A review by whatshereads727
The Gardins of Edin by Rosey Lee

adventurous challenging emotional hopeful lighthearted reflective sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? N/A
• Loveable characters? No
• Diverse cast of characters? No
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

 

This is the story of four black women within a family who fight to preserve their legacies, heal wounds from the past, and move forward together in this debut novel. 

The family has a multimillion-dollar peanut business in Georgia and it is currently being run by Ruth after her husband Beau died. She feels out of place and wants to be close to the other women in the family. She wants to be understood and appreciated for her role in the family as well as her exceptional running of the business. Her sisters Mary and Martha have unfounded mistrust of Ruth and they look for ways to undermine Ruth’s authority. Naomi the matriarch of the family has supported Ruth and plays the peacemaker within the group.  This story ventures into the lost family, conditional love and criticism, diversity within families, sibling rivalry, and more. 

This is a Southern story with many complexities. The four women try to hold onto their identities and lives while finding peace and holding onto one another for support and love. 

 

This is a family drama that kept me turning the pages for sure. I enjoyed the women and their stories. I would recommend this book to everyone.