No. None of us get what we deserve. We make the best of what we got.

I've recently landed myself a job in the South. I am a Michigander through and through, but I've always had some sort of small-town southern fantasy. After moving south, I've let go of my fantasy and started reviewing the facts of southern living. Seeing as I now live in Mississippi, I am learning quite a lot about the South and their history. While it might not be a history the United States is necessarily proud of, it still happened. And this book sheds light on those trying times.

If you asked me to tell you what Call Your Daughter Home is about, I would simply state: Women & Survival.

This story is told from the perspective of two white women from different economic backgrounds and a first generation freed black woman. Gertrude is a white woman with a family of four girls and a husband not worth a damn. She must decide to survive her husband's brutality at the risk of losing her girls or surpass her husbands cruelty with the same risk of losing her girls. Gertrude has some of the greatest challenges and poorest luck. Annie is also a white woman with a fortune she inherited who seems to be much better off than others. However, she has a family that has been irreparably broken and she can't grasp or understand how it all went so wrong. When she finally does, it will break your heart into a million pieces that simply cannot be repaired. And last, but certainly not least is Retta. Retta is an amazing woman, who would do just about anything for anyone because it is the right thing to do. Easily the best woman in this story willing to take a risk for any human, black or white. And I love that she was written as such.

Motherhood is definitely a big part of this story. We see Gertrude struggle as a mother with four. We hear all about Annie's children and their broken relationship. And Retta who wanted nothing more than to be a mother, but had her baby ripped away from her by a terrible thing called life. Spera certainly put into perspective the feelings, pull and deep love that go into being a mother. And as a reader, I felt for these mothers in a way I didn't know plausible since I am not a mother myself. But when I get the feels, I know the author is doing something right. And Spera certainly did right.

After reading the synopsis for this novel, I was almost certain that the story would be about the hostile relations between black and white folks. However, racism was not the main theme. It certainly was discussed and names were thrown, but it wasn't the whole story. And I think for some readers that will be important. On the other hand, I was hoping to dive more into that with Retta being a first generation freed slave. But Retta's story in my opinion was the greatest for so many reasons.

There was a little bit about Northerners in this story. And the vibe was they did not like Northerners, obviously. As a Northerner who has moved South for a job, I found this quote hilarious:

"Northerners lack warmth, people said. Don't try to hug one. But run in the other direction."

I gave this story a 4 star rating because there were times I found myself to be a tad bored. These moments were commonly during Gertrude's sections/chapters. And admittedly, I may be bias as I wasn't really a fan of her character. So I will be curious and excited to see what other readers though.

Also, since moving down south, I have seen quite a few of these huge creepy crawly's. I had no clue what the hell they were. But after reading this and googling turns out they are boll weevil. Not a fan. Not a fan....

NetGalley and HARLEQUIN - Trade Publishing for approving my request.

Out of the 37 books I have read in 2018, I’m rating this one the front runner. As stingy as I am with 5 star reviews, this one deserves every single one.

I am not going to write a story recap since it’s already been done by many other reviewers, however, I will tell you why I believe this story stands above the others...

Characters... The characters were authentic and diverse coming together to bring the story full circle. The story has alternating chapters told by three different women from very different walks of life. Oretta, Annie and Gertrude were no strangers to adversity and oppression. Each women having a different social standing, but all three compassionate for the greater good. Oretta was my favorite, always willing to stand up and help even when it was not in her best interest.

Believability.....the story gets an A+ for believability. There are many historical points of reference that makes one ponder how could we today possibly think of this as a “simpler time” when it was anything but simpler. Examples... the boll weevil infestation, plantations with old slave quarters, corn husk stuffings for mattresses, getting worms so bad you can die from it. So much colorful detail that places you back in this nothing but difficult time.

Many thanks to Netgalley, Harlequin Trade Publishing and the author for an advanced copy of this book. I highly recommend.

I enjoyed reading this book immensely. It touches on a lot of subjects. Cotton being lost to the plague of boweevils. Differences in class and between blacks and whites. My absolute favorite part is that people are people. Regardless of color or gender. The women are strong, resilient, courageous women. They band together to help each other through sickness and tribulations. Women are just getting involved in politics and trying to show their intelligence and strength. Great characters. Incredible detail. Wonderful read!!

Call Your Daughter Home checks all of the proverbial boxes.

Historical. Southern. Tragic. Compelling.

In many texts containing multiple narrators, they share a similar voice amd syntax which limits a reader's ability to interpret each as an individual. That is not a limitation this work contains.

Call Your Daughter Home was moving and I felt the, independent, plight of each narrator.

The damage that alcoholism does to families is overshadowed somewhat by the current opioid crisis. But the courage of women in the face of abuse stuns me in the characters of this novel. I can never read too many stories with historical settings that show this courage.

I had thought this would be similar to Cane River—it’s not. It’s a fine story which moves slowly until the last 30% or so. The characters aren’t very interesting until about then and the plot doesn’t seem to have a point until it all comes together with a gripping ending

Thank you Harlequin and NetGalley for the opportunity to enjoy this incredible novel!

The author Deb Spera, accessing family history and stories, combined with in depth research to pre-depression Carolina history, has created a truly excellent novel.

