I received a free copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley.com. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Violet and her sister Trudy live in Sugar Bend where they run an art store and hide a secret that has both sisters trapped. One fateful night Violet lost the love of her life and Trudy lost her voice. Now they make do bird watching and creating sculptures from bits of found objects, shells, fishing line, driftwood etc.

Maya has aged out of foster care and while trying to discover what is next for her she stumbles upon Sugar Bend and is drawn to it and to the sisters shop. There she forms a bond with the mute Trudy who takes her under her wing and shows her how to create the sculptures she makes.

When a boat rises out of the river it brings with it secrets long held that could ruin both sisters.

This story weaves the past and the present into a sad but believable story. Ultimately the truth must come out but what will the consequences be? There is a lot here about being true to yourself, realizing that the truth really does set you free and sometimes you need to use your voice to save yourself from yourself.

Nicely written, clean romance intertwined throughout the book. Not my usual read but it was a nice distraction. The narrator is easy to listen to and keeps the story moving.

Above all else, this book is about home. Home can be many things to many people, but we all need to find our sense of home.

Sisters Violet and Trudy now live quietly together in their home in Sugar Bend. But that wasn't always the case. One fateful night of tragedy 4 decades ago led to Trudy's reserved silence and Violet's fierce vow to protect her sister at all costs.

Part mystery, part love story, part coming of age story... A Place to Land managed to tug at my heartstrings in every way possible.

Thank you NetGalley and Harper Muse Audiobooks, Harper Muse for accepting my request to audibly read and review A Place to Land.

Author: Lauren K. Denton
Published: 10/04/22
Narrator: Brittany Pressley
Genre: General Fiction (Adult) -- Romance -- Women's Fiction

Another familial dysfunctional book. This was okay, nothing over the top, and sadly not memorable.

There are two sisters who are bonded through eternity as a result of events that transpired in their early 20s. The story spans more than forty years. One sister was traumatized and the other remains her keeper. There wouldn't be a story without a knock on the door. At this point, the events that formed these ladies is revealed and the question becomes who will be held accountable or should anyone after forty years.

This is a slow day-to-day moving story with all the action taking place in the last 20% of the book. I didn't really like the characters and it was hard for me to care about the ending.

This is a good rainy or snowy day book or a nice audiobook while puzzling.

Thank you Netgalley for this phenomenal audio! I thoroughly enjoyed this one and I’m a Lauren Denton fan for life. Very well written. It’s not often that an author writes characters you care for (at least in my experience) but I cared for these characters. A story about two sisters who survived a tragic event that shaped their lives and relationships in devastating ways. Yet their resilience and perseverance amazed me. They never gave up on themselves or each other. When the past comes back to haunt them, they have no choice but to face the truth head on. But you know what they say… the truth shall set you free. A wonderful book I will recommend to everyone who enjoys family sagas mixed with a good mystery.

A Place to Land by Lauren Denton is a familiar story, with a bit of magic thrown in to keep it interesting. The author manages to keep it "southern" without most of the usual stereotypes, and as a southerner, I appreciate that. As a woman of a certain age however, I DO NOT appreciate Ms Denton making 60 year olds act and be seen as old and feeble. I had to keep reminding myself that Victoria, Trudy, and Frank were in their sixties, and not closer to 90. That peeve aside, I found this an enjoyable listen, and liked the narrator's interpretation of the characters. A solid effort by a good author. Thanks to Netgalley and/or the publisher for providing this title in exchange for an honest review.

This is the first book I've read by this author, although I own her first book, THE HIDEAWAY, and look forward to reading it. I enjoyed this story, the small southern town setting, and the fierce bond between the two sisters. The story volleys back and forth from the 1970s and 80s to the present day, which gives us a glimpse into what drives Violet, and her sister, Trudy. There's a little romance sprinkled in with the mystery of what happened to Jay Malone (although we have a pretty good idea!) and how it will all play out when his boat is discovered.
I enjoyed the small-town homey feeling of the story, and the well-rounded characters, and look forward to reading more of her books. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book.

