Bobby Higgins was inspired to enlist in the Navy when he got out of high school partly out of sense of patriotic duty and partly because he didn't know what else to do with his life. When he met Rose, a divorcee with four young daughters, he was smitten. His life as a swinging bachelor with a girl in every port quickly came to an end, and he quickly became a devoted family man. He did not, however, give up the sea. His naval career continued throughout his life. This novel is not only Bobby's story, but it is also the story of his family particularly his four grown step daughters. The book goes back and forth between Bobby's lifetime and after his death when the family has gathered for his funeral. The chapters alternate between Bobby's point of view and the points of views of his four step daughters. It is interesting getting into so many different characters heads and does help somewhat to to differentiate the personalities of the daughters.However, with the focus of the story split between so many characters, it is hard to get attached to any of them. Although the story of this family is moving, it would have been interesting to know more about them.

This is a story about a young man who was raised in rural Alabama . Like his brother before him, when he is old enough he joins the Navy. He truly loved all the travel and all the new experiences until, after ten years in he meets Rose, who is a divorcee with four daughters. They get married and he raised her daughters like they are his own. The story is told in two different timelines and there is a lot of info about the Navy which I found interesting. This a great heart touching story with wonderfully relatable and likable characters. I highly recommend.

Thanks to Net Galley for allowing me to read this amazing book!

I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This book tells the story of a Navy man who meets a single mother of four daughters and marries her and raises the girls as his own. It is told in present and past. A touching and well-told story filled with love, heartache, duty and fulfillment.

This is a deeply moving story much of it is based upon Naval Duty. Partly about the young mother at home trying to keep the pieces together. Part of it about the young sailor who is trying his best to balance his duty and his family. While part of that is the sailor not telling his loved ones about the dangers and the parents never letting the children worry about war. All of this delicate balance is performed in concert with having a strong character, morals, and love of family and country. My thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I received a free electronic copy of this self-published novel on November 1, 2019, from Netgalley & BookReviewBuzz and author Kathleen Varn and Gatekeeper Press. Thank you so much for sharing your hard work with me. I have read Gardenia Duty of my own volition, and this review reflects my personal, honest opinion of this work. I am pleased to recommend this novel for friends and family.

This novel is well-paced with sympathetic characters and covers different time frames and three generations, written in both masculine and feminine voices, and makes simple the trials of life - especially of military family life (including a tour in Vietnam) and that of step-families and southern cultures. Add to that the effects of birth order of these daughters and you have a very interesting potpourri of trouble... That makes it sound complicated - it isn't. What it is, is a book that is compelling and ends almost too soon. Bobby and Rose are Boomers. It is a second marriage for Rose - and she brings 4 daughters to the marriage. Navy man Bobby is the main focus of that generation and the daughters carry us through the 70s and '80s, with their children following through into the present. If you are a military brat you will recognize your life in spades. If you are not, you will grow to appreciate more those who have experienced the constantly changing background of life on the move.

pub date June 2019
rec Nov 1, 2019

Gardenia Duty by Kathleen Varn is the story of a Navy family. Rose marries a Naval officer and they have four girls. She cannot deal with his total absorption in his job and the long months of being a single mom. They divorce. Later she meets Bobby, also a Navy man who has so far managed to stay single. But Rose and her four girls find a place in Bobby's heart. He marries Rose and loves her daughters as though they were his own. Then Bobby dies and the four girls come home for his funeral. What follows are memories of their childhood along with current lives. It is a sweet story of how a step-dad loves and molds his step-daughters, and the sacrifices all of them make living as a naval family.

There is drinking and some foul language (stereotypical of Navy men and women). If you can skip over those parts, there is a beautiful story of family -- the good, bad, and sometimes ugly -- who love each other. A story of four sisters who grow up thankful for a step-dad like Bobby. There is a surprise thread running through the book that will be revealed at the end.

This is a lovely book full of joy and heartache. It's told from different times and points of view with seamless transitions. Bobby is introduced as he is preparing to join the navy. Rose and her four daughters join the story as a family unit. I quickly grew fond of these characters and I cared about them as I discovered what was in store for them. This is a satisfying story that portrays family life at its best while life carries them forward in good and sometimes awful circumstances.

I received an Advanced Reader's Copy from Gatekeeper Press through NetGalley. The opinions expressed are completely my own.
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