If you love women's fiction, you will love this book. It is everything you will need. Star rating 4.5.

I typically don't read women's fiction, but I did like this book. Star rating for me 3.75 stars.

Lila, Henry and Abby just lost their overbearing mother Geneva. With a little bit of detective work, they find her secrets buried in the muscadine arbor. In this tin, there are letters that reveal that their dad may actually be alive. Also, after the death of their mother, Abby and Henry can finally reveal who they really truly are.

The first 35% of this book is very heavy. It is all about the grieving process of the grown children.

After that, the book starts to get good (well for me since heavy reading is not my thing). Abby realizes since her mom is no longer around, she can finally let loose and become her own person and love who she wants love.

Henry has hidden the fact he is gay to everyone except Lila. Now that his mother is gone, he can finally introduce his long time partners Andrew. This was kept secret since their dad was a baptist preacher and it was considered an 'abomination' to not be straight. This book goes quite heavily into religion and how there is a "don't ask, don't tell" policy on 'sinning.' (This is the book's words, not mine)

Thanks Netgalley and the publisher for the digital copy in exchange for my honest review!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to review this book.

The Sweet Taste of Muscadines is a beautifully written book about how secrets shape a family. When Lila's mother is found dead in the muscadine arbor in her small NC town, she goes home for the funeral. Once there, the mysterious circumstances of her mother's death lead her and her siblings to realize that their entire life is based on a huge secret, one that will forever change their family.

The writing in this book is lovely. It flows smooth and reliable. It's not so much about the secret itself, but how secrets shape and form relationships. It wasn't a mystery so much as a dive into what makes us who we are as people, and how the decisions we make and what we see as home can be forever altered by a single event. The characters are strong and relatable, and the visual pictures are engaging and lovely.

This is a very solid first showing for this author, and I look forward to reading more from her!

This was a lovely southern fiction tale of family and secrets. It was easy to engage with the characters and I wanted to keep reading to absorb all of the answers.
Many thanks to Ballantine Books and to NetGalley for providing me with a galley in exchange for my honest opinion.

Book Review for The Sweet Taste of Muscadines by Pamela Terry
Full review for this title can be found at: @fyebooks on Instagram!

Lila has removed herself from her Southern upbringing by going away to college, falling in love, and creating a life as a weaver in Maine. With a deceased father, a dramatic sister, and a younger brother who she felt had to protect, she felt overwhelmed growing up and never had a connection with her mother. So when her mother is found dead in the muscadine arbor, the place Lila spent her entire childhood as an escape from reality, Lila returns to the South to uncover the mystery surrounding her mother’s death. But what she finds in the muscadine arbor is a secret beyond her wildest imagination. As her and her brother unravel the mysteries and secrets their mother left behind in her death, more secrets are unearthed. Will they get to the bottom of it, or will their questions go unanswered?

This book took me a little while to get into. I even put it away for a bit. And then....wow! Did it get interesting!! This was a great story about what might be hidden in your past!

I am a romance reader-lover at heart. This book spoke to that very sacred part of my love of reading in such a beautiful way. From the concept of "returning home" to a small-town and discovering family secrets to the intrigue and drama, which is always a delight, I found myself willing this book to never come to an end. It is rare to find a read so beautiful that you wish it to be endless and just continue on and on. This was that book for me. From the escapist nature through which the story is told to the wonderful character development, this reading experience was like a much-needed chat with a good friend. I thoroughly enjoyed every page of it! Highly recommend!

Twins, Lila and Henry return to their small hometown in Georgia when their Mother unexpectedly dies. They begin a journey that will lead them to Scotland. Family secrets that will make them question their childhood memories and who they have become. Very well written and interesting. Thanks to Net Galley and the publisher for the opportunity to read an advance copy.

This is a book I did not want to end. From the low, sultry deep south to the rolling green hills of the Scottish isles, this book captivated my attention and spoke to my romantic soul. The sister and brother duo of Lila and Henry balance each other out. Henry's practicality and Lila's big-sister influence help each other come to terms with their mother's unexpected demise. Together they unearth the mystery of the secrets she kept, and discover more of themselves along the way.

