This compassionate, heartfelt story permeated my heart from the first page. Two young women, who had never met, are unexpectedly brought together at the death of the father of one of them. Both grew up without the love of a mother, one in a more dysfunctional environment than the other, however, both experienced brokenness.
Callie’s mother regularly disappeared from her life for long periods of time, often leaving her with Ms. Ruthie, until Ms. Ruthie died.
Beckett’s mother left when she was five years old, never to be seen again. Her Dad quit his job at the bank and comes home with a package of bees. He became a beekeeper, and Beckett worked right along with him, learning along with her father about bees. Beckett is now twenty-eight, and mourning the loss of her beloved Dad, however, following his instructions to let the bees know he is gone by draping black clothes over the hives. While doing this, a young girl appears out of the surrounding trees and bushes, announcing she is an alien from another planet, named Katya Amadeus Cimmaron. This rambunctious young girl, also known as Fern, fills a need in Becketts’s life she did not even recognize. She ends up helping her uncle by having Fern over for a few hours every day and together care for the bees and other farm animals.
Callie is now thirty-one, has established her own business of making and selling soaps, lotions, candles, and other personal products and has even bought a building to open a store. Her alcoholic mother has finally admitted she needs help and has been admitted to a rehabilitation center.
There are surprising circumstances, secrets are revealed in this beautiful story of faith and redemption that even after the last page has been turned, I am still thinking about.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

He should Have Told the Bees by Amanda Cox tells the story of two young women, Callie and Beck, as they deal with the heartache and healing of loss, forgiving, and receiving forgiveness. Callie is a person who fixes things and Beck struggles with moving outside of the comfort zone of the farm. The novel is full of beautiful imagery. Amanda has a way with creating beautiful and meaningful word pictures. She shares faith examples from bees, light, and dust in a beautiful and meaning way. Thank you NetGalley and Revell for an advanced e-copy for my honest review.

He Should Have Told the Bees is a poignant rendering of complicated family connections. Amanda Cox has delivered an enlightening inside look into the theme of what binds us together as family, bloodline or choice.

Precocious Young Fern, the neighbor posing as imaginary shapeshifter Katya Amadeus Cimmaron from the planet Zirthwyth of the Vesper Galaxy, was my favorite character and all but stole the show. She kept the otherwise weighty plotline from being so intense and I smiled often at her antics.

He Should Have Told the Bees is both moving and touching while exploring issues of abandonment, abuse, healing. and ultimately hope for a bright future. I appreciate Revell Publishing making a copy available for review. All thoughts and opinions are my very own.