This is an amazing, haunting debut by Caroline Frost and I enjoyed reading every minute of it!!!!!! This Bonnie & Clyde re-tale is fantastic and so delicious.

Here’s the tagline that piqued my interest:
𝙎𝙚𝙩 𝙞𝙣 𝙏𝙚𝙭𝙖𝙨 𝙞𝙣 𝙩𝙝𝙚 1970𝙨 𝙖𝙣𝙙 90𝙨, 𝙎𝙝𝙖𝙙𝙤𝙬𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙋𝙚𝙘𝙖𝙣 𝙃𝙤𝙡𝙡𝙤𝙬 𝙞𝙨 𝙖 𝙡𝙞𝙩𝙚𝙧𝙖𝙧𝙮 𝙙𝙚𝙗𝙪𝙩 𝙖𝙗𝙤𝙪𝙩 𝙖 𝙛𝙞𝙚𝙧𝙘𝙚 𝙬𝙤𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙥𝙖𝙧𝙩𝙣𝙚𝙧-𝙞𝙣-𝙘𝙧𝙞𝙢𝙚 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙘𝙖𝙣’𝙩 𝙚𝙨𝙘𝙖𝙥𝙚, 𝙥𝙚𝙧𝙛𝙚𝙘𝙩 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙙𝙚𝙧𝙨 𝙤𝙛 𝙒𝙝𝙚𝙧𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝘾𝙧𝙖𝙬𝙙𝙖𝙙𝙨 𝙎𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙑𝙖𝙡𝙚𝙣𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙚.

✅ Sounds like a messed up Bonnie and Clyde story
✅ Love a fierce woman
✅ Loved both Crawdads and Valentine

Request sent!!

This book is all that and so much more! The story is dark and gritty yet profound.

Frost creates two characters, Kit and Manny, hardened by life circumstances. They develop a deeply flawed romance, which I often thought bordered obsession more than love. Both are feral and unforgivable as they fiercely commit emotional and physical damage to anything and anyone. However, the complexity of these characters also warrants sympathy and understanding as survival becomes their life code. I love and hate Kit and Manny, often in the same scene. Frost”s attention to detail in both character and scene development moves the story at a break-neck pace. However, I purposefully paused to absorb a gut-wrenching scene or the unexpected compassion I felt for the devil himself.

I strongly encourage you to read this incredible debut! People who enjoyed We Begin At the End, White Oleander, and Razorblade Tears will also enjoy this one. Please note the TW. Here are a few obvious ones to me, but please review StoryGraph for the entire list: Abandonment, Animal Cruelty, Assault, Emotional Abuse, Rape, Murder.

This book had some of everything. I thought about this book every time I had to put it down. It was an amazing mix of love and hate and understanding and forgiveness and family and community. The book does a great job going full circle. An absolutely amazing read with characters you won’t soon forget. Loved it.

This story is set in Eastern Texas in the 1970s-1990s. I love any story set in the south, the feel of the community and the people. But for Kit Walker, people are not welcoming. They never have been since the day her mother abandoned her as a baby with a note attached - “she will be something”. She is bounced between foster homes never truly finding anyone who will keep her, until she meets the dark and mysterious Manny. At first, he takes care of her and she clings so desperately onto the only love she has ever known. But as she grows, she realizes he never really loved her but exploited the loneliness inside of her. More than a decade later, she is somewhat settled with a daughter in the small town of Pecan Hollow when Manny reappears in her life. Kit still finds herself drawn to him but quickly sees his darkness for what it is. It takes everything Kit has to fight not only for her life but the life of her daughter. The first part of this book was fast-paced and exciting but the middle kind of lost me. I felt like it dragged a bit, before eventually picking back up at the end. But the imagery of this small town was beautifully written, as was the complex relationship between mother and daughter. I also loved raw message of accepting the good with the bad in terms of how this town treated Kit and her daughter. This was a wonderful debut novel and I look forward to reading more by this author. I got “Where the Crawdads Sing” vibes from this story as well, with the town being so unwelcoming to someone they deemed different. Thank you to Netgalley, William Morrow and Custom House/Harper Collins and Caroline Frost for this ARC. This review will be posted to my Instagram blog books_by_the_bottle soon.

Shadows of Pecan Hollow felt like the combination of Kya's grit and naivety in Where the Crawdads Sing, a Stockholm syndrome version of Bonnie and Clyde and the tragedies of We Begin at the End. All of these elements add up to a brilliant story that is raw, emotional, and hope-filled. This book sheds light on the many aspects of trauma, its ripple effects and the power of community. Highly recommend this debut novel!

