A STORY OF FAMILY AND HOME

“Maybe home is more something you carry inside you than the ground on which you stand.”

Lila (Bruce) Breedlove and her brother Henry grew up in the small Southern town of Wesleyan, Georgia. Both of them fled for the North as fast as possible after high school where they established successful and fulfilling lives of their own. Their younger sister, Abigail, opted to stay right there in Wesleyan and dote on their over the top, domineering Mother, Geneva. When Geneva dies suddenly and suspiciously, Lila and Henry must return to their hometown. Upon their arrival, they are astounded by new facts that learn about their Mother’s death. This sends them on a journey of discovery to find the truth that will forever change the course of their lives.

Author Pamela Terry’s debut novel is a wonderfully woven tapestry of a family’s past, present and future. Terry carefully unfolds the truths, layer by layer and throws in a bit of suspense along the way. She manages to tackle the topics of family, love, overreaching expectations, religion, friendships that withstand the tests of time, and the consequences of deeply buried secrets and the consequences they caused.

“Home” plays such an important aspect in this novel. When Lila and Henry returned home after their Mother’s mysterious death, they realized how much they had taken their friends and their Mother’s friends for granted. They realized anew exactly who they could rely on without even having to ask! They also realized the toll that staying had taken on their sister. Yet, beyond a shadow of a doubt, they knew they would all get through whatever they might have to face because of the lessons they learned from HOME.

I was provided a complimentary copy of this novel by Random House Publishing & NetGalley. The opinions expressed here are completely my own and without influence.

When their mother dies suddenly, three siblings return to their home to try to understand what has happened. While they work to discover the secret of how their mother died, they discover more family secrets that threaten to change the way they see their past. This was a well written debut novel that is well worth reading.

Where do I begin? This book is about family, betrayal and lies. Add in this takes place in the south and you have yourself a wild read. This book is a wonderful read on family and redemption.

This book was nice. It was thought-provoking and brought several issues regarding family that needed to be addressed as well as self-awareness and internal issues for several characters. Good read. Will recommend.

This is an interesting book about family and family secrets. The plot entwines the lives of the two kids who moved away after school and the sister that stayed home to care for their cantankerous mother. The two return home after their mother's death and come face to face with things they knew nothing about. Well written with engaging characters.

There are tastes you carry that can change the temperature of the day. They stay and color and tint the moments of youth and beyond. The sweetness of this story is immense in sensuality and description. Lila and Henry have returned to their hometown to their mother’s funeral. A time of secrets revealed to the two of them from friends of their mother and a sister reeling from a death she did not see coming. Adults are supposed to be acquainted with death and take a passing in stride. Here a mom has kept an illness from her daughter that stayed close and another who left as soon as possible. A dad who is gone but living on a secluded isle in Scotland. A sister whose father visited and stayed only a short time. Lives forever changed but also forever released to a better tomorrow. A great tale with strong southern roots. A man at peace at last.

The Sweet Taste of Muscadines is a suspenseful fiction novel that follows Lila, who is forced to leave her oasis in Maine and travel to her hometown of Wesleyan, GA after news of her mother’s surprising and sudden death. Lila’s sister Abigail he always stated in Wesleyan with her mother, while Lila and their brother Henry moved out as soon as they could!

The suspicious circumstances of their mother’s death lead the pair to uncover unforeseen secrets their mother hoped to keep buried in the past!

The entire novel truly intrigued me, though there were some twists and turns I did not see coming, some of the turns were right nose. My favorite part about the author Pamela Terry’s writing is her descriptors! Which ever location she was at in the novel, three VERY different locations-I felt like I was right there with her!

I was able to smell the sea breeze in Maine, feel the humidity rise and fall as I snacked on a Muscadine in Georgia, and could easily get sea sick from the boat rocking back and forth across the sea!

In all, it was an enjoyable book for its plot, but a better book with its descriptors transporting you to wherever Ms Pamela Terry wanted you to go!

3.5
I think I'd classify this as women's fiction, which isn't a bad thing, just something I don't read too often. It was very enjoyable, and had a little suspense, southern themes and a lovely ending. If you'd like to read something soothing, with a page turning quality to it, I think you'd love it.

