In this emotionally charged women’s fiction, Bailey Rae Rigby returns to Bent Oak, South Carolina, to wrap up her adoptive aunt Winnie’s estate. Her plans to sell off the old house and launch a food truck in Myrtle Beach are derailed when a young mother shows up, clutching the same cookbook Bailey holds. Inside the cookbook lies a secret code promising sanctuary for women on the run and unveiling a concealed legacy of resilience, female friendship, and courage.

The story unfolds across two timelines: present-day Bailey's discoveries and the 1970s-80s era when Winnie, then known as Eloise, escaped an abusive marriage, reinvented herself, and quietly supported other women in crisis. I