Shadows of Pecan Hollow by Caroline Frost was an interesting journey through the life of a woman named Kit and her daughter, Charlie. Kit had run away from a foster home as a child and been found by a man named Manny. In many ways he was a good man, and took care of Kit, as he groomed her to join him in a life of petty crime. She was a little girl and he had adult desires so often she was left in a motel room alone for a day or two or overnight. They robbed gas stations and shoplifted. As she grew into adulthood, they "fell in love," but is was a co-dependent relationship and when she saw him pull a gun on some people who had been kind to her, she broke, stole his car, and took off. She had a great-aunt in Pecan Hollow and after all these years decided to find out if it were true. It turns out she left with more than his car.

These were not particularly attractive people but they tried. Kit worked hard and raised Charlie the best she could, based on her experience with parents. Manny had gone to jail and not mentioned her name and that was a long way in the past and she gave it little thought. She had found her great-aunt and they had some good years; she learned a lot and eventually inherited her house. My, she had loved that house. The theme of the book is friendship and how it comes when least expected and from the last place one might anticipate. It was a moving and thoughtful book, in that it made me think.

I was invited to read a free e-ARC of Shadows of Pecan Hollow by William Morrow, through Netgalley. All thoughts and opinions are my own. #netgalley #williammorrow #shadowsofpecanhollow #carolinefrost

Trigger warnings: Kidnapping, grooming, violence against animals, child/sexual abuse and neglect
Shadows Of Pecan Hollow is a very disturbing but at the same time a moving story of Kit who is running in search of her family. This debut novel is an atmospheric mystery which pulls you into the story.
Kit as a thirteen year old girl is vulnerable and you hurt for her and her character as an adult elicits empathy. None of the characters in this novel are perfect and all are flawed and with these imperfections the ending seems plausible. However this is not an easy read by any means. It's a dark book with a dark theme but it's also a story with hope and light at the end of a dark tunnel.

SHADOWS OF PECAN HOLLOW by Caroline Frost is a gripping and gritty story of loss, obsession, redemption and the ferocity of a mother’s love. It is set in East Texas in two timelines, 1970 and 1990. Abandoned as an infant and on the run from the foster care system as a teen, Kit Walker is alone and vulnerable when at age thirteen she is abducted by Manny Romero, a charming, smooth-talking petty criminal. Manny provides Kit with a sense of security she has never known. Soon, he is involving Kit in his crimes and so begins years of fear, violence and manipulation that keep her tied to Manny. With time, Manny becomes dark and cruel. After a particularly violent hold-up, Kit makes a split-second decision to leave Manny behind and speeds off in his car. Thirteen years later, Kit lives a secluded life with her daughter, Charlie, in the small town of Pecan Hollow where she is still hiding her upbringing and criminal past. Her quiet life is turned upside down when Manny, fresh out of prison, shows up on Kit’s doorstep. Can she trust the changed man he seems to be? This story is beautifully-written and heart-wrenching. There are parts that were difficult to read because of the extreme violence, but Kit’s resilience in the face of her traumatic past is inspiring. The stories in both timelines are compelling and they are woven together seamlessly in the end. I enjoyed this emotional story of love and survival and I highly recommend it. Thank you to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the chance to read an early copy.

This is an important book. This is a major debut novel. You will want to read it. And I am trying to write a review sufficient to explain why that is the case, but without spoilers. It is 1976. A thirteen year old girl ditches her hippie foster parents-- the latest foster parents among many. She trusted one when she was seven or so but that didn't work out and now she is so tough she can shut down the world in her mind and she literally does not feel physical pain. She is on her way to Pecan Hollow to find the great aunt whose name showed up from her infancy in the social worker's files.

She was called Katherine, but when Manny finds her trying to steal a McDonald's bag from his car, her shirt stuffed with convenience store crap, she renames herself, Kit. Three letters is just right for the life she's had with nothing but abandonment, hurt and anger as she passed from one foster home to the next, ensuring by her unpleasant demeanor and her difficult behavior that nothing would be permanent. Some of the many problems with having Manny become your mentor and eventually more is that what he will mentor you in is how to hold up gas stations, shop lift and run out of a restaurant without paying your check. He will teach you how to shoot a gun and drive the getaway car. He is both dangerous and the only person who was ever so drawn to you and involved with you. All that attention from the wrong guy. Little bits of values and morality creep in and are shoved down to make life with Manny work.