"Truth, like beauty, reveals itself as you notice it; the more you see, the more you see."

Lila never quite felt at home in her small, southern town in Georgia. Her father a pastor, her mother a proper southern woman. But while growing up, she- along with her brother, Henry- always imagined leaving it behind and starting over. That is exactly what they do until they receive word their mother has died and they must return home to bury her after all these years.

You may think you know how this book goes. You may think you have read or seen hundreds of copies of this same storyline in bookstores across America. But you would be wrong. This book takes women's lit and completely knocks it on its ass.

There were times that I forgot I was a reading fiction, Pamela Terry writes like poetry. Perhaps it is because I am from the region she is writing about. Maybe it is because I grew up with the restrictions that religion can put on your childhood. It is passages like the one below that lead me to believe, this will not be the last time we hear from Terry.

"Guilt is the bit in the mouth of a Baptist congregation, and when the reins are handled by an expert, he can lead them right off the pages of the Holy Scriptures and into thickets of judgment and fear, and these men were experts."

Sorry, I cannot help myself-one more passage I loved...

"It's a land where heart-stopping beauty and heartrending ugliness flourish in tandem, a land of kindness and hate, of ignorance and wit, of integrity, blindness, and pride. It's a land I left, tired of the struggle, after eighteen years and never once looked back."

This story will remind you of Steel Magnolias at times yet, it is so much more. This book will give you hope all while being so incredibly entertaining. The characters- specifically Henry- will make you giggle and root for their success. I loved this book so much. I am only sad it is over.

The Sweet Taste of Muscadines is a sweet, sweet story of love, of acceptance, and most importantly, of forgiveness. This beautifully written book centers on the lives of three adult children who grew up as children of a Baptist preacher in the deep south. Nowhere are there more "expectations" for children or adults, as appearances are the bottom line. Through the loss of their mother, these adult children are led on a journey of knowledge, and acceptance to finding the truth about their father, and ultimately, themselves. Five stars.

I really loved this story.. A mother’s death should be such a sad topic & the loss was but the other tells such a beautiful story. Her ability to honestly write about a family estranged and brought back together was excellent. The Sweet Taste of Muscadines, was such a great read. Set in Georgia, Lila is called home by her sister Abigail. Their mother has died and she can’t handle this on her own. Their brother Henry, also comes home. Pamela Terry, tells the story of going home and how out of place you can feel. The feeling you have moved on and time has stood still there. The reality that while you were growing up secrets could be kept from you & that those secrets can rock your world, as an adult. Their home town, welcomes them home and they start the process of moving on.. But they are all quirky.. trying to get along and do the right things by their mother. I was hooked from the moment this started and there were some excellent twists, that kept me hanging on.. all in all this was a five star read for me. For a first novel, Pamela Terry, knocked it out of the park. The writing was great and the story was so good. I have shared my review on my Instagram page and Barnes & Noble. I can’t wait to see what Pamela, writes next.. thank you to Netgalley for my ARC, for an honest review. It was a pleasure to read and write this review. PS.. I had to look up what a muscadine was.. I had never heard of it before.. :)

I received this ARC from NetGalley and Random House in exchange for an honest review. I enjoyed this story about three adult siblings who come together in their mother’s home to honor her right after she dies. Pamela Terry brings the siblings to life with her outstanding descriptions of each one and details about their lives. Abigail, Henry and Lila discover secrets about their parents and each other that make the story very interesting.

Most families have secrets, but Lila bruce Breedlove's family HAS secrets! Lila and her brother Henry and sister Abigail grew up in a small Georgia town. Their father was the minister of the local church and her mother was "queen" of the town. Their idyllic life is turned upside down when their father dies. Fast Forward to years later and the three siblings return to their family home when their mother suddenly passes away. That is when they discover their childhood was all a lie. Lila and Henry go an an exciting adventure to find out the truth. Along the way they encounter a lot of interesting southern characters that help piece together the story. Their lives will never be the same again.

This was a beautifully written story with a good message

I loved the sourthern setting--living in the south definitely made me connect with it in that way. I also loved the bit of mystery thrown in there with family drama.