Lila did not need romance in her life to complete her story. The person she was looking for all along was herself, and I love that this romantic, dark, humorous story is told as it was. The main characters are written with depth and are extremely well rounded and likeable. From the beginning lines I was charmed and found myself devouring this book in every spare moment. It is not often I look for sequels, but the stories I would love to read more about. I found it to be a really well written story, and am so glad I was given the opportunity to read it.

This book was a lovely read. The language while proliferating with descriptive words and beautifully arranged phrases, was easy to follow. The plot was engaging, however, towards the end, I felt the pace slow down a bit which I personally didnt like. It felt like traveling to a part of the world that I am not very familiar with and getting to sit down with people from that place to hear their life story.

As someone who grew up in the South (North Carolina), I fell madly in love with this novel. It’s about a woman who returns to her small hometown in Georgia in the wake of her mother’s death—only to find the past upended by stunning family secrets.

I was instantly swept up in this story, carried away by these wonderful characters and compelled by all of the unexpected twists in their story. Something about this book felt deeply familiar to me, even while the story itself was a fresh and moving experience. With deep compassion and sharp wit, Pamela Terry brings to life the culture and expectations of a small Southern town that values appearance over authenticity—and where the struggle to live honestly can lead to devastating consequences.

Reading this book was a wonderful experience that pulled me into Lila's story and kept me there through the emotional journey. The writing is skillful, Pamela Terry not only beings the characters to life, she brings the Southern lifestyle in as a character. Having lived in the South for many years, her descriptions are amazingly evocative. I could feel the humidity, smell the flowers and hear the birds in the background throughout the story.

Three siblings come together when their mother dies. Each has their specific memories of growing up in this community and how it molded their lives. Their mother's death has left many questions that Lila, Henry and Abigail must resolve. Their journey through their mother's history will lead them to many discoveries, causing them to challenge their memories. A very unique story line that is written with skill.

It was very easy to lose track of time while reading THE SWEET TASTE OF MUSCADINES. There are few places that you'd decide...okay I can come back later...once you meet this family, you will want to stay with them to the end.

I love a good family secrets book and this one doesn't disappoint. A trio of siblings returns to the family home after the death of their mother and find out things that eventually sends them on a search in Scotland. I loved the descriptions of Scotland. It really made you feel like you were there. The family dynamics seemed authentic and not overly dramatic or sappy, common issues with family drama books.

Prepare for a Rollercoaster of events. Just when I thought i knew where this story was heading, it took another turn. The twists and turns swerve throughout the tale as it traveled along with Lila and her siblings with one shocking surprise after another.
The characters were extremely interesting, with a bit of intrigue, a dab of drama, a touch of the whimsical, and always entertaining. Personally i would love to spend some time with them.

Pamela Terry has written a superb novel in the true southern tradition and she can take her place among the best authors of the south. Her descriptions of places and people are wonderful. You can picture it as if you were actually there or actually talking to the characters in person. She has woven a heartwarming story beginning in a different time in the south and winds up in modern day Scotland. What a different world we lived in then. I could not put this novel down. It is definitely a 5 star read.

A great read about family ties, the South, Scotland, and secrets. It caught my attention right away, This debut tells the story of three different siblings and how one secret and their mother's death changes everything.

This book was a heavy read for me but it did seem to flow along rather quickly and easily. This book involves complex family relationships and is set in Scotland as well as a home in Georgia which was very relatable as that's where I'm from so that was neat!
This book tells of 3 siblings raised in a southern town after the death of their family who was killed in Vietnam.

An excellent read. Great characters, great atmosphere, and just the perfect amount of romance. I highly recommend this book.

This was a sweet, sad, and wondrous journey. This book moved quickly and kept me engaged through every page. Lila is called back home to her small, southern, home town when her mother passes away. She and her brother soon realize that their mother was hiding more than they could have guessed. This book makes the reader reflect and is a glimpse through tough choices that people are forced to make. There is a lot of exploration of the meaning of love and family and homosexuality is a prominent topic despite the southern religious setting. I really enjoyed and think it’s an important message how blind hatred can limit choices people have and force them to make mistakes. I highly recommend this book and am excited to see what else this author will come up with!

Oh my goodness did I LOVE this book!!! Every family has SOME secrets. When Lila's mom is found deceased in a most unusual place, holding a spoon, you know this story is going to have a lot of twists and turns. Lila and Henry embark on a journey they never thought they would find themselves on to find out the truth behind the secrets.