I graduated from high school in the mid 70's so many parts of this book resonated with me; the longing to make a difference, the creating community within whatever tribe you're part of, the loosening of stifling rules, etc. Eldonna Edwards writes coming of age novels full of the intensity and angst that accompany that stage of life so well. This one is no exception.
Clover Blue, the main character lives in a commune where all are considered one big happy family - until questions about who his real family is rise to surface. Secrets emerge, evasion occurs and threaten to permanently scar this peaceful tribe of people.
With names like Willow, Goji, Harmony, Rain and so on, you'll almost feel the fringe on your vest swing and those huge bellbottoms sway as you walk. The characters, plot and setting are pitch perfect just as was accomplished in the author's previous book, THIS I KNOW. (If you haven't read that one, you need to do so. It's a outstanding novel that ranks on my list of top twenty books of all time.)
What will Clover Blue discover about his past?
What constitutes family anyway?
I highly recommend this tender hearted novel. It was a blast from the past to read. I received an Advance Review Copy. All opinions are my own.

I was so anxious to read Clover Blue. I was not disappointed. This is my favorite book so far of 2019. Set in the 70's a time of free love and hippies this is about a commune in California its a great coming of age story rich characters and location. I loved Clover Blue and Harmony.

Thanks to Netgalley, the author and the publisher for the opportunity to read this early great story.

Eldonna Edwards does a marvelous job taking the reader into the heart of a commune in the 1970s. I am a baby boomer, but never personally experienced living in a commune. After reading this book, I’m thinking “thank god”! She gave such good details that you can really experience both the emotional and the physical aspects to commune living. The emotional connections they had were wonderful, but the dirt! Not for me!
The story is told from the viewpoint of Clover Blue from the age of ten to adulthood. Clover is a wonderful character: warm, caring, smart. I don’t want to give any spoilers, but suffice it to say that there are conflicts and mysteries. I have to say that I liked how they were resolved and found this book to be a very satisfying read.

Clover Blue is a fantastic coming of age novel that made me laugh, cry and feel deeply for the tumultuous journey to adulthood, as a young man searched for the truth hidden from him by the people he looked up to and totally trusted.

The opening lines gave insight into a tribe of sorts that exalted in the cycle of life, the joys of birth, freedom and held a deep connection to nature.

An important character (Harmony) is introduced, one who became a heroine to the protagonist later on in the novel, “ The Olders are letting us watch the birth. Harmony runs down the path ahead of me, her bare feet kicking up a cloud of dust.”

Blue is a young man just shy of his twelfth birthday. He is earnest and straightforward, a trusting soul with a curiosity for life, with purity of thought and a knack for learning. He is intelligent and analytical, but he has a placid rationale and an emotional wisdom that is rare in children and just as unusual in most adults. He is a complex character who reflects the best things in humanity: patience, acceptance with a deep thirst for clarity in all things that are important to him.

The teacher, father figure and the community elder, Goji is all that is good about the Hippie movement in the 60s and early 70s. Their peaceful leader is charismatic and a bit mysterious who seems almost cult leader versus the figure he shows to his family. He teaches philosophy, Yoga and veganism to his band of misfits called, Saffron Freedom Community, which is made up of women, a few men and their offspring. All of them share manual work, food gathering, family structure and the grownups also have a “Sacred Space” that becomes a beacon for Harmony and Blue to discover what being an adult and sexuality means to the Olders.

In all of this story there is much truth and revelation about what it might have been like to live off the land in Northern California, to have a goat to milk and what it would be like to have no TV, no bed time and groovy parents who smoked marijuana out in the open and didn’t conform to the rigid ideals of modern society.

The colorful characters all have community names given to them by their leader, Sirona, Rain, Coyote, Wave, Gaia etc. They leave their traditional selves behind when they join and all is harmonious until Blue asks Goji an important question…

“Where did I come from?” As all the children are considered everyone’s, but Blue is different and he knows it, because every time he asks about his birthday, the answer is avoided or his question is ignored.

As the story goes on there are cracks in the visage of a perfect world and whom all of the adults in this community might be from the outside world looking in. What really brought them all to this place and are they really who they say they are?

The children live open and easy-going life swimming in the river, sleeping in a tree house and most of the time wearing no clothes, but there is darkness to some of the people at Saffron. It makes the reader wonder what they are hiding or whom they are running from?

Undoubtedly secrets are the undoing of the leader and perhaps a few others when Blue refuses to ignore what he feels is true in his heart. When all is revealed it changes the dynamics permanently and forces everyone to re-evaluate where they fit into the puzzle.

This story isn’t just about Hippy Culture or the things we hide to protect our loved ones, it’s about knowing yourself, loving without expectations, making tough choices and learning to live with our life, when it fails to bring us what we deserve or desire.

