I was asked to read and review this book. However, I found this to be very drab and dreary and after 50 pages I was so bored I gave up.

A glorious southern family saga by Julie Cantrell. If you loved her novel, The Feathered Bone, you will enjoy Perennials.

4.5 stars Top Pick
Cantrell has penned another quietly contemplative, thought-provoking novel. Her prose is so meaningful that every phrase begs to be mulled over. Hearts will break for Lovey, a somewhat prodigal daughter who never really knows the depth of her parents' love until it is almost too late. Anger bubbles up against Bitsy and her actions, yet the author's ability to pull out these deep emotions is what makes this novel so very touching and nuanced. This is a book that begs to be re-read and discussed.
Eva "Lovey" Sutherland grew up adoring her older sister Bitsy and basking in the love of her parents in Oxford, Mississippi. One day a horrific incident occurs, and that changes the course of all of their lives. Yanked from her feelings of safety and security, Lovey eventually moves to Arizona and establishes a comfortable, steady life for herself. When her father calls and convinces her to return home to help her sister plan their parents' anniversary party, Lovey has to confront the painful emotions she has stuffed deep inside for most of her life. As the truth about things past and present begins to surface, Lovey examines her beliefs and understanding about what love and family really mean.

Eva, called Lovey, a single professional woman celebrating her 45th birthday, is called (or strongly invited) to visit her home to be a part of her parents' 50th wedding anniversary celebrations. A strange reasoning you say? But Lovey has been hurt by her older sister Bitsy again and again, so she is never the one to hurry home. But this visit might change a lot.

I love this authoress previous novels ("The Feathered Bone" is an excellent read), so I have had big hopes for this one. I am sorry to report that in my opinion this novel lacks the depth and the interesting plots the previous works have.
I have three main critique points: 1. The quality of the plot. The pace is very slow and much time is given to various subplots/ideas with no real impact to characters's issues. The main conflict is touched only in the very last chapters. And much of the supposed growth come without real deep soul work. 2. Eva's parents. They are presented as wise, deeply loving couple, the salt of the earth - but in my opinion this interpretation is wrong, as both of their daughters suffer from enormous insecurities from the tender ages till their middle age lives. Such parents would probably provide more wise and secure parenting. 3. This is a novel published by the Christian publisher, so I got disturbed with the mixed religious messages - there is Christianity mixed with Buddhism/yoga teachings (also a mentioning of rebirth) and various female figures from different religions posing as some kind of spiritual guides. I would not mention this in my non-Christian read reviews, but I got quite surprised with the supposedly Christian publisher.

What I liked is that the main character is so immature. Surprising? I do think that we all are works in progress and really, many, if not most of us, wear some kind of chips in our shoulders. I find it realistic and relatable. I also like the offered celebrations of older/elderly women and their wisdom and strength. I am also a big fan of gardening and the inner growth it can offer with observing the natural growth and changes within nature and garden.
Also, while some of the messages I find confusing (see above), some offer a food for thought.

That's one of the best prologues I've ever read and it got me really excited and hopeful about this novel. Unfortunately I quickly lost interest from chapter 1 onwards. I have read a few books with this same issue and I wonder why that is!

Furthermore, the inclusion of yoga as an accepted practice had me troubled. Something I am surprised to find in a christian book.

This is the story of two families with children growing up in Mississippi. Lovey and Bitsy are very close during their young lives. They even sleep in the same bed so they can be closer and tell stories well after bedtime. Then a new girl moves to their town and Bitsy becomes jealous of her sister and tells some pretty horrible lies to hurt her. Fisher and Finn are the other two characters that make up the story line. Even as a young girl Lovey loves Fisher but a tragedy keeps them apart. This story is well written, interesting and held my interest to the end. I commend this author for another success.

Cantrell is an honest writer not afraid to turn away from the grit of the world in her realistically rendered fiction. Though Perennials was not my favorite of her works, devoted fans of her artful writing will be satisfied by this literary narrative with an inspiration spin.

A story of two estranged sisters that come back together at their parent's 50th wedding anniversary.

nicely written book with good characters and a good plot and i actually enjoyed the almost heavy mentioning of yoga practices in this book since i think its lovely to see a christian believer openly practice!

I loved the writing style but I was disappointed by the strong Buddhist practices in what I thought was a Christian novel.

Perennials is a southern story centered around Lovey, a single middle-aged career woman who returns to Mississippi to help with plans for her parent's 50th wedding celebration. She then is required to stay for an extended period as she learns that her mother is gravely ill. This change in plans results in putting her career and retirement plans in jeopardy.

Lovey fled her first love, family, and hometown following high school graduation after being repeatedly knocked down by her sister's harsh criticism and lies, and by her belief that she will never measure up in her parent's eyes to the standard held by her sister. She also leaves believing that her boyfriend has betrayed her.

