She communicates by writing notes. Violet is her sister who made a promise to take care of Trudy and has done so despite having her own dreams of leaving their small town.
Maya is a young girl who has no family and makes her way to the town and befriends the sisters.
I never got into this book. It was very slow and I never felt connected to any of the main characters. I have read other books by this author and enjoyed them.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for a copy of this book for an honest review.

I love Laura K. Denton because her books contain substance, meaning, and depth, and this one was no exception!

I was immediately drawn to the main characters- sisters Violet and Trudy. There's a secret that both of them are keeping and that secret gets revealed slowly but surely over the course of the book. The supporting characters are also vividly written; I especially liked and felt heart-connected to Maya.

The theme of making something beautiful from broken bits of shells, driftwood and other bits of nature really resonated with me and carried through the themes of the book.

An added plus was the fact that the main characters are in their sixties (as am I) and that romantic love is still a possibility/option for senior women.

Thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an advance reading copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

Southern fiction with a touch of magic and mystery, this lovely novel about sisterhood, secrets, home and possibilities is a winner in every possible way. Strong women characters, creative plot, wonderful writing.

A Place to Land pulled me in from the first page. I love the small-town charm feel the author conveys. This is a novel about family, friends, and belonging with a hint of mystery. If you're a Southern fiction fan, A Place to Land will not disappoint. I received a complimentary copy of this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I am a fan of Lauren Denton’s books. This story did not disappoint. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the early read.

Violet lives a quiet existence in Sugar Bend. Her and her sister Trudy live and work together, their art shop serving as a haven for locals and a treasure trove for tourists. No one would guess the dreams that Violet had as a young woman, to escape Sugar Bend and travel the world. Forty years ago something happened that stopped Violet from leaving for good, something so terrible that the sisters have never dared speak of it. In fact, Trudy has never dared speak again. Then one day a long-lost boat surfaces on the river and Violet must confront the truth: secrets never stay secret forever.

The fierceness of Violet’s protective streak makes for an engaging character. It is clear from the very first page that she would do anything for her sister, and perhaps already has. At times her dedication seemed almost unrealistic in its extremity, but Trudy’s gentler nature offered a balance that felt right. Furthermore, I found that the addition of Maya into their lives provides a bridge between their two personalities. She has Violet’s protective instincts, but no one to care for other than herself. This inspires a nervous disposition which makes her more relatable to Trudy’s character.

Right from the outset it was clear what Violet had done to protect Trudy, but the slow reveal of details throughout the novel kept me hooked. Answers to ‘who?’, ‘why?’, and ‘when?’ slowly trickled in to build a gradual overall picture of the shocking event and the consequences that stemmed from it. Engagement in the narrative was also helped by the hints of a love story that, whilst tragic in places, gave an overall air of hope to the story.

I love everything this author writes and this book was no exception. This is a wonderful story and i devoured it in 2 days.

A Place to Land by Lauren K. Denton is a story that will remain long after the reader has closed the cover. The tightly woven plot braids individual threads of past, present and future into a climax the reader knows is coming, but the details still are a surprise. I voluntarily reviewed an advance copy of this book from NetGalley. Most highly recommend.

A place to Land was an enjoyable read. The story centers on two sisters in a small Alabama town who harbor a deep secret from their past. Alternating between the past lives of the women and the present, the reader will meet several more characters whose lives will intersect with the sisters. The author has included a little bit of mysticism which adds to the story. I will recommend this book.

A Place to Land by Lauren K. Denton is a very good story. It has some mystery, family drama, small town atmosphere and is just an easy read. The ending came as no surprise but did follow the story line quite well. I would recommend this for easy enjoyable reading.