Cover Image: A Place to Land

A Place to Land

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Member Reviews

With her trademark lyrical prose and fantastically drawn characters, master storyteller Laura K. Denton has penned yet another heartfelt tale that is set in the glorious south. A Place to Land offers a little bit of everything, mystery, romance, drama, but what touched my heartstrings the most was the remarkable bond between the two sisters, Violet and Trudy Figg. Their journey of love, heartbreak and hope warmed my heart.

Brittany Pressley does a fantastic job bringing this cast of character alive. When I’m sad to leave the characters behind at the last page, I know it was a great story.

A hearty thank you to Harper Muse for the opportunity to listen to this audiobook through NetGalley. The opinions expressed above are my own and this is my honest review.

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A Place to Land is recommended for readers of cozy mysteries and lovers of southern literature. Denton’s sense of place is exceptional.

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This is a good choice to read if you are a fan of women’s fiction, family drama, and cozy mystery. It was an enjoyable read and hope to read more by this author.

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This is the first book I've read by Lauren K. Denton, but it won't be the last. I'm not sure how she'd escaped my notice up to now, because I love a good Southern story, and this certainly qualifies. It's set in the fictional town of Sugar Bend, Alabama - a fictional (as far as I can tell!) setting that's not too far from my real-life setting in the Florida Panhandle. It's a small coastal town that feels very real, both descriptively and in terms of the people who live in a touristy destination. I enjoyed this story of two sisters living in this town, running their artsy shop, with a mystery in their past that's revealed slowly over the course of the book. I also enjoyed the second-chance love story, and the sisters' extension of help to a young woman who is indeed in need of "a place to land". I listened to this one, and Brittany Pressley's narration was, as usual, excellent.
Denton has created a wonderful sense of time and place, filled with interesting characters and stories that may feel a bit predictable, but in the best of ways. Can't wait to read more from her!
Thanks to Netgalley and Harper Muse Audio for providing a copy for an unbiased review.

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A Place to Land is a story about dysfunctional families, sisterly love, and second chances. Violet and Trudy live together, spend their days at their art store, and keep to themselves mostly. Violet has her birds to keep her company, as tracking their movements over the water brings her great joy. Trudy fashions art out of lost and discarded objects, which often sell quickly in their store. When a young woman comes to town, will she bring the sisters out of the bubble in which they placed themselves?

Having read other offerings by Lauren K. Denton, I was expecting a strong connection to the characters. Unfortunately, this never happened and the story never materialized like I hoped. The author hinted towards certain plot points, but those never came about. Had the author taken the less expected route, I would have enjoyed the book more.

I listened to the audio version, narrated by Brittany Pressley. The tone and inflection was good, but her strong voice was not enough to elevate the story for me. The author missed an opportunity to bring the story together in a meaningful way. For these reasons, I hesitate to recommend A Place to Land to other readers.

Disclaimer: I was given access to an Advanced Audio Copy of A Place to Land by NetGalley and the publisher. The decision to listen to and review this book was entirely my own.

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If you are looking for a light read with a bit of mystery and intrigue, I would like to recommend "A Place to Land". The book follows two sisters, Violet and Trudy, as they navigate life together in the same town that they grew up in, Things begin to change, however, when an 18 year old named Maya enters their lives. Trudy and Violet are visited with stories and people from their past as they try to help Maya establish herself in town.

A tale of found family, first loves, and multigenerational friendships with a dash of mystery - it makes for a nice cozy read.

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I am a sucker for southern charm! This is a must-read for fans of family drama and women's fiction. It also has a touch of magic, mystery, and romance.

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A PLACE TO LAND is a story of fierce loyalty, the glittering camouflage of evil, and the supernatural balm of a close-knit small town that embraces strangers as family and offers unconditional love.

It was a beautifully written story, and I really loved the audio copy. The narrators were wonderful choices to capture the story and tone.

*many thanks to Harper Muse Audio for the gifted copy for review

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Thank you to Netgalley and the author and publisher for a chance to read and review this audiobook. This is the first book I have read by this author and I will definitely continue to read more of her books. This was a beautifully written story with a wonderful southern atmosphere, family relationships and secrets. This is a great story with wonderful characters. I listened to the audio book and the narrator had a very pleasant voice and was very easy to understand.

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I loved this story. I thought that the characters were well developed and quite endearing. The storyline held my interest and it made me want to linger in it. This is the first from this author and hopefully won’t be my last. I highly recommend it.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced copy for my honest review.

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A Place to Land is a Southern Mystery, a story of family and secrets as well as Women's Fiction. Sisters, Violet and Trudy Figg have lived together for the last 40 years. Something happened that caused Trudy to lose her voice, and Violet is now her protector. Trudy is an artist, making sculptues from found objects, while Violet runs the art shop and monitors bird activity up and down the water. Maya has been alone since her grandmother died. At only eighteen years old, she heads to Sugar Bend after seeing a flyer in a gas station window. She feels pulled towards Two Sisters Gallery. Meanwhile when a boat rises to the top of Little River, it seems that secrets, thought long buried are now coming to the surface. The sisters must come clean, in order to save themselves and keep their new found family with Maya, intact.