I was mesmerized by the lives these women had to live. The harshness of their very existence, the work and suffering they had to endure just to feed and raise their families. The prejudices, of race, wealth, poverty, male dominated society, Incredible, and then, a "monster" as a catalyst? Took my breath away.

Highly recommend you read this.

4.75 out of 5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

An intense and heartbreaking novel told in the voices of three broken but strong women: Oretta, Gertrude, and Annie. Oretta is the hired kitchen help for Annie and her family, the Coles. Gertrude is running from a drunk, abusive husband, and is hired on as a sewer in Annie's The Women's Circle.

Oretta and her husband, Odell, had a daughter named Esther who died years earlier and have buried her on their property until such time as they die, and then they'll be buried together. Gertrude has three girls, the youngest of which is desperately sick as we enter this story. Annie and her husband, Edwin, have two grown girls and two grown boys. There was a third boy who died when he was twelve.

The secrets come in fast and hard in this Depression-era story, and I was desperate to get to the end to find out how it all panned out.

The author is very adept at drawing you in and making you feel for each of the women and their families. You feel their deep heartache, their violent desolation. As a storm makes its way for the small town, secrets begin to come to light, and the lives of all involved are irreparably changed.

The book was incredible. The voices were clearly independent and unique, and it almost felt as if three different authors wrote it, it was that well-written. There was a moment in the book when items part of a secret I didn't even see coming were revealed, and my heart and stomach just dropped. It was one of the most intense moments I have ever come across in any book, and I've read a lot. I am grateful for the tact and delicacy that the author maintained for this particular secret, as I do not feel as if I could have gone on if she had felt the need for shock and gory details.

I am grateful to have had the chance to read this epic family tale.

I was instantly drawn to this book when I read of the setting: 1920’s South Carolina just after the boll weevil infestation. I’m intrigued by any book about the South during the long-struggling period after the Civil War when there were dirt poor whites who still felt they were better than blacks due to their upbringing. I’ve always found it interesting that the white Southerners are normally depicted as rich and lazy, sitting on the veranda fanning themselves and sipping mimosas while the maids do all the real work. In reality, the overwhelming majority of Southern whites were poor, often much worse off than the blacks they were prone to judge.
This book gives us a colorful character of each discipline: the well-to-do lazy white, the trash-poor white and the hardworking black. We meet their families, walk in their shoes, and see the world through their perspective. What seems like the good life slowly evolves into the least favorable of all.
The paths of these three women cross and the unraveling events to follow are down to earth and easy to believe. This book will make you think of each lady for a long while after you’ve read the last sentence.
(I received an advance copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an unbiased review. Thank you to Harlequin – Trade Publishing for making it available.)

The novel is set in the 1920s in Shake Rag, a small black neighborhood in Branchville, NC. It revolves around 3 strong, courageous and independent women living in different circumstances, each with their own challenges. Each chapter is told through their voices.

Annie is married with 4 children - 2 sons, and 2 estranged daughters whose relationship she was trying to improve; Retta, a freed slave, works for Annie and had a daughter who died at 8 yo; and Gertrude is married to an abusive husband and is struggling to keep her 4 daughters safe. All of the women were trying to uphold their roles as mothers - the pillar and protector of their families. How much will they do to keep their families at harm's way?

A story of strong women overcoming hardships is right up my alley. But despite the many positive reviews here, I just didn't and couldn't enjoy this as much as I wished to. The characters fell flat for me - the structure of the characters was there, but the heart of it wasn't - felt like they were too perfect and clean, and weren't gritty and rough around the edges. Nobody really stood out. They were what you'd expect from strong women - they fight never flee, they toughen up never giving in, they give never expecting to receive, and did what was best for their children and loved ones.

The storyline was just OK for me. I wasn't really drawn to anyone's story more than the other. I tried to get myself more invested in the stories of the three women, but I just couldn't find the pull. It kind of felt like someone else was telling their story.

I did however appreciate how their stories were merged and linked, and how they viewed one another from their own perspective. From a reader's point of view, I saw how they needed each other more than they knew, to survive their circumstances.

What I did enjoy most was the end where the author shared the background story of the novel, and how she came about writing it. That was interesting, especially the part of her grandmother's sister (her mamaw) appearing as a bird as a proof that she was all right after her passing. And the author did see one, three times, over the course of one month. And this bird, a mockingbird, allowed her to hold it in her hands. I thought that was amazing and that it was possible that the afterlife is connected to the present.

That said, I'll still recommend this book to others whom I think might enjoy it more than I did.

Thank you Netgalley and Harlequin for providing me a free eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you netgalley for an ARC of this book. This is not the type of book I normally read but I'm so glad I did. The three main characters in this book are so different from each other with color, wealth, and status. this takes place in the south in 1924 when it was not socially acceptable for a wealthy white woman, a poor lower class white woman and a black woman to band together to raise children safely against very real evils that are still alive today. This was written with perfect descriptions of life in that era. I laughed. I cried. I think I may have prayed.