I’m not exactly sure how I knew I would love this novel when I saw the cover, but it exceeded my expectations and I am so thrilled that I took the time to read and review it.

Clover Blue and Harmony collectively stole my heart. They made me believe and hope that this sort of friendship they forged really can move mountains, as it most certainly did in this wonderfully written and authentic story about growing up in an alternative space in the 1960s.

It brought back a few memories of my own as a child of the 70s and I was grateful to return to an experimental time in history that I had almost forgotten.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you so much to the publisher and the author, Eldonna Edwards, for allowing me the early access to read this wonderful book. The novel is full of secrets, questions of who people are and finding the truth and trust to move forward in life.

While this isn't my normal genre of novel to read, I was extremely impressed with the authors writing style, vivid details and descriptions throughout the book. This book kept my curiosity peaked and I also was able to feel the emotions that Clover Blue felt throughout every moment of this book.

Great read.

Clover Blue is a book I was so anxious to read! I absolutely loved Ms. Edwards first novel, This I Know, and knew I HAD to read Clover Blue! I am so blown away with this second novel!

I was a teen in the 70s and I had heard of communes, "free love", peace and harmony, and all those mystical parts of that "culture" but I had never been to one of them. In this book, Ms. Edwards took me into the Saffron Freedom Community. I feel like I have "experienced" commune life through this cast of characters and her brilliant portrayal of life intertwined in the desires of belonging, loving, and being one with each other. "This is how Saffron Freedom Community works, Lotus. We are each notes of a symphony. And we are pleased you're joining our little orchestra." Each person is a part that makes them all a whole.

I love Clover Blue. He's sensitive and loves his "family" in the commune but he starts to wonder where he came from and how he got to be a part of this community. He asks but answers are vague and he doesn't get them. His best friend, Harmony, is a balance to his life in the commune. She is adventurous and they trust each other without any doubts. They complete each other. They each have to work through pasts and they help each other piece them together.

The characters in this novel are people I came to care about. They are real beings in my mind from how great they are written in this book. I went into their lives and laughed, cried, rejoiced and felt anxious. There is great joy and terrible pain. There was a secret that I never expected and was totally surprised by. In a community where there was to be total openness and honesty, there was so much secrecy. It was so well written, I never saw it coming. I was so into this book that time flew by and I couldn't put it down. I had to "live" this life with these characters!

This novel is a fascinating journey into the hippie era and what it was like. I felt like I took a little bit of a look back in my past at some of the terms and phrases, the clothing and music. It was a great reminiscing for me but also a look at what commune living was possibly like. It was a written picture for me.

I want to thank Netgalley and Ms. Edwards for the opportunity to read this wonderful book. It was so very, very good! I am honored to give my honest review. It's a "far out" five stars for me!

Writing: 4 Plot: 4 Characters: 5

When 10-year old Clover Blue witnesses his first live birth in his Northern California commune, he begins to wonder which of the sister-mothers he actually came from. But there is an odd hush around that subject, in this otherwise open, loving, and caring community.

Ranging from 1974 through 1978, the book follows Blue’s quest to understand who he really is. Blue is a wonderful character and the detailed depiction of communal life and those who chose it are inspiring. The author manages to paint a full picture of real people who have consciously formed a family in a spiritual environment and yet who have also made mistakes with serious impact. I love the balanced way she has shown what might happen in such circumstances — with an objective tone which simultaneously portrays the beauty of the people, their relationships, and their way of life as well as the struggles, frailty, and hypocrisies.

I loved reading this book — particularly for the characters and the fact that it embodied all the best things I remember from that era (Blue is four years younger than I was during the time period). The commune members have their own backstories and their relationships within the commune parallel the evolution of the commune itself. The story unfolds beautifully with ongoing reflection. The commune is clothing optional and the kids are home schooled — with each of the “Elders” imparting their own wisdom. The local library serves as a fantastic resource. The essay Blue is assigned to write about people watching TV is priceless (he has to go to the local clinic to observe this as there is no television at the commune). One of the Elders sums up all of the great religions with: “Great prophets like Jesus and Mohammed and Buddha pretty much said the same thing… Be kind. Respect life. Pay attention. And focus on the here and now, not the promise of something better in the afterlife.” So simple.

The start is a little slow — I initially found the writing a little clunky and almost stopped reading -- but fairly soon I was completely caught up in the characters and their surroundings and forgot I was reading at all (my measure of a good book!).

Highly recommended!

Oh, Eldonna Edwards, you’ve done it again. Your characters captured my heart in This I Know and again in Clover Blue. Set at a commune known as The Saffron Freedom Community, young Clover Blue is desperate to know about his birth parents, the ones who left him at SFC, and head of the commune (or cult leader, you decide) Goji tells him he will tell him when he’s older.

