Book Review: Beyond the Garden by Ashley Farley

Beyond the Garden 

by Ashley Farley

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All is right in Ellie Pringle Hagood’s world. Recently married to the man of her dreams and in anticipation of the big family she’s always wanted, she focuses on restoring the large home she inherited from her grandmother on Charleston’s prestigious Battery. Abbott, the father she adores, lives just down the street from her. She treasures her beloved housekeeper, Maddie, who offers wise counsel and loving support, and is the closest thing to a mother she’s ever known. Two days a week, she volunteers for an art program she piloted at an elementary school. But then, in the midst of all her happiness, comes news that throws Ellie’s life into a tailspin. Her brother-in-law has been murdered in Key West, and her sister, Lia, is wanted for questioning in the investigation. No one in Ellie’s family has seen or heard from Lia in the seven months since she disappeared and left her twin three-year-old daughters in Ellie and Julian’s care. The newlyweds, with several questions nagging at them, fly off to Key West in search of the missing sister. Where is Lia? How is she connected to her husband’s murder? What will become of her twin daughters? The two are only at the beginning of their quest for answers and solutions, and the path they take turns out to be far more torturous and complicated than expected.

My Rating:

Favorite Quotes:

She arrived five minutes late for class to discover her students dancing around the room and singing into their fists to the sound of rap music blaring from one of the boys’ iPhones.  Their shoes bore holes and their clothes were worn, but they all carried a smartphone of some variety.

Nothing in this life comes without risk, Miss Ellie. But if you don’t take the risk, you don’t get the reward.

My Review:

Beyond the Garden had an active and busy plot with several intense storylines involving lots of tension with family drama, tragedy, mental illness, murder, blackmail, and abuse, as well as the more positive elements of rescue, fresh starts, happy children, and a beach vacation, which is always the best ending for any story.  The storylines were engaging, the characters were flawed yet intriguing, and the writing was highly descriptive, emotive, and keenly observant.  I have enjoyed each and every book I’ve read by Ms. Farley.  I relish her Low Country tales although I always seem to find myself with an intense hankering for shrimp, lobster rolls, and cornbread for several weeks afterward.   

Empress DJ

About the Author

    

Ashley Farley writes books about women for women. Her characters are mothers, daughters, sisters, and wives facing real-life issues. Her goal is to keep you turning the pages until the wee hours of the morning. If her story stays with you long after you've read the last word, then she's done her job.

After her brother died in 1999 of an accidental overdose, she turned to writing as a way of releasing her pent-up emotions. She wrote SAVING BEN in honor of Neal, the boy she worshipped, the man she could not save.

Ashley is a wife and mother of two young adult children. While she’s lived in Richmond, Virginia for the past 21 years, part of her heart remains in the salty marshes of the South Carolina Lowcountry where she grew up. Through the eyes of her characters, she’s able to experience the moss-draped trees, delectable cuisine, and kind-hearted folks with lazy drawls that make the area so unique. 

Visit my website at http://www.ashleyfarley.net for more information. Or sign up for my newsletter using this link: http://ashleyfarley.net/get-your-free...