This book was such a breath of fresh air. I really fell in love with the characters, especially Violet, Trudy and Maya. I listened to this book and the narrator did a wonderful job. She changed voices for each character, whether they were speaking or the book was shown from their point of view.
I did get worried a little bit because there were so many points of view with this book and there were a lot of characters. Laura did a great job of wrapping everything up and each character whether big or small had their closure in the end.
The two main characters, Trudy and Violet, are in their sixties but super active and own their shop in town. Most of the story revolves around them and they’re a great flashbacks to different points in their lives. There is a love story between the characters of newcomer to town, Maya, and the hometown boy.
If you love small town stories, stories about sisters and a heartfelt story, this would be a great book for you.
If you’ve read any other books by Laura K Denton, I think you’d like this book as well.
Trigger Warning: Domestic abuse

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. There are so many beautiful things—the sister bond between Trudy and Violet, the sweet relationships between Violet and Frank, as well as Maya and Tyler, and the heart wrenching scenes with lost love and unimaginable difficulty. This book provides a glance at someone with a pure heart making up for the past of others that were not representing the best of the citizens. A little Southern town in Alabama called Sugar Bend where everyone knew everyone. In this picturesque little town, two sisters grew up during the 1970’s and 1980’s. The older sister’s name was Violet and her younger sister’s name was Trudy. The two sisters could have not been more different from each other. Violet Figg was studious, responsible and sensible. Trudy Figg was popular, beautiful and very social. The girls grew up in a very toxic environment. Their father was often drunk and physically abusive to their mother. When Violet was seventeen and Trudy was fourteen their mother left. The night before Violet’s and Trudy’s mother left, she made Violet promise that she would always look out for her younger sister and protect her. Violet found a note on her pillow the next day from her mother that apologized for her leaving but also reminded Violet of the promise she had made to her the night before. That promise that Violet had made to her mother was one that she always honored and took extremely seriously. Flash forward to present day where the sisters are still taking care of each other and hiding the truth. Poignant and told well of a story often swept under the carpet but in this novel the truth sets them free.

Thank you to Harper Muse for allowing me to listen to this audiobook through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This is a story of sisters, Violet and Trudy, both now in their 60s, who have secrets and the biggest secret is what left Trudy mute for the past 40 years. Now, with the river releasing its secret of a sunken boat and clues being left behind, will those secrets come to light all these years later? This was a wonderfully written and narrated book and I found myself unable to put it down. It is not what I usually reach for but I am so glad that I picked this one up and highly recommend this one.

A Place to Land, by Lauren K. Denton, is a heartfelt, captivating, moving story about the remarkable bond between two sisters, Violet and Trudy Figg. They have walked through life, side-by-side, working together, protecting each other, loving one another, and keeping a secret so dark it can’t be uttered.

This story is a mystery, a romance, a tale of sisterhood and adopted families. Ms. Denton covers some deeper, darker topics with grace and respect, in a way that will long stay with the reader. Part of the story is told from the perspective of two older women, their lives now and before, and it is truly refreshing to have an older generation represented and the opportunity to glean their insights and perspective.

A Place to Land is a slow-building, sweet Southern fiction story that is engrossing, thought-provoking and centered around redemption and healing. It’s a story that will long stay with you and Lauren K. Denton has proved to be a master storyteller.

The audiobook is narrated by Brittany Presley and she has such a clear, lovely, articulate voice that perfectly suited the characters. Thank you to Harper Muse and NetGalley for the audio-version of this book in exchange for an honest review.

