Sometimes what haunts you most is wondering what could have been . . . Avalee Elvis prides herself with being able to fix just about anything. . . except her past. Unable to put the puzzle of her life together, she pours heart and soul into making neglected places whole again. As the owner of Lowcountry Lost, Avalee spends her days in hot-pink Carhartt overalls and a tool belt reclaiming Lowcountry properties. Making them beautiful again releases the deep sigh that soothes the hurt she holds.
Avalee’s latest project takes her to tiny Somewhere, South Carolina, a long-abandoned town. She ignores its ghostly folklore but can’t miss the shock of hearing the familiar Irish brogue that materializes on the job site–the voice of the man she never wanted to see again.
Rowan Murray is a structural engineer hired by investors to oversee the redevelopment of the quaint downtown Avalee is bringing back to life. Once upon a time, he was also the man who knew Avalee better than anyone else–or so he thought. Turns out he was wrong. Neither of them was prepared for what happened between them six years ago. But as they work together to complete the rehabbing of Somewhere, their broken pieces and the pain that nearly consumed them begin to lose its grip, and both begin to wonder if it’s not too late for a restoration of their own.
From the author of the breakout Southern fiction bestseller Under the Magnolias comes a story of loss and abandonment, forgiveness, and the beauty of undying love.
My Review:
Intense, gritty and emotionally draining, ‘Lowcountry Lost’ delivers a poignant second chance love story that’s hard to read at times, but so worth it by the end. Devastating loss and overwhelming grief tore Avalee and Rowan apart at a time when they needed each other the most.
Six years later and Avalee is blindsided when Rowan walks back into her life. Oy, my heart hurt for so much of this read! Avalee’s agony is palpable and she’s not about to risk opening old wounds that are finally starting to heal, but Rowan is on site for more than a job. He wants to reclaim Avalee and the life they had to together before…well, you need to read the book to find out what came before.
This is definitely the kind of story a reader feels her way through. It’s raw and real and messy and sensitive bibliophile hearts will bruise easily. But this is also an inspiring love story centred around overcoming, finding redemption and the courage to try again.
Love the whole ‘house flipping’ an entire ghost town angle. It provides some stunning parallels to their own personal restoration. And the found family Avalee has become a part of adds sparks of humour and no nonsense advice (especially when not asked for!) So many delicious layers a reader can dig into!
Oh, and did I mention our hero is an Irishman? Be still my heart. That accent! His vulnerability. His tender dedication to the woman he has never stopped loving. Major swoon material!
I listened to the audio edition of this novel, narrated by Zura Johnson whose performance brought an extra facet to my appreciation of this dramatic tale of love and loss and restoration.
Of note: I’m really sorry to say that there was one instance of a very crude, coarse swear word — came as a total shock since this book is published by Tyndale, a Christian publisher. And, honestly, it really gutted me to find it here. In fact, I was so stunned, I replayed that part multiple times over several days, sure that I had to be mistaken. But, nope, I wasn’t. And it’s still something that bothers me a week after I finished the book. I’m so discouraged that I actually feel more emotional about that one word than I do about the entire story.
My thanks to Tyndale and Net Galley for providing me with an audio edition of this book.
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