So how, when and why does Kit eventually end up in Pecan Hollow, where the entire community finds her about as welcome as her foster parents did? Virtually no one takes the time to get to know and accept Kit and her daughter Charlie. But they have plenty to say about Kit and Charlie. Kit never had a point of reference for being a good mother to her daughter. She trusts no one. She is incapable of nurture and though she loves Charlie, this is not apparent to anyone. She's in a small Texas town with a job with the local veterinarian; one friend she's now totally alienated, but so what; a former babysitter who's grown up to be the town slut, with a mom who's the town junkie; and a cop of all things who is kind of nice to her but … who with her background could befriend a cop? She's alone. Except for Charlie, who is no longer accepting that her very hard to love mother is enough. Frost creates complex and memorable characters in Kit, Charlie and Manny. And while I could not put this book down, I felt satisfied with what happens to each of them. I knew by the end who was who, whether their lives held any promise at all, and whether they were likely to be okay or not. The writing is so beautiful with richly drawn settings and experiences. This is simply an unforgettable book.

This sagged in a few spots, could have benefitted with an edit of about 50 pages, but that didn’t stop me from liking it.

Thanks to Netgalley for the free copy in exchange for an honest review

3.5 Stars This book has been compared to 𝘞𝘩𝘦𝘳𝘦 𝘵𝘩𝘦 𝘊𝘳𝘢𝘸𝘥𝘢𝘥𝘴 𝘚𝘪𝘯𝘨, and I can totally see that…A young girl, completely abandoned by family, growing up with no one who loves her. A community that abandons her. A past she must keep secret. The plot line involves Kit as an adult, living her life in a small Texas town, raising her teenage daughter when her past walks back into town. Then Manny, her former rescuer/crime partner/father of her child walks into Pecan Hollow, and Kit’s life takes a dangerous turn. It was a compelling read, as in I kept turning pages. The author does a masterful job of moving between Kit’s past and her present, and in developing characters both main and supporting. My problem was some of the issues around trauma and its aftermath. Or perhaps it’s because I just read What Happened to You? I’m all about hope and inspiration, but it also needs to be grounded in a bit more believability for me.

East Texas, 1970's

Kit Walker, an orphan, that bounces from one foster home to another has a hunger in her belly that can not be diminished. She heads to the local gas station where she pockets some snacks to satiate her appetite. Upon leaving she sees inside a parked car a bag of fast food. The smell of the grease and salt have her salivating so she makes a move to grab it when she is stopped by the car owner. Manny Romero.

Manny can't believe this slight child of 12 years of age with a feral ferocity that could rival a pack of dogs is trying to steal from him but at the same time he admires her and sees a bit of himself in her. This is a girl with gumption and bravado that he can use in his various grifting schemes.

Kit, having never been loved by anyone, can't resist this handsome man with the bright blue eyes. Not only does he feed her anything her heart desires but he keeps her feeling safe and secure and those are feelings she has never experienced before.

The grifting goes well for several years until things go bad. Really bad.

East Texas, 1990's

Kit, now a mother to Catherine, has a small life in Pecan Hollow. Considered outcasts by the locals her and her daughter mind their own business and keep their heads down. Kit, wracked with guilt over her life choices keeps many secrets from her daughter but those secrets are about to come to light when Manny is released from prison and heads straight to Pecan Hollow to right his wrongs. Now a God fearing man he lives by the word of the Lord and he will do anything to get in Kit's good graces.

Wow, what an exceptional debut novel this is. Both timelines were equally compelling. Kit was a fascinating character that I wanted to reach into the pages to hug even if that would have gotten me an ass whooping. She was guarded and insecure and flawed and .... lovely, in her own sort of way. Ruth Langmore-esque if I dare make the comparison. She would do anything, and I mean anything, for her child. Manny was a character that will have you gritting your teeth with anger. The entire story was so well drawn, and vivid, that it was almost like watching a movie in my mind. There were some lulls in the middle but it was worth it. The ending made me misty eyed with emotion. If you enjoy the grit-lit genre then this is a novel not to be missed! 4 stars!

Thank you to NetGalley, Bookclub Girl Early Read Program, and William Morrow for my complimentary copy.

✨ Review ✨ Shadows of Pecan Hollow by Caroline Frost
CW: read up on the content warnings but it includes physical and mental abuse, sexual assault, and child endangerment via the foster care system

This book takes place across two timelines - 1) 13-year-old Kit, running from abusive foster homes, being picked up by Manny Romero outside of a gas station where she was stealing snacks in the 1970s and 2) in the 1990s after Kit has settled down in Pecan Hollow with her feisty daughter, Charlie. It's a story of resilience and loss, amidst the shadows that haunt us and the bonds that tie us together.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
Genre: Literary fiction, contemporary fiction
Location: "Pecan Hollow," generally SE Texas, west of Houston
Reminds me of: The People We Keep
Pub Date: February 8, 2022

This is a HOT debut novel that packs in an EPIC amount of story and character development. You're sure to feel all of the feelings as you're reading along as you root for the different characters and feel frustrated at their failures along the way. This is a great story to go in blind too - don't read too much about it before diving in!