I thought the beginning intrigued me a bit more and then felt it started to slow down a bit at the halfway point. I wouldn't say it was "bingeable" or a page turner so to speak, but the way Pamela Terry writes was simply astounding and provided the most vivid imagery.

As a lifelong southerner, I can honestly say that THE SWEET TASTE OF MUSCADINES captures what it's like to live in the south. The sense of community, the religion, the food. The author has described the town of Wesleyan beautifully and I found it to be the perfect setting for this story about family drama.

I really enjoyed the sibling relationships among Lila, Henry, and Abigail, especially as they deal with a shocking family secret.

The pages almost turn themselves; truly, there are no slow parts to the narrative. The story is very well-plotted with nicely-placed reveals and turns. And yet none of the "twists" feel unnatural. The novel comes across as a fascinating story that could actually occur in real life.

I loved the ending and how the author tied everything together with the theme of "home." The little touch of faith was nice too. I look forward to more by this author.

Perfect for fans of Patti Callahan Henry, Karen White, Kristy Woodson Harvey, & Mary Alice Monroe.

Witty and filled with so much heart. Very much enjoyed this one. Thank you netgalley and publisher for this arc in exchange of an honest review.

I was initially drawn to this book by the cover. Pamela Terry is a master of the English language and words. Her ability to describe people, place, things, and events. This is a very heavy character driven story for almost the entirety of the book. It is a slow burn of a story.

The Sweet Taste of Muscadines is a story about a Southern family and their history. History that is known and some that is unknown up to this point. There are flashbacks throughout the book to reveal more of the story.

Without giving anything away, I often find it hard to rate a book when you do not agree with the actions of a character. Decisions were made my individuals that I found hard to reconcile as a parent. And this is probably the only reason I am not giving this a 5 star review. I am at odds with myself that it is wrong that I am not giving it 5 stars for this reason. And who knows, maybe I will come back and change it.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley. I received an ARC of this book for an honest review. I will definitely be watching for more releases from Pamela Terry.

Thank you to NetGalley and RandomHouse for a digital ARC of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

The Sweet Taste of Muscadines follows the story of three siblings. Lila and Henry, who feel suffocated in their small southern town of Wesleyan, Georgia and move north, and Abby who stays in her hometown. Abby has always had a close relationship with her mother while Lila and Henry did not. After the death of their father in Vietnam, Lila was protective of Henry while Abby related more with her mother. When the siblings' mother suddenly and suspiciously, Lila and Henry are drawn back to their small Georgian town. They uncover a buried cookie box with 3 unusual letters. These letters open up secrets that Henry and Lila investigate while Abby turns into someone the other siblings do not recognize. While Abby is transforming herself, Lila and Henry pursue the possibility that their father might not be dead. The story is told in two parts, the first being the death and discoveries and the second the search for the truth.

This novel is full of family secrets, relationships, lost love, resentments and acceptance. I loved the author's description of Southern culture, and the scenery of Maine and Scottish islands. TW: This novel covers suicide, homosexuality, and family dynamics.

The Sweet Taste of Muscadines by Pamela Terry took a bit of time before I really could sink into this story but once I did, I couldn't put it down. The story was poignant, evocative and the plot with all it's twists and turns kept me glued to my seat eager to see what was happened next.

I was also captivated by Mrs. Terry's beautiful descriptive writing style that truly brought her book to life for me. Her ability to set the stage and weave a descriptive, emotionally engaging story made the story leap off the pages and captivate me. I love when this happens while I'm reading a story and I can't wait to read more of her books!

I highly recommend The Sweet Taste of Muscadines. - Rating: 4.5 Stars!

I received this book for free. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are my own. Thank you to Ms. Terry, Ballantine Publishing and Netgalley for the opportunity to read and review this book.

Their mother died twice. The second time, she left secrets that were quite literally un-earthed. Three siblings are brought together after the death of their mother only to find that their family’s life in a small southern town is not what it seemed. Delightful characters, nicely paced while still being funny and insightful all at the same time. Good casual read where you enjoy being with the characters. The only problem I had was the ending seemed to come on quickly with plot and character resolutions. I received an advanced copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.