Finished this book last night. I really had a hard time putting it down and really enjoyed it. I loved the way the story was told from the perspective of 3 women in the same region but from vastly different backgrounds and circumstances. I had *lost* this book in the docs on my kindle and then found it recently and was immediately hooked. A great story about the strength of women.

I did receive an ARC of this book but the review/opinion is my own. :-)

Thank you to Harlequin and Net Galley for the chance to read and review this book.
This is the story of three women living in the south in the 1920's whose lives become connected. This story deals with several heavy issues-prejudice, racial tension and incest. I thought this book was very well written, but at times the story was very depressing. These women dealt with a lot of family problems, and would stop at nothing to protect their young. It took a lot of courage for them to do the things they did. I liked the end where the author explained where she came up with the idea for the story.

This book sang my song - three women, stories interrelated but three different perspectives, different hardships, all that jazz. Where the title derives from is also found buried in the book and I love that. Free advanced copy from Netgalley, comes out June 2019

Call Your Daughter Home had me hooked with the very first sentence. Killing an alligator is all about the “wait,” the author explains. Alligators become a metaphor for four evils that three brave women face who struggle to survive the swamps of the South in the 1920s after a boll weevil infestation cripples the cotton-dependent economy. Though they come from different walks in life, these three women find themselves tackling the same four evils—misogyny, poverty, racism, and pedophilia. Vivid imagery and emotional energy propelled me through the pages of this practically perfect story. The dialogue is descriptive and authentic. I heartily recommend this read to anyone interested in the history of the strength of women surviving the odds.

I would give this book 6 stars if they would let me. It is an incredibly beautiful book that is rich and textured in its depiction of the South in the early 1920’s. "Call Your Daughter Home" tells the story of 3 strong women who, while coming from different backgrounds, find their lives colliding and intersecting. The book tells of their journey in an unforgiving time where these women seek not only mere survival, but also grace, justice, and redemption. Throughout the book, the three main female characters display a goodness that is much larger and more defining than their often bleak circumstances. It is this goodness that allows the book to examine the dark circumstances of their lives without being either dark or depressing. Instead, it is a story of resilience and hope. At times the book read like poetry and felt like listening to a symphony, many beautiful little pieces put together to create a deep and moving experience that lasts well beyond the final note. And like a symphony, "Call Your Daughter Home" is a moving story that will continue to be thought-provoking long after the last word is read and the book is closed. I was honored to receive a free copy of this book from NetGalley and HARLEQUIN – Trade Publishing, in exchange for an honest review.

I really, really enjoyed this book. The storylines are very well distinguished so you don't find it difficult to keep up with whose story you're in. The writing is beautiful, I loved how well the author was able to handle the inner dialog of such different women. I think I finished it in less than two days, I was so pulled in.

The book follows the lives of three women, Gertrude a mother of four daughters and wife to an abusive husband. Annie, wife and mother, coming to terms with the breakup of her family. And Retta, first generation freed slave employed by Annie Coles family.

Rettas story while important to the book was at times (in my opinion) lacking. I wanted so much more from her story.
For me Gertrude saved this book, strong willed and hardened by life, tho dealt a rough hand never made excuses for herself.

This book had its ups and downs, some chapters I read so quickly, and others I could not get into.
The book itself was enjoyable but I probably would not recommend it.

Thanks to Harlequin and Netgalley for the opportunity to read this book in exchange for an honest review.

The setting of this book is 1924 South Carolina. The region is still recovering from the devastating boll weevil infestation that decimated the cotton crop and left a lot of wealthy plantation owners (and those that depend on them for work) in a lot of trouble. We meet Annie Coles, the matriarch of a well to do family where her husband and oldest son run the tobacco plantation (since their cotton crop is no longer an option). Annie runs a sewing circle with her son Lonnie, where they are at the beginning of a new venture of providing mens and womens clothing to stores throughout the south and Chicago. Retta, is a first generation freed black woman whose family was owned by the Coles and where she is currently employed. Lastly, there is Gertrude, a mother of four girls with an abusive, drunk of a husband. All three women have very different backgrounds, but end up becoming intertwined in ways they wouldn't have anticipated.

This is a very strong novel with great, great writing. There are many highlighted sections and quotes that I included in my Goodreads updates that really spoke to me. All three women are very independent and have a lot of gumption, which is refreshing since there are very tough topics and you never quite feel like they will be defeated. I think this is one of the better showcases of women triumphing when their male counterparts struggle and would be excellent required reading for all the boxes it checks.

I read this book very quickly and while it was a wonderful snapshot I was left wanting more. The Great Depression is just around the corner and with the great cast of characters, I think a sequel would definitely work. Who knows? Maybe Ms. Spera is watching and will consider the idea!

I was very taken from the start with this story of 3 women of different social and economic situations during the early 1920's. Love, abuse, grief, sacrifice, survival ..... you will be on a rollercoaster of emotions as you read each of their stories. The author does a very good job painting a picture of each of the women's lives as you are reading that you feel you are there in person.
If you are searching for a good historical fiction book and you are able to handle the emotion you will feel.. I recommend this one. I rarely give a book 4 stars unless it REALLY moves me or captures my attention all the way through. This one was definitely one of them and was so glad I was given the opportunity to have read it.