High Cotton
By Debby Mayne
Gilead Publishing
March 2018
Back Cover:
Some families are filled with so much love they can’t help but drive each other crazy
Shay Henke has mixed feelings about going to her family’s next reunion. On the one hand, she’ll get to see everyone in her mama’s family—folks she loves unconditionally. On the other hand, she knows there’ll be more drama than you can shake a stick at.
The days leading up to the event bring one surprise after another. First Shay must deal with her sister-in-law’s deep, dark secret. Then she has to contend with the childish ways of her business-mogul twin cousins. And when her high school crush wants to be her date to the reunion . . . well, it may have been a dream come true for Shay’s teen self, but the woman she’s become doesn’t know what to make of this.
Shay’s contentment is challenged, and she’s determined to shake things up a bit. But will she find the excitement she’s looking for, or will Shay realize she prefers her quiet and predictable life? One thing is certain: Life in the Bucklin family is never boring.
My Review:
This book keeps you on your toes! With five main characters, I was at first wary of keeping them straight. Typically I have a hard time of keeping track of any more than one… But Debby Mayne’s expert characterization and unique tone of voice brings to life her characters in a way that makes this book quite a treat!
Characters are a range of ages from 20’s to 50’s, and in differing states of singleness, marriage, and parenthood, making this book quite relatable to anyone who already understands the culture of Southern women’s fiction. The book doesn’t shy away from different cultural situations, such as life after divorce or choosing a career over relationships. The book is dialogue rich and keeps moving at a comfortable pace to keep you reading. On a side note, I want Debby Mayne to plan the food for all my future family events—the description of her meals is scrumptious!
There were a few times I want to jump inside the book and knock the characters upside the head and say “Just love each other, you idiots!” to more than one character; but overall, I really enjoyed the characterization and depth.
I would recommend to readers who enjoy small town or southern women’s fiction.
Bold Reads 