She soon learns that all is not as she believed it to be. It is a novel of second chances, restored love and healing. It is a story about forgiveness of those closest who unmercifully belittle and betray when they are the ones who should love us best. It is a story about making good choices when life becomes rocky.

Perennials is a story with a gardening theme weaved throughout. Much godly wisdom is found in its analogies of growing seeds which blossom into fragrant and stunning floral displays.

This is a beautiful story, one I really enjoyed. I would heartily recommend this book except for my concern about the strong emphasis on that the practice of Yoga throughout. As this book claims to be a Christian book and yoga`s roots are in Hinduism, I believe this to be incongruent with Christian theology.

This is such a lovely, lovely book. From the first page, I was hooked, in love with the voice of the narrator, of the characters, and anxious to see how it would all unfold. I loved the way that Cantrell showed lovely settings in both the desert and the south, demonstrated the conflict between sisters, showcased the complications of returning to a past, and the value that comes from the courage to finally be open and honest and vulnerable. Cantrell writing is lush and honest, and her characters well-rounded and multi-faceted. I thoroughly enjoyed my reading experience and introduction to Cantrell's works. I will seek out her writing again.

Such a heartwarming and frustrating read. Loved every minute of it. Fisher, Finn, Bitsy, Chief, Laurel and Lovey were all great characters. The main characters were the flowers and the bits of literary references. I learned a lot. I hope I can visit those places in Mississippi one day.

Perennials was a very heartfelt book that admittedly, falls outside of the realm of my typical read. The story follows Eva (Lovey) who is a successful Marketer living in Arizona who is asked to come home to Mississippi for her parent’s wedding anniversary. She feels as if she cannot truly come home again and does not want to put her life on hold for this extended period of time. When she left, she put many chapters of her family life behind her, including her constant struggles with her sister and a lost love. The story weaves a theme of gardening throughout that I really enjoyed, but otherwise, I felt like the book was a little too sentimental for my liking (give me a thriller or horror book any day though!). With that being said, I think that folks that like this genre could really enjoy this read.

Perennials by Julie Cantrell is a great book to read while drinking a glass of sweet tea. Southern traditions, sibling rivalry, family traditions and romance are intermingled in this realistic book. This is a book I will reread over the years. Very well-written and easy-to-read. Hard to put down!

I've had the privilege of reading all of Julie Cantrell's work...She is a master storyteller...I loved each & every word of THE PERINNIALS. Don't miss out on this captivating novel. Five Stars!!

I so loved this book! Loved the characters and the setting

First off, this cover is just beautiful. Now, while I enjoyed the story here, I don't think I'm the right reader for it. I found it well written and interesting but it didn't captivate me in the way I'd hoped it would. However, I think lots of people will enjoy this book and resonate with the story and the plot.

Julie Cantrell's Perennials is a redemptive, hopeful novel about regret, strife, family secrets, and loss. From the first pages, she had my heart. Young kids, living the country life, barefoot, dirty, catching fireflies. The picture of innocence. The picture of childhood. Until the day that everything changed between two sisters.

The novel flashes forward to three decades plus later. One of the sisters has fled the country life, her home, and her family, to chase big dreams in the big city. She has achieved everything she set out to accomplish. Yet there is still an emptiness in her heart. Like a throbbing ache that nags you. She receives a call from her parents begging her to return home. She is forced to face her fears. And her sister.

There are so many poignant angles to this story. Lost love, peace, family security, childhood memories, and especially the gift of home. Though the story takes twists and turns (just like those country roads she traveled in her youth), God weaves a beautiful tapestry through it all. When the novel ended, I was left with a sweet satisfaction, and a sigh. My heart was full, and yours will be, too.

Since the novel is set in small-town Mississippi, Cantrell also weaves tidbits of Faulkner and Welty through the story. Anyone who loves Southern literature will appreciate that detail.

Cantrell's writing style was evocative, and emotional, without seeming trite or filled with platitudes. Her message is that life is messy -- often filled with regrets of what we cannot change, what if games we play, and disappointment we did not expect. But what we learn from Eva's story is that life is always worth it.

Though the story itself is not riddled with Scriptures and church attendance, the theme of God's goodness and redemptive power is strong.

This is the second novel I have read by this author, and it is very different from the other one. This shows me that this writer does not limit herself to one type of story, but embraces different tales to share with the public.

I received a complimentary copy of this novel from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. The thought and opinions I have expressed here are my own.

Wow, older sisters can be witches and that was certainly true of Bitsy. Wow!! Heartless and cutthroat to her younger sister, she has more barbs than a blackberry bush. Ha!

This was a tale of family. The ups, downs, love, traditions, heartbreak and just plain old Southern charm. I resonated with these characters pretty early in the book and sped my way through this highly dysfunctional family's troubles. I do have to admit, I did have to skip a few pages of Lovey's "self talks".

I did use several tissues at the end of this book. A great family saga that I truly enjoyed!

Thanks to Thomas Nelson and Net Galley for providing me with a free e-galley in exchange for an honest, unbiased review.