I loved this book. It was about an era in time we don't hear a lot about- the tobacco industry in the south. a young girl is left with her aunt after her mother leaves her to start a new life- as the girl settles in we are given a private tour of the tobacco wives private lives of the south, How big tobacco was set up as a part of the USA economy.

Thanks to NetGalley for an ARC in both audiobook and digital copy for this fabulous book! I think we've got a hit on our hands here, folks! This was SUCH a refreshing take on the typical World War Two explosion in publishing we've seen over the past couple of years, Covering difficult topics, relatable and engaging characters, and great descriptive settings, I firmly believe readers will gobble this one up.

To be nitpicky, the epilogue was a bit clunky (to the "I'm so happy you started a business here in x, where we are currently standing.' type of exposition), and the last sentence ended the book so abruptly I was left wanting a little stronger conclusion, but the heart of the story is extremely well told.

As I mentioned, I co-read this alongside the audiobook, which was good, but not as good as the book itself. Ultimately, though, I think readers will strongly appreciate both and I fully anticipate this one being a big hit!

First the good. The author has a long history as a journalist. Second, her mother served the tobacco wife community in North Carolina. These two facets lend a believability to the narrative. I wished for more nuance in the story but alas, it’s your typical historical novel. Thanks to NetGalley for a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

Post World War II Bright Leaf, North Carolina is a town reaping the rewards of Big Tobacco. Budding seamstress Maddie Sykes has just arrived in town and is awed by the beauty of the homes, the women and the riches available after years of scrimping and saving. As Maddie settles in with her dressmaking aunt, she finds herself in a position to make dresses for some of the wealthiest women in town, the wives of the tobacco executives. Maddie’s dream is threatened when she discovers that the cigarettes everyone is smoking, the cigarettes that are powering the economy of Bright Leaf are potentially dangerous, even lethal. This is a fascinating look at a time when smoking was considered glamorous, even healthy by many. Read with enthusiasm and a genuine feel for the characters