A Place To Land by Lauren K. Denton was an engrossing and moving Southern mystery. It took place in a little Southern town in Alabama called Sugar Bend where everyone knew everyone. In this picturesque little town, two sisters grew up during the 1970’s and 1980’s. The older sister’s name was Violet and her younger sister’s name was Trudy. The two sisters could have not been more different from each other. Violet Figg was studious, responsible and sensible. Trudy Figg was popular, beautiful and very social. The girls grew up in a very toxic environment. Their father was often drunk and physically abusive to their mother. When Violet was seventeen and Trudy was fourteen their mother left. The night before Violet’s and Trudy’s mother left, she made Violet promise that she would always look out for her younger sister and protect her. Violet found a note on her pillow the next day from her mother that apologized for her leaving but also reminded Violet of the promise she had made to her the night before. That promise that Violet had made to her mother was one that she always honored and took extremely seriously.

Forty years later, Violet and Trudy shared a home and owned a shop together. The shop was called Two Sisters. It was an artisan shop. Trudy was the artist. She created artisan pieces from locally found shells, drift wood, glass and other natural elements she found around Sugar Bend. Her creations were admired by both the tourists and locals alike. Trudy had suffered a trauma about forty years ago that left her unable to use her voice. She wrote notes to communicate and Violet was always able to understand Trudy, even with the absence of her voice and spoken words. The sisters were content with the life they lived but each was harboring their own secrets.

During this time, a young eighteen year old girl named Maya had just aged out of foster care and was in search of place to settle. Maya had not had a real home, a place where she felt she belonged, since her grandmother had died. She saw her fair share of foster homes but none were ever home for Maya. When Maya noticed a sign for an art festival in a place called Sugar Bend, she decided to head there. Maya found her way to Violet’s and Trudy’s shop, Two Sisters. There was something about this little town and Violet and Trudy that drew Maya in. The longer she stayed the more she felt that she had finally found a place where she belonged.

Secrets have a way of eventually getting revealed. When an old rusty boat with blue stripes materialized, the sisters’ past would finally catch up with their present. Secrets would finally be divulged and consciences would be unburdened. The sisters would have to tell the secret they had hidden all these years. Maya would feel comfortable enough to unburden her secrets about her past as well.

A Place To Land by Lauren Denton was a slow build but gained momentum as the clues about the mystery were revealed. It was told in alternating times of present day and the 1970’s through the 1980’s. The characters were likable and well developed. It was so easy to picture Sugar Bend through the descriptive prose of author Lauren K. Denton. The audiobook was very well narrated by Brittany Pressley. There were many themes throughout the book that included keeping promises, protection, sisters, family, acceptance, redemption, evil acts, abuse, forgiveness, compassion and love both old and new. This was the first book I had the pleasure of reading by Lauren K. Denton but I will look forward to reading more books by her in the future. I highly recommend this book.

Thank you to Harper Muse for allowing me to listen to this audiobook through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

There was a lot to unpack in this sweet Southern story. But I found it to be slow to start. While I'd considered giving up, I'm glad I kept going. Once the book found its rhythm, it drew me in.

While the Figg sisters seem laid-back and easy-going, a traumatic incident binds them together almost as much as their family ties. And when an aged-out foster kid enters their shop, she finds her home in this mismatched family, even as secrets begin to be revealed.

I did enjoy how the story eventually unraveled all the little details of place and time, and how the dual timelines merged as history made its presence known in the present day.

Thank you to Lauren K. Denton, Harper Muse and NetGalley for the advance review copy.

Rating 3.5/5

This book is like a big gulp of Southern sweet tea…so delicious and satisfying!! Highly recommend this book to anyone who loves stories with family drama, secrets, second chances, love, some mystery and so much more!!! Denton packs a lot into this book and I was captivated from the beginning!!

Sisters Violet and Trudy Figg live in Sugar Bend, Alabama. This is a dual timeline book with the present day and the other one is the 1970s and 80s.

In the present day, a boat floats up on that Little River and long held secrets are at the risk of being exposed. Violet and Trudy run the Art Shop with Trudy making art from found items. Violet runs the shop and is also an avid bird watcher. Maya is a troubled girl who been in many foster homes and is desperately searching to land in a place that she can call home.

The characters are very well developed and the story flows very well!! This is one to read in one sitting!!

I received an early digital copy.