This was a beautifully written story with a wonderful southern atmosphere, family relationships and secrets. The story builds slowly, but as secrets and clues are revealed, it picks up its pace. I did figure out what happened before the reveal, but I didn't lose interest in the story. This is a dual timeline story told in alternating POVs of present day and the 1970’s through the 1980’s. I liked the main characters and found them well developed. There are several themes in this book that may be hard for some people to read. There is addiction, abuse, family relationships, keeping promises, forgiveness, found family, compassion, secrets and love. I really enjoy Lauren K. Denton's writing, it is so descriptive, you feel like you are there. This is a story that I recommend to anyone who enjoys a good Southern Mystery and stories of family. The audiobook was narrated by Brittany Pressley. She does a wonderful job with the story, giving voice to the characters and adding atmosphere to the story. I recommend this one in either format.

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What a masterful storyteller is Lauren Denton! This is the first book of hers that I have read and now I want to read them all. I love southern stories and characters. This novel is southern storytelling at its best. Denton's character development is excellent - you really get to know each of her characters and understand why they do the things that they do. I love the setting, a small town on the Alabama coast. A story about two sisters, one, Trudy, makes art from items she picks up on the beach and, Violet, who helps her sister sale her art but spends as much time as she can on the beach monitoring bird activity - they are both nature lovers. There is a mystery from the girls' past that has shaped their lives and could affect their present lives if anyone in the town finds out. The mystery finally bubbles up and surfaces after 40 years. We learn why the girls have lived the lives they have and we see the secrets that they have kept. We learn, with the sisters, how keeping secrets can be disastrous. It is a slow-paced mystery and full of southern charm and bits of magic. It is a Fun and Entertaining read!

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A Place to Land was a beautiful book. The storyline was easy to love and listen to. The characters were likable and I loved how Trudy developed throughout the story after the tragedy that happened ear.y in her life. And Maya was just what the two sisters needed in their lives, even though they didn’t know it the day she stepped in their store and stole from them.

I would highly recommend this book in audio, the narrators did a great job and definitely added to the already great story!

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A Place to Land was lovely. The story itself felt unique even though some of the themes are unfortunately less unique. It is filled with love and loyalty and beautiful relationships. I would definitely recommend.

Thank you to the publisher for an advanced copy of this audiobook.

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It was a bit of a slow start, but once the story got moving, I couldn’t stop listening. What a great group of characters and a moving story of devotion. Plus, I’m a sucker for found family stories. This was my first Lauren K Denton, but definitely not my last.

Thank you Netgally for the audio-arc in exchange for my honest opinion.

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Good story! Enjoyed the characters, the setting, and the story. The narration was good as well.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

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A tale of sisters. One caring for the other later in life. What seems like a sister spinster beginning unfolds into a tragedy that set in when they were in their prime, falling in love, planning their futures. As you travel through this book it’s not so much the whodunit that grips you but all the reasons why. All the heartbreaking reasons Trudy and Violet have lived in such solitary. Will they find their chance at happiness again?

The author made a home for me in this small town with discreet characters and made it a cautious but lovely experience getting to know each of them in their hurt and joy.

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Great narration. The book was a slow burn and it took me a while to get in to it. In fact it many me sleepy and a little bored at first. But I’m glad I stuck with it because the gotcha moment was worth it. I can see why Denton is so well loved, being that this was my first book of hers. The characters were so deeply relatable. And ugh, Frank. Trust and Violet. Mia and Tyler. Those moments with Jay. It was well done.

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Violet and Trudy have a secret. They are living a quiet life in Sugar Bend, AL. But, things are changing. A boat has been found, a bracelet has turned up, and there is a missing person still missing. Can they ride out this storm?!

First off, I loved the setting of this book. We have visited the Alabama coast numerous times and I enjoyed reading about this area. It is almost feels like home!

I also adored Trudy and Violet. They have a unique bond and believe me, Violet is not going to let anything break it. Then, there is Maya. She is a lost, young lady just looking for a place to call her own. These ladies step up and take her in.

But, there is the secret…what part of the past are Violet and Trudy not sharing? I figured it out, as will any of the readers. But, the way it plays out is intense and really kept me locked into the story!

Brittany Presley is the narrator. And I adored her! All her voices were spot on and her intensity was definitely on target!

Need a terrific southern fiction book with a twist…THIS IS IT! Grab your copy today!

I received this novel from the publisher for a honest review.

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I received a free copy of this book from the publisher through netgalley.com. I am leaving this review voluntarily.

Violet and her sister Trudy live in Sugar Bend where they run an art store and hide a secret that has both sisters trapped. One fateful night Violet lost the love of her life and Trudy lost her voice. Now they make do bird watching and creating sculptures from bits of found objects, shells, fishing line, driftwood etc.

Maya has aged out of foster care and while trying to discover what is next for her she stumbles upon Sugar Bend and is drawn to it and to the sisters shop. There she forms a bond with the mute Trudy who takes her under her wing and shows her how to create the sculptures she makes.

When a boat rises out of the river it brings with it secrets long held that could ruin both sisters.

This story weaves the past and the present into a sad but believable story. Ultimately the truth must come out but what will the consequences be? There is a lot here about being true to yourself, realizing that the truth really does set you free and sometimes you need to use your voice to save yourself from yourself.

Nicely written, clean romance intertwined throughout the book. Not my usual read but it was a nice distraction. The narrator is easy to listen to and keeps the story moving.

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