I thought this was a charming but disappointing book.

I couldn't get into it and I couldn't like the main characters. The beginning, to be honest, was sort of depressing. It had insta-love (outright said it) which was kind of shocking. I thought it'd be gradual.

I enjoyed the author's writing style and how she introduced side characters though. The cover is gorgeous and really eye catching and represents the story pretty well.

Tangled in Ivy is an intriguing novel from beginning to end! Rooted in Southern family ties, set in Charleston, the unraveling of secrets is done through a diary left behind. This novel idea depicting the different personalities of the fraternal twins portrayed is brilliant! Although the past secrets are told from a father’s perspective, the extraordinary explorations of what constitutes a “mother” or a “sister” are fascinating, and oh, so true in my opinion. Love abounds throughout this story through so many lives intertwined within the ivy that binds them together. A must read!

Lillian and Layla Alexander are twins. Their mother is/was Ivy. Ivy's best friend is/was Alice, the girls' godmother. Their father is Graham. They live in Charleston, SC. Ivy passed away when the twins were six years old and Graham, a college professor, has raised them on his own, with the help of the house staff, since then, particularly Trudy who was a sort of surrogate mother to the girls. . The twins, however, do not fit your normal perception of wins - closeness, finishing each other's sentences, etc.

The story starts out with Graham's terminal illness and Lillian 's care of him. As he lay dying, he mumbled something almost incoherent to Lillian. At his funeral, more puzzling them happen, including an unknown woman on the outskirts of the mourners at the cemetery.

At the reading of the will, the girls find out that the Stoney fortune, their mother's family fortune, is gone. In the ensuing events, Lillian finds her father's memoir of his life with Lillian and of how Alice, her best friend, fit into the family story.

Any more and I will start spilling secrets. Suffice to say that this novel of Ashley Farley's has more twists and turns than the Swamp Fox roller coaster at Family Kingdom.
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Fantastic read! I wish it had been longer. I had never read a book by the author, but I’m definitely a fan!

In my opinion, Ashley Farley’s new book, Tangled In Ivy, is her best work yet! After having read most of her stories, I consider myself a big fan of her writing style. This particular book is about the Stoney-Alexander family who live in their ancestral home on East Battery in Charleston, South Carolina. I think this family is about as dysfunctional as they come! The story centers around Lillian, one of the daughters who was raised believing she was a twin, who after her fathers death, reads his memoirs and learns about his life and love with Ivy, the mother. From reading, she learns about family lies, marital indiscretions and who she really is. This was a story that held my attention and kept me turning the pages wanting more. There were things that happened that I didn’t foresee that totally shocked and surprised me. What a crazy web this family wove! It was a fantastic story of southern women’s fiction and one I most definitely recommend. After reading this, I’m anxious to see what Ashley will come up with next. I think she’s going to have a rather hard time topping this! I’d like to thank NetGalley for giving me the arc to read and review. All opinions are my own. This is a 5 star read but in my opinion deserves so much more!

I love Southern fiction and I love books about sisters. The new novel Tangled in Ivy meets these two criteria and even more. There are secrets, dysfunction, a house that has been in the family for decades and a perfect setting in Charleston. I have read all of Ashley Farley's novels and this in my new favorite.

This book is told in two timelines. The first begins in 1984 when Graham meets Ivy and they fall in love and get married. The second time line begins in 2019 when Graham dies and it is told by his daughter Lillian.

The novel centers around Ivy's death. Lillian has long repressed her memories of the day her mother died and no one will tell her the truth of what happened that day. Layla thinks that her sister really does remember and is using the amnesia to get attention. As the two sisters struggle to decide what to do about the house, Lillian is searching the house to find information about what really happened to their mother. Her search leads her to some startling truths about her parents and about she and her twin sister.

This is a fantastic book that kept me reading long past my bedtime. There are twists and turns and several truths uncovered that were shocking and I never saw coming. It's a book about family, love, secrets and sisters. This is a southern fiction novel that you don't want to miss. Ashley Farley cements her credentials as a first rate author in this genre.

