This set in the south charmer gives all the feels. I fell in love with every single character and wanted to wrap them up and sit them by the fire with a cup of tea and let them know what wonderful humans they were. Really did not want this to end. Thank you NetGalley and publishers for providing a digital ARC for review.

Not only does Denton bring main characters that you can easily relate to and love, she brings secondary characters that not only round out the story line, but they add so much more! Glory Road is a well written story with multiple POVS, but not once did I feel lost or confused. Denton did a fabulous job of taking you through each character's journey, all leading to a perfect ending.

I received a complimentary copy of this book and was not required to write a favorable review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

I did connect with a lot of the sensibilities and flavor of this small town Alabama family. The story is told in alternating first-person POV: grandmother, mother, daughter (Augusta, Jessie, Evan). The similarities to the Gilmore Girls do not go unremarked, which was fun.

I liked that this was not a story of resettling in a small hometown; Jessie and Evan had been living in Perry for nearly 13 years. Also, there is no doubt of Evan's father staying away. That story was unfurled nicely and you can clearly watch Jessie struggling with the ramifications.

The love triangles, don't get worrried, are all dealt with realistically and with gentle humor. No grandstanding and no one is strung along. I could really see why Sumner and Ben could each be right for Jessie; same with Evan's options. Her teenage years would be fun to watch, such an old soul.

This is not a full-on romance. There's a big focus on family, small town life, and the struggles of getting older.

I enjoyed the slow but comforting story overall, especially the characters.
But I couldn't go full five stars. While I'm fine with no steamy scenes, the nearly full platonic, hand-holding only courtships seemed unrealistic. The dialogue, weather, setting, and characterizations were all solid... but some interactions (romantic and otherwise) just felt too 1950's smooth.

I really enjoyed this novel. I find it being best from this authoress yet (to be honest, I did not enjoy her previous novels as they feel green and even superficial, but this one truly is a fine read).
The very Southern-at-heart story covers the lives of three women - grandmother, mother and daughter, concentrating on the life of 39-year-old Jessie, who after a sad divorce years ago might be finding hope for romance and the reason for holding her head high again. Her fierce mother Gus has never lost her confidence in herself, but now she might start with that, as her forgetfulness start to worsen. And as teenager Evan enters the high school life, she starts to forge her own identity and path in life. All is is flavoured with true Southern sass and that thirst for all the tastes of life, come hell or high water!
I came to like these women, especially Gus, who has the guts of an active army general and who takes the very hard change in her health in distinguished stride. Her story is beautiful and absolutely inspiring, she is a true hero.
Jessie takes longer than I would like to decide whom of the two very eligible men courting her she truly likes (which is a bother because it is very clear whom she ends up with, so I do not understand the reason for prolonging the game), but it is good to see her trusting in love again. Young Evan is very strong (and lucky, that party could end much worse for her...but this us also a part of maturing, to decide what is and what is not for you).

These women have the true, good blood running in their veins and I have enjoyed meeting them very much. It has been like have a nice, nourishing meal with friends at their backyard, enjoying rich food and even richer stories. Laughter, couple of tears, companionship and that golden sun on the Glory Road.

Jessie McBride runs her own garden shop called Twig, it’s next door to her yellow house, and she has a teenage daughter Evan. She lives on Glory Road, near Perry a small town in South Alabama, and she's not a Southern belle. She’s casual, not a fancy person, she likes growing plants, walking bare foot, and eating Gus’s famous peach cobbler.

Jessie’s divorced, her marriage to dentist Chris didn’t work out, and ten years later she’s still single. Sumner Tate's a wealthy business man, he wants Jessie to organize his daughter Olivia’s wedding flowers, and she’s extremely flattered. He’s a handsome man, he would like to take things further, and something is holding Jessie back from starting a relationship with him.

Ben Bradley is back in town, he lives on Glory Road, her best friend and the boy she had conflicting feelings for in high school. She always wonders what might have happened, if she had kept in contact with Ben, told him how she felt about him, and made different choices. Now they both have teenage children, attending the same school and Ben’s dating his ex.

Jessie’s a busy mother, she’s raising Evan on her own, with help from her mum Gus, and she’s concerned about her mother’s health. Her memory isn’t as sharp as it used to be, Gus wants Jessie to enjoy life, and you don’t know what might be waiting for you around the next bend in the road?

Glory Road is a wonderful story about three generations of McBride women, all three have their little quirky ways, I liked Jessie, Gus and Evan and how much they loved and supported each other. Lauren K. Denton writes amazing books set in the American South, I also have read The One You're With, I enjoyed them both, thanks to NetGalley for my copy, and four stars from me.

Glory Road, by southern writer Lauren K. Denton, is a lovely quiet uplifting read about three generations of the McBride family—grandmother, mother, and teenage daughter—who live on the rural Glory Road outside the small town of Perry Alabama.