I loved this audiobook -- and book! The words on the page are sensitive and intriguing, a sense only enhanced by the narration and tone. It's easy to picture Violet Figg on her quest for peace, privacy and a long-lost love. There is no voice for her sister Trudy, who has been silent since the disappearance of her abusive husband. Throw in a young girl, Maya, who longs for roots, and you can see where each of the three draws strength from the other. The reappearance of a long-buried boat puts the past and present on collision course with future happiness. The back-and-forth between time and facts adds to the reader's desire for a happy ending. If only there was really a Sugar Bend, Ala., to visit and a Two Sisters to shop at!

Southern storytelling at it's finest! Lauren K. Denton threads mystery, family secrets, romance, and perseverance in her latest novel A Place to Land.
Violet and Trudy Figg are devoted sisters from Sugar Bend, Alabama who share a forty year old secret. Just when they've put the past behind them and live a nice quiet life together, the past comes back to haunt them. This story is told from alternating points of view. allowing the reader to understand why the characters made the choices they did. Now they are faced with the question of keeping the secret buried in the past or revealing it to clear their conscience and heal.

An emotionally moving story that will have you guessing until the very end.

A Place To Land
By Lauren Denton

Narrator: Britany Pressley
Audio: 8 hours 57 minutes


Violet and Trudy are sisters whose lives are inextricably linked. In A Place To Land, we learn that these sisters are bound by something more than just blood. One sister is tied by a promise made to an emotionally fragile mother and the other by the terrible thing that happened one night. The story is told in two time lines and slowly reveals the mystery of that fateful night 40 years ago. A Place To Land is many things It’s a story about secrets, found family and second chances. It is a tale about sisterhood, the sacrifices one makes for those they love. It is about the strength and comfort woman find in their own company. It is a tale of the South, rich in character and of the complexities that make one claim a place as home.

A Place To Land was expertly narrated by the smooth and lilting voice of Britany Pressley. She brought the story and characters to life with just the right touch of southern charm. I would recommend this audiobook to fans of Kristan Hannah or Deb Spera.

Thank you @netgalley & @harpermusebooks for this gifted ALC in exchange for an honest review.

Pub Date: 04 October 2022

I like this book. I like it’s southern charm.  Two sisters in their 60s have kept a secret for 40 years. One of the sisters was so traumatized by what happened that she hasn’t spoken for 40 years. That in itself enticed me to read more and more. Couldn’t wait to find out what it was that was so traumatic. Developed characters. Family relationships and problems and the mystery. Wonderful narrator. Thank you to the publisher in Netgalley for providing this audiobook to me

Audiobook Review

A Place to Land
By Lauren K. Denton
8 hours 57 minutes
Narrated by Brittany Pressley
Pub: Oct 4, 2022 -- coming tomorrow!

⭐⭐⭐⭐ • 4/5

Mystery
Women's Fiction
Southern Fiction
Romance
Dual-timelines

For fans of Diane Chamberlain and Kristin Hannah, A Place to Land is a beautiful story of the bonds of sisterhood, true love, and found family. Lauren K Denton weaves a fascinating, mysterious tale of two sisters and a hidden past. We also follow the lives of a few of the townspeople, which the author seamlessly works into the story.

A Place to Land is a quiet, unassuming novel. It's both character- and plot-driven. The Southern Charm is present throughout, and though the people of Sugar Bend, Alabama have some dark secrets, it's also an inspiring novel of hope and second chances. ❤️

I actually picked this one up because of the narrator, Brittany Pressley, as she is one of my favorites. As to be expected, Pressley's performance is top notch. 👏

I highly recommend A Place to Land on audiobook.

Thank you @netgalley & @harpermusebooks for my gifted ALC in exchange for my honest review.

I struggled to finish this. I wanted to like it, but it just didn’t hold my attention.

Thanks to #NetGalley and the publisher for early access to this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

Sisters, Violet and Trudy Figg have lived together for the past 40 years hiding a dark secret. One so dark that has kept Trudy from speaking one word since the night that their life changed. That is until their secret surfaces and they must come clean. This was an excellent book!