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

I got completely tangled up in this book and couldn't put it down! The story of two sisters, twins. Their parents. Their loves and losses. Of discovery and self discovery, remembering, and forgiving. Set in the charming south, Ashley once again creates beautiful word pictures that stream through my mind like a movie as I am reading. This books has a few "plot twists", I was proud that I figured out one that was coming only to be taken completely by surprise by the next one! Well played Ashley, well played ;) This was my favorite Ashley Farley book (and I have loved them all!), her writing and story telling just keeps getting better and better!

I am in love with Ashley Farley's magic with words. And Tangled in Ivy is another gift of storytelling for her readers. The lowcountry is one of the areas I love to read about and the author does an amazing job of having read the dialogue in your mind with that slow southern drawl, smell the fragrances of the tides and gardenias, and feel the sweltering humidity of a hot Southern day.

The story is told through backflashes of Graham's "diary" of his history with Ivy. There are twists and turns, tragedies, secrets kept, lies told, and relationships strained to the point of breaking.

Tangled in Ivy is a Southern drama at its finest. It is an adventure in love, loss, dysfunctional families, drama, intrigue, infidelities, insecurity, and pain. But through it all is a story that will grab your attention and will have you glued to the book and flipping the page as fast as you can to find out what will happen next.

Thank you to NetGalley, Leisure Time Books, and the author for an ARC in exchange for my honest opinion. Put this one on your to-be-read list! I can't wait for my next adventure with Ashley Farley.

This is the story of a daughter's quest to recall the memory of her mother's death, and in so doing, family secrets are revealed. Admittedly, not a particularly original plot device, but the author did a good job of keeping the reader interested. My only complaint is that some of the characters seemed very one dimensional. If I were to assign nicknames, they would be bipolar Ivy, saintly Graham, and evil Layla. Regardless of this criticism, I enjoyed the book and felt it earned 4 stars.

Thanks Net Galley for the opportunity to read and review.

Twins Lillian and Layla have never had a loving relationship.
Raised in a dysfunctional family years in the making, they lost their mother in a tragic accident and Graham, their father has recently died. Lillian has spent the last three months taking care of him, while Layla has stayed away with insignificant excuses.
In Graham’s pain riddled ramblings before he died, he often mentions that he has left something important for Lillian to find.
What she finally finds is her father’s memoir and it leads her on a journey of long held lies, revelations and unexpected truths not only for her, but for Layla too.
I could say that Tangled Ivy is Ashley Farley’s best book, but all of her books cover emotional relationships and offer drama and feelings that tug at your heart. Thank you Netgalley and the author for an early copy. The comments and review are my honest opinion.

Having read a number of Ashley Farley's books, I was looking forward to reading Tangled in Ivy. Wow, it went over and above my expectations. Compelling, intriguing, riveting, and so much more. This is a fantastic Southern family drama with twins who have not bonded, and a beloved father who died and left debt and huge secrets. Farley captivates her readers with compelling characters, well-written prose and gorgeous descriptions of scenery--I feel like I am right there in the scene with the characters. Tangled in Ivy is a story of family, what it should look like and what it doesn't, a gritty story of secrets, and long-told lies, a story of the beginnings of forgiveness and restoration...a story from a talented author not to be missed. I received a complimentary copy of the book and was not required to write a review. The opinions are my own.

Tangled in Ivy by Ashley Farley is unlike any other book I've read. I highly doubt my review will do it justice, but I'm going to try.

The story, told as it was with 3 longish journal entries interspersed with Lillian's story was a wonderful way to present the story. Lillian has a twin sister, Layla, and the twins have never gotten along, with several instances told where Layla bullied or was cruel to Lillian.

When their father dies and they find out there is no family fortune left, things begin to get real for his daughters and it's shortly after that we learn of the journal and get to find out what it contains.

This is such a fantastic story. I didn't want it to end, yet I couldn't wait after each journal excerpt to find out what the next journal excerpt was going to reveal. The history of this family was fascinating and I was finding myself putting the book down because I didn't want it to end.