The book is published by Christian publisher, Thomas Nelson, but there are no overtly Christian themes. It is, however, a clean but thoughtful read, full of endearing characters that you will enjoy getting to know. There is some romance, but to me that was not the main focus of this book. The main focus of the book to me was the relationship between almost seventy year old widowed Gus who has begun to lose her memory, her 38-year-old divorced daughter Jessie who moved back to Glory Road to start a gardening business, and Jessie’s daughter, Evan, who is about to enter the 9th grade—high school. The book is told from their three viewpoints with lovely short gardening excerpts at the beginning of each chapter.

I very much enjoyed this book. Besides caring about the characters and the developments in their lives, this book quietly reminded me of what is important in life—family, being true to yourself and who you are, caring about others, and putting a life well lived that has an impact on others around you before a life lived for status or material goods. It was a lovely read that I recommend.

When choosing a couple of short excerpts to share, both ended up being from the viewpoint of Evan. The first deals with why she and her mother moved to Glory Road:

“A lot of girls my age hated their moms—thought they were dorky or embarrassing—but I really kind of liked mine. I mean, I loved her, but I also liked her, you know? She was smart and funny and she didn’t smother me too much. She was just there when I needed her to be. And she was pretty. The kind of pretty I wouldn’t mind being when I got older. So if my dad could see her in that suit, see the kindness in her eyes, the casual way she slung her beach bag over her shoulder, and still leave us—and for someone named Tiffani with an i—then I was glad he left.”

And here is Evan’s perception of her grandmother’s memory issues:

“I didn’t know what was going on with Gus. One minute she was fine, then the next she’d be patting the table and her hair, fumbling around her chair like she was feeling for her glasses or sewing scissors or something.

“Gus,” I’d say. “What are you looking for? What do you need?”

When she got like that, she could never tell me what was wrong. It was like she didn’t even hear me. But then she’d just snap out of it. Her eyes would lose the glassy stare, she’d focus, smooth her hair back, and go right on with whatever she was doing.

Sometimes it happened two days in a row, or even twice in one day, but then she might be fine for a days in a row, or even twice in one day, but then she might be fine for a week or more. It was nuts. Sometimes it made me want to laugh, but most of the time it just made me sad. Nothing could happen to Gus. She was a constant— like the water that always flowed through the Icebox. Or like the huge pecan tree standing in the fork of the driveway. Always there, never changing. I liked that.”

Thank you Thomas Nelson and NetGalley for the Advanced Reader’s Copy of this book and for allowing me to review it. I apologize for my very tardy review. (Publication date 19 March 2019)

This book evoked everything about a late Southern summer day.

Sweet as sweet tea.

As warm as a late summer breeze.

As bumpy as an old dirt road.

It was an interesting experience for me as this book leaned more toward maybe women's fiction than typical Christian Fiction, but I did really enjoy it. The characters were nuanced and the book overall was so...comforting...in a way. Like watching a lazy summer pass by and experiencing all the change that comes with it.

It dealt with themes of coming of age, first love, and second chances, as well as facing the unexpected changes life brings while still holding on to what's important through it all.

I cannot believe I am just discovering Laura Denton but I will definitely be checking out her other books. This one was amazing.

I loved this beautiful southern tale. Lauren K. Denton has a way of weaving words that makes you feel as if you are part of the story. I love how we see the story unfold through the eyes of three generations of southern women. Lauren K. Denton has become one of my favorite authors. I highly recommend this book.

Denton's books are like the Calgon-take-me-away of fiction. Lighter reading with just enough plot twists. Likeable characters. I grew up on a road much like Glory, so I especially enjoyed this read. Can't wait for her next one!

Glory Road by Lauren K Denton is another solid southern story by this author. One of my favorite things about this author is her distinctive voice. From the very first page, this reads as a southern novel full of great emotion. I loved this book and highly recommend it. I received a digital copy of this book from the publisher with no obligations. These opinions are entirely my own.

I truly enjoyed this book. It was well written with likable characters. I had a hard time putting this one down and will be recommending it to everyone.

My Review of Glory Road
This book is a great fiction or romance novel. No real mystery going on and definitely no murders. A feel good keep you reading type book. One that you can read at night while your husband is away. Not saying it might not make you cry, but you’re not gonna wake up thinking a murderer is on the loose.

Three generations of women. All with male names. This struck me within the first few chapters. Grandma goes by Gus, mom goes by Jessie, and daughter is Evan. Interesting.

Both Jessie and Evan have an obsession with men driving a jeep. This jeep goes back years on this road and holds so many memories. But is Jessie willing to go back to the memories and through the hurt of the past? Or maybe she’d like to venture down another road.

Evan is a teenage girl about to start high school. Her character is well developed and everything a southern teenage girl shouldn’t be. There’s no light pink lip gloss and floppy ponytails for her. She’s not out to fit in and is comfortable with her weird music loving taste. There is something about this new boy that draws her in. He’s older, mature, and his voice! Now, to find out more about him and figure out how to get him to notice her.