All of those feelings come at the cost of being exposed to some really hard topics and story that will at times be hard to read. The author doesn't hold back in her descriptions which allows for max feelings but also can feel heavy - I do think it's a book you need to be in the mood for.

The character and setting building are WILDLY AMAZING. She nails the Southern Evangelist southern Texas community of this setting, and all of the characters felt so real and believable.

READ THIS BOOK.

Read this if you like:
⭕️ stories of resilience
⭕️ rural community settings
⭕️ tough topics and lots of feelings as a reader

Thanks to William Morrow and #netgalley for an advanced e-copy of this book!

SHADOWS OF PECAN HOLLOW is just the type of sow burn suspense I love.

The story follows shifty smooth-talker Manny Romero as he crosses paths with Kit Walker, a foster child twenty years his junior. At 13 years old, Kit is enamored with Manny’s attention and growing affections despite his criminal lifestyle and increasingly exploitative behavior.

I enjoyed the gritty East Texas setting and the dual timelines. We meet the duo in the 1970s at the height of their criminal pursuits and follow them twenty years later when Manny is released from prison and seeks to reconnect with Kit.

Caroline Frost explores the vulnerabilities of children in foster care and the impressionable nature of young girls in a very compelling way. This story is dark and deeply unsettling, and yet I couldn’t put it down. Trigger warnings abound so please reach out to me for specifics if you have concerns.

I loved the themes of loyalty, community, and the search for belonging found within these pages.

This story has lived rent-free in my mind since I read it and it will surely stick with me.

RATING: 4.5/5 (rounded up to 5 stars
PUB DATE: 2/8/22

Many thanks to NetGalley and William Morrow for an electronic ARC of this book.

Wow, this was one crazy ride of a book! I was on the edge of my seat the last 25% and was so nervous and anxious as to what would happen. It was so sad yet humbling, it’ll make you want to hug your loved ones, trust no one, and take a long hard look at those who you surround yourself with. This is one of those books that you’ll want to crawl into the pages and hug the main character! So heartbreaking yet uplifting and satisfying.

Shadows of Pecan Hollow is a great book it is written beautifully and you are able to easily picture what is being described every step of the way. This will stay with you long after you finish reading.

Shadows of Pecan Hollow was a quick, easy read that made me feel a variety of emotions. We watch as Kit struggles with her identity, love, and family as a child and adult. The same goes for her daughter, Charlie.

I enjoyed the setting of the book and how the author flipped between the 1970s and 1990s in small town Texas. There were a lot of complex relationships that I think the author wrote fairly well. I am never a fan of books portraying “relationships” between adults and children, but I think the author made the abuse clear while writing. It was very evident how we were supposed to feel about Manny.

It may have been the timing of when I read this, but I didn’t connect with the story as much as I was expecting to. However, it was a book I read in practically one day, so it held my attention well enough!

Thank you William Morrow and NetGalley for this gifted ARC.

I was looking forward to reading Shadows of Pecan Hollow by Caroline Frost after seeing it compared to Where the Crawdads Sing. I can understand why that comparison was made and I feel the same about Pecan Hollow—the first half was a little slow for me and then the second half made me really enjoy the book. There was just a lot of backstory in the first half that got a little drawn out for my taste.

Kit Walker came to Pecan Hollow to find family and get away from Manny, the con artist who took her in when she had no one else and eventually became her partner. Kit has made a life for her and her daughter, despite constantly feeling unwelcome and judged by the town. As we learn about Kit and her daughter, Charlie, we begin to learn about how Kit became who she is. When Manny finds his way to Pecan Hollow, Kit’s world is turned upside down. How will she keep them both safe? How will she finally come to terms with her past?

I enjoyed the overall story and getting to know the characters but the background story got a little long and drawn out for me.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫/5

The description and the cover of Shadows of Pecan Hollow had me immediately intrigued. It sounded like a mix of two of my favorites from last year; We Begin at the End and Razorblade Tears.

This book doesn't shy away from tough subjects. Things like foster care abuse, animal cruelty, emotional and physical abuse, and of course robbing people for a way of life are at the center of this book.

I liked how the book was formated with getting to know the current Kit, then flashing back to her past with Manny, and then when Manny walks back into her life. At times it dragged for me when Manny came back into her life just because I knew where it was heading and I wanted to just get to it without the build up.

I will say, one particular scene towards the end with an animal was really, really hard for me to read. I wanted to just stop at that point but needed to know how it all ended. So if that's a trigger for you, just beware it will leave your stomach in knots.

3.5/5

The beginning of this book certainly pulled me. I couldn’t figure out which genre it fit. Big warning that there is animal cruelty. The over all story was entertaining, however, based on the synopsis I was thinking the timelines would go back and forth more frequently. The ending tied up to neatly in a bow at the end, but the author really did capture living in small town Texas.