If you enjoy family drama, books about familial relationships, secrets, lies, and finding forgiveness, this is definitely a book you will enjoy. I can't recommend it highly enough.

Thank you to the publisher, author and Netgalley for providing an ARC at my request. All thoughts in this review are my own and shared because I loved this book so much.

The best in Southern Women's Fiction. Every time I read an Ashley Farley book I say it's my favorite, and I'm saying it again!
"Tangled in Ivy is a tale of tortured souls and southern family dysfunction." It sure is and I loved it from page 1 and through all the many twists to the FABULOUS ending. Farley has the key to writing about sisters, mothers and family in a way that is relatable no matter how dysfunctional it is! You'll find yourself up very late, flipping pages, engrossed in the story not wanting to put it down. Tangled in Ivy is 5 star fabulous! Southern fiction finery in every way. I loved it!

Secrets, lies, deception all play a part in this beautifully written Southern fiction. This is a book I didn't want to end. It's wonderfully descriptive and the characters are well developed. The storyline is full of twists and turns. This is a must read book!

Secrets always find a way to surface when you least expect them . Lillian finds out that the life she has led so far is full of secrets , after her father passes away she finds his memoir telling the story of his and her mothers life .Lily has a twin sister whom never got along with each other , the history of the house they are now fighting over will come to light .The story is emotional and surprising. .I would recommend this .

Thank you NetGalley, the Publisher and Ashley Farley for the opportunity to read this book. Opinions are my own.

Ashley Farley once again hits a home run with her new book!
As usual, her writing flows her plot grabs you and keeps you interested and the characters are lifelike and relatable.
Giving it 4stars and a full recommendation to snatch up a copy for yourself!

WOW! Intriguing! A beautifully written book by Ashley Farley. Once I started I could not put it down! Was reading until my eyes couldn't stay open anymore.
I felt like I was in the room watching the family dramatics happen before my eyes.
A ride with twists and turns, romance, so many emotions and family secrets. I could picture the low country of South Carolina as I was reading.

Thank you NetGalley, the Publisher and Ashley Farley for the opportunity to read this book.

Wow! Wow! Wow! I did not want this book to end! Ashley Farley did a fabulous job putting together the perfect cast of characters set in the magic of Charleston. The way the story unfolds as told by each of the main characters kept me guessing until the very end as to where we were being led. I loved the romance, mystery, and family strife that kept the pages turning. This is most definitely a can't put it down until the very last word is read kind of book. Thank you so much for my requested copy of the ARC and all thoughts and opinions are truly my own!

A story so great that I didn't want it to end. Deep secrets, emotions and personality conflicts fill each page. The drama is strong and heartfelt. Author Ashley Farley takes the reader inside the minds of the main characters and makes us feel like we are part of the story. I could feel myself standing on the sidelines watching as each scene unfolded. Each detail in the story allowed me to feel the air, sights and sounds of the Lowcountry of South Carolina. An exceptional story. I received a complimentary copy of the book. No review was required.

Tangled in Ivy is a tale of tortured souls and southern family dysfunction, compelling work of Southern fiction with lots of family drama, intrigue and twists I never saw coming. I could not put this book down! This is about 2 twins Lillian and Layla who have never gotten along but gets much worse after their father dies. Graham, their father, is a teacher at the university who 1st meets Edward and falls in love with his daughter Ivy. The story is set in Charleston and Graham is dying of cancer. The story goes back and forth between present day and when Graham and Ivy’s life together. Ivy, the twins mother dies when they are only 6 years old. When Graham passes away Lillian finds Graham’s memoir and discovers things she has suppressed since her mother passed away. Lillian now learns about everything that transpired between Graham and Ivy. Lillian has had such growth and fulfilment of who she is. This is just a fabulous read and I highly recommend you run out to pick this up as soon as it comes out. It is just a beautiful story that you won’t be able to put down.

I want to thank Leisure Time Books and NetGalley for allowing me the pleasure of reading the advance reader copy of this fantastic book. My review is my own opinion, not influenced by receiving the ARC