Jessie isn’t sure yet what she wants. Her business is not going well. She’s divorced and living back home now. Her mother lives down the road(her neighbor in fact) and is forever giving away her stock in the store plus forgetting things. She’s worried about her mom, she’s worried about her daughter, she’s worried about her business, and now she has to be worried about her heart as well. Can’t she catch a break?

And then the question that plagued me from almost chapter one. What happens if both mom and daughter fall for father and son? Wouldn’t that just be weird? I mean how would you even describe that?

I really have enjoyed this book and finding a new author to follow. While this isn’t the murder mystery I normally enjoy I really did like the slow pace of small town southern here. I’ve had personal encounters with Alzheimer’s and forgetfulness as such in both my personal and professional life and love that it gets showcased among books. People need to know.

Something I didn’t like is that my oldest is fourteen and now I read a book about a fourteen year old and boys. Heaven help me. I’m not ready for this!

I received an ebook copy of this book to read and review. All thoughts and opinions are my own and not influenced in anyway. I love to share the good and the bad of the book world with you.

I enjoyed this book.

It was well written. Wonderful characters and the setting was one I truly love as I am from AL. I love when the characters are likable and well developed. I love when I feel like I am right there in a book. This one has both and more.

A must read for all. I recommend this book to all of my reading friends.

I received an ARC via #NetGalley and #Thomas Nelson publishers. Thank you.

I give this story a big 4 stars and will read more by this author. I also loved her book HURRICANE SEASON. Another big winner.

Jessie, Evan and Gus (Augusta) represent three generations of women living and working together. Jessie owns The Twig nursery and her mom, Gus, helps greatly. Evan is the teenage daughter, 14, who is making her way to adulthood. Jessie left a broken marriage where she belatedly realized she was a trophy wife. She has recovered well and is a strong role model for Evan. Gus is struggling with memory issues and concerned about navigating her twilight years. Luckily the family is close and they lovingly keep track of one another.
In the summer of the story, Jessie stumbles upon a new chance at love. She is fascinated by Sumner and comfortable with Ben.
The author does a good job developing the characters of Jessie and Gus, and a decent job with Evan, too.

I am a true lover of Southern Fiction and Glory Road by Lauren K. Denton has all the hallmarks of a great Southern Fiction novel. The cover itself had me before I even turned a page.

We have three strong female characters: Jessie, Evan and Gus. 38 year old Jessie McBride runs her own garden shop but thinks it's too late for love in her life. Suddenly she finds herself questioning that when her high school love is back in town and she's also being courted by the dashing and wealthy Sumner Tate. Jessie's mother Gus is growing more concerned about her own recent lapses in memory. Is it just normal aging or something else? Jessie's daughter Evan is just entering high school and testing her limits. To complicate matters, she has developed a crush on Nick who happens to be the son of Ben Bradley, her mother's high school love.

Glory Road develops all three of these narratives so well and I was equally engaged in all of them. I appreciated the three strong female characters all at different points in their lives but connected by their family bond. This is the third novel I have read by Lauren K. Denton and I have truly enjoyed them all. A strong four star read for me.

I received this book courtesy of Thomas Nelson in exchange for an honest review.

This is a delightful and charming story that takes place in the south on Glory Road. It is told from the perspectives of three women of three different generations. It’s about family, friendships and love. There is also an underlying theme of plants and gardens. If you’re in the mood for a heartwarming, character driven, feel good women’s fiction, this is your book! I received an ARC from publisher and Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

If you appreciate a good garden, you'll love this story. If you don't understand the appeal of gardening, you will after reading this heartfelt novel about a woman, her family and her life passions. Lauren Denton has captured the spirit of Jessie, a single mom with a teenager, an aging mother and a need to see things grow to their fullest potential. A potential that includes first loves, lost loves and a love of plants. Each chapter begins with a quote or advice about gardening, and each ties into the story as it develops. There are no big surprises to this novel, yet its slow build is what makes it so endearing.

Glory Road is one of those books where it's location is one of the strongest parts of the story. The setting was so perfectly described that I came away wishing that I lived on Glory Road. I could feel the heat in the summer and visualise the garden shop, the beautiful flowers, and tree-lined roads.

Told from three points of view, the writing flowed easily and the characters were well detailed and very likeable. Lauren K Denton's writing was charming and delightful. I was taken on an emotional journey over one summer with a family’s three generations of gritty women in this story of second chances, family bonds, and really good pie. There were a few whispers of romance in the novel but not in a way that the romance dominates the story or the characters.

This was a wonderful, positive book and I truly loved it! A well deserved five stars.

I received a complimentary digital copy of this novel, at my own request, from Thomas Nelson Fiction via NetGalley. This review is my own unbiased opinion.

I received this book through NetGAlley. The opinions listed are my own. Great book! I look forward to recommending it to our readers.