Clover Blue (the book, not the character) raises an interesting question about finding family where we can, even if it’s not family by birth. The commune members are all “brothers and sisters,” but for Blue this just isn’t enough at times. Edwards creates such unique characters in Goji, Clover Blue, Rain, Harmony, Lotus - and well, you get the point.

Clover Blue is a story unlike any I’ve read before with characters that will stay in my heart for quite some time. All I can say is that I want to be first in line to purchase whatever Edwards writes next!

Thank you to Kensington Books for an advance copy. All opinions are my own.

This was one of the best books. I couldn’t wait to turn the next page, chapter, etc.. This is about a boy called Clover Blue. Blue is in a 1970’s commune. He and his best friend Harmony grow up together, with a free lifestyle that is very different than normal. They are allowed to dress or not, no schools, no running water, no electricity. There are several adults that you learn about, some likable, some not so much. The head man is Goji, and I never really cared for him, but he does give out some good life lessons. As Blue and Harmony reach the age of 12 or so, Blue begins to wonder where he comes from. Does he have a family out there, who are his parents, no one wants to answer his questions. They insist that they are his mothers and fathers, that’s all he needs. it is always on his mind and as the story goes on and a couple of more people are added to the commune, you finally learn what happened when Blue was about three years old. Great read, hated for it to end.......

Like Eldonna Edwards’ first novel, This I Know, her newest, Clover Blue, circles around family and what constitutes family. In this coming-of-age story, Edwards does a superb job withholding information about Blue’s past—then parsing it out on a need-to-know basis. I felt transported to my war-protesting days when I was known as Pisces and made bead necklaces for the local head shop.

Her protagonist is a boy who has found a family in the disparate members of Saffron Freedom Community, a California hippie commune. He’s happy though he has no memories of his life before the commune. But, as he matures, the family he doesn’t remember—his real family—tugs on his heart. His questions are always incompletely answered, denying him his identity.

The dynamics of the SFC group shift when a new member, Rain, enter the group. She and Blue develop an exceptionally close relationship. Slowly the bonds that held the group together erode, and the characters shift. True identities are revealed, often in stunning reversal to the peace-and-love personas presented in the commune. People Blue knew and trusted become something else entirely. As these changes occur, a long-ago mystery is eventually solved, but the effects on Blue continue for years afterwards.

A good companion book to read with Clover Blue would be The Ones We Choose by Julie Clark, which also looks at the meaning of family though with genetic overtones.

"Everything happens for a Reason."
I was quickly engaged in this novel where the setting takes place in a commune during the 70's.
The peace of the characters made me take my time reading each page.
I immediately felt a serenity and became a part of the this group living and loving in nature.
The main character Clover Blue, is a ten year old with many questions for his "family". How did he get to this fabulous residence? Who are really his parents? Does he have other family members?
Will he find the answers he seeks as the time goes on?
Eldonna Edwards has once more written a beautiful tale of love, family, friendship and hope that I truly believe everyone will enjoy.

I sit here after just finishing this wonderful book thinking that I can't say goodbye to these characters. They are engraved in my heart. Clover Blue and Harmony grow up in a commune and don't have all the secular luxuries most children are accustomed to, but they sure do have a lot of love and knowledge and are wise beyond their years. The commune family comes from different walks of live and some are harboring secrets. The ending of the book brings about a twist that flooded my heart and also brought tears. Such beautiful writing by Eldonna Edwards (I LOVE LOVE LOVE her books)! Thanks to Netgalley and the Publisher for the ARC! It's more than 5 stars from beginning to end!!

I had heard such wonderful things about this book I knew I wanted to read it. I started it right before bed thinking I would just dive in and read a few chapters. At 1:15 am, I am finishing the book. I just kept reading and reading. I absolutely devoured it. I loved the characters with Clover Blue and Harmony being my favorites. The setting is the Saffron Freedom Community. They live off the land and grow all the food they can. Goji is the leader with other adults and then the youngers. They are one big happy family but Clover Blue still wants to know where he came from and who his first family is. This is a story of finding ones self, family, and ultimately love. This is a must read book and one that will stay with me forever. I received an advanced readers copy and all opinions are my own.

I loved this book from the first word to the last. I didn’t at first recognize the author name, but realized I loved her first book, This I Know, as well.

The book starts with Blue and his sister Harmony watching one of the commune members give birth. Living in the Saffron Freedom Community means all three women are his mothers, all the men his brothers, and the children siblings. But at 11, Blue is now old enough to want to know exactly which woman gave birth to him, and is not given a clear answer. Aside from this he loves the community and all the people in it. He has freedom to do what he wants as well as lessons which teach him knowledge and how to live, . but his favorite thing is hanging out with his sister Harmony. As the next few years go by his life remains happy, there is a new community member, Ruth, whom he likes, but he’s still no closer to the mystery of his parentage. Great writing, great plot.

I'll be honest: cults have always scared me. Reading Clover Blue led me into the minds and hearts of people who find peace and love in a culture that not only terrifies me but also intrigues me.

