Ruby Among Us is a grandmother-mother-daughter story with ups and downs aplenty, set in the Sonoma Valley. The hook of the lost/unknown father is exactly one of the mysteries I work hard at solving in my genealogical lines, and so this jumped onto my shelves through that passion. Bonus: Quilts are mentioned 51 times, as Kitty (grandma) is a quilter - another passion that kept the book in my list.

The story line itself sorted out well, but was rather twisty-on-twisty and woven through with mentions of Christianity and faith, missing any details or specificity (if those are lacking, why mention it so often? code purposes? just wondering). I found myself more closely aligned with the non-main characters, and that felt odd, too. For those reasons, 3 stars. Still a good read, and the end had me misty - which is always the goal of my posterity in their storytelling efforts - so a good read if reader shares interest points above-mentioned.

*A sincere thank you to Tina Ann Forkner, Spavinaw Junction Press, and NetGalley for an ARC to read and review independently.* #RubyAmongUsRubyAmongUsBookNetGalleyNetGalleyReads #NetGalley

Ruby was raised by her Grandmother, Kitty when her mother died from an asthma attack. Ruby couldn’t find the inhaler and felt guilty that she caused her mother’s death. Kitty always refused to answer any questions about Ruby’s father and she hid her own past from Ruby as well. When Ruby gets older she starts searching for her father. She has some very vague memories and finally her Grandmother helps her search. A lovely story of two women coming to grips with their pasts. Book two is wonderful also.

Thank you Netgalley. I really enjoyed this book. The description intrigued me but the story was so much deeper and emotional. Three generations of women, their lives and history was beautiful. I am looking forward to the sequel and more from this author.

A heartwarming, heartbreaking story of 3 generations of women. Grandma, granddaughter and Mother (Ruby) who died when her daughter was 8. An absorbing story of their history, secrets, and memories.

The book is about the intertwined histories of three women, Kitty, Ruby and Lucy, and is mostly told from the viewpoint of Kitty and her granddaughter Lucy. Lucy has been brought up by her grandmother since her mother died of an asthma attack. She is homeschooled and Kitty keeps her close. Gradually, as she grows up, Lucy becomes aware that there is more to her grandmother’s life than she is prepared to share. The book teases with you with secrets that are gradually revealed as the story progresses. The characters are mostly believable, but could have been more rounded for me, although I dud like them, particularly Lucy. An underlying theme of faith, list, present, found could have been more nuanced. On the whole, an enjoyable read.

Lucy’s mother, Ruby, died when Lucy was eight. She has always carried guilt as she felt she was responsible. Coupled with so much mystery around her family, shielded by her grandmother, Kitty, Lucy begins an arduous journey to learn the truth and bring back lost memories of her mother.
A beautiful novel of family and secrets lyrically written so that the truths help rather than destroy. I enjoyed it immensely and look forward to the sequel, Rose House.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. all thoughts and opinions are my own.

Sad and beautiful, Ruby Among Us tells a story about three generations of women. The story is told mainly from the perspective of Lucy, and we get snippets of her mother and grandmother’s lives. This is a story about family secrets and forgiveness.

I really loved the beginning and the ending of the book. The first few chapters were devastating. I should note that for me there were some issues with the pacing. The middle of the book was a bit repetitive, due to the stubbornness of one of the characters. The ending was touching and satisfying.

I will end this review with a quote from the book.
“I feel like your secrets are keeping us from something great. Something powerful.”

I thought Lucy’s obsession with her mother for so long was very unhealthy.
I didn’t like Kitty at all. Yes, what occurred was bad, it why didn’t she just tell Blake??
Instead she depressed him of his daughter and runs off, wasting all that time.
Most of this book made me mad.

"RubyAmong Us" is a touching tale that spans three generations of women: Kitty, Ruby, and Lucy. Despite their mistakes, regrets, and loss of faith, the women have supported and loved each other through thick and thin. However, Lucy has few recollections of her childhood, and Kitty is hesitant to divulge the family's long-held secrets. Lucy is a delightful character, innocent and sheltered, with an eagerness to remember her past to pave the way for her future. This heartwarming book is a story of love, forgiveness, redemption, and family.

The book is deeply thought-provoking and emotional at times as Lucy works towards a new beginning as she learns about her past. I was engrossed in the story, eager to discover if Lucy could piece together her life – the life she never knew she had – and her heritage. The book is a page-turner, fast-paced and thrilling, leaving you breathless as you learn more about the characters you grow to love.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity ti read Ruby Among Us by Tina Ann Firkner. A lovely story beautifully written. I look forward to more.

The cover design looked very pretty, and the description sounded interesting.

From the beginning, I was drawn in, and I wanted to know more about the characters and whatever story they had to share. I felt that the writing had a dark tone, but at the same time it was very beautiful to read because it was elegant. The story was more romantic than I was expecting, but a good story to escape into. I'm going to read the next book in the series.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for a free copy to review.