It was hard not to love the characters; they came alive on the page as if an artist had sketched them.

The story of Clover Blue, the boy, is filled with love and pain. He is incredibly intelligent, honest, and filled with faith in the people who become his family. His need to know leads him down a path none of us saw coming.

Kudos to Ms. Edwards for another coming-of-age story that satisfies completely.

I was provided an Advanced Readers Copy of this book and in exchange I am providing my honest review.

CLOVER BLUE by Eldonna Edwards is a heart-wrenching and unforgettable story of love, family and tribe. I loved Eldonna’s debut novel, THIS I KNOW and couldn’t wait to read her latest novel. Set in 1970s in a California commune called Saffron Freedom Community, the author has expertly crafted a coming-of-age story with wonderful, relatable characters and a vivid setting that made me feel like I was right there. The beautiful writing held me captive from beginning to end. I loved coming to know Clover Blue and the other members of SFC in this multi-layered and atmospheric book. CLOVER BLUE is a study of the strong bonds of friendship and love and how we define family. The compelling story made me laugh and cry and I did not want it to end. I highly recommend CLOVER BLUE and know it will stay with me for a long time to come. I am grateful to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read an early copy.

Sometimes when you read a book, you are aware that it's a story that you are watching from the outside. Very, very rarely is a book written that consumes you totally and makes you feel like you are part of the story. Clover Blue is one of those books. I felt like it was the 70s and I was living in a commune with all of the people who lived there. I laughed with them and cried with them and understood their feelings about the outside world. I read the last 50 pages very slowly because I wanted to stay with these characters as long as possible. When I finished the book, I set it down and then the next day re-read the last 50 pages. I had a major 'book hangover' when I finished and haven't been able to start another book. Believe me when you I tell you that this is a MUST read.

As the book begins, Clover Blue is 10 years old. He has lived in the Saffron Free Community since he was 3 and doesn't remember anything about his earlier life. He feels part of this commune and loves the members as his own family. Goji, the leader of the commune looks after everyone's well-being. It's a small commune but there is a surfer, a Vietnam deserter, a Grateful Dead groupie, a mid-wife and most important of all, Blue's best friend Harmony. They are the same age and spend time doing chores and roaming through the woods. He talks to her about his unsettled feelings about his life in the commune. No one will really answer his questions about his real parents and how he got to the commune and he begins to question his past more as he grows older. As secrets slowly get shared with Clover Blue, he realizes that he has to make a choice between the family that he lives with and loves and the family he was born into.

This book is so full of wonderful characters. Clover Blue is a maturing young man who has to make some huge decisions at an early age; Harmony has been abandoned by her mother and covers it up with her bravery and outspokenness; Rain is new to the commune but holds the key to many secrets. As you get to know all of the characters, you feel a connection to them. You understand their feelings and you laugh and cry with them -- I must admit that I cried at lot during the last 50 pages - both times that I read them.

This is an unforgettable book about family and love and how we all yearn to have connections with other people no matter what the circumstances are. It's beautifully written and the characters - especially Clover Blue -- will stay with you for a long time. This book is going to be THE book that everyone talks about once its published so make sure that it's on your TBR lists - you don't want to miss it.

Thanks to the author for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.

I loved this story from the first page! Is an amazing journey of love ,loss and friendships!! Soooo highly recommend

I cried hard at the end of this book. The beauty of this story took my breath away. Clover Blue is such an extraordinary character; he is loving, intense, devoted; he overcomes his own doubt and trepidation with bravery and goodness. This is the kind of story that seeps into your bones...my emotions were all over the place. I felt great joy and deep sorrow; I could laugh at the antics of Harmony while fretting over Gaia. I celebrated the great love and closeness of the Saffron Freedom Community as I mourned the families who had been left behind. I was immersed in the 1970s; I was present in the treehouse, the forests, and the Sacred Space of the commune. Truly an outstanding coming of age story as Clover Blue must make the agonizing choice between the family who has loved him and raised him and uncovering the truth of his past. This a story that is lush and rich; with so many layers to uncover and discover, characters that are diverse and complex, written with warmth and honesty.

As a child of the 70’s with hippie parents that often lived outside the “norm”, I was eager to read Clover Blue. Saffron Freedom Community is a peaceful, nature loving commune in the 1970’s when the world was in turmoil with the Vietnam War. Every member has their own reasons for living off the grid and we find out a bit about each one. Clover Blue is a young boy adopted by the group as a toddler. At 12, he starts questioning how he came to be in the commune and who his real parents are. Blue struggles with the love he has for the SFC members and his need to find out about how he was adopted.
Eldonna Edwards’ beautiful writing instantly transported me to the Saffron Freedom Community. I have so much love for this book and amazing characters! Clover Blue is a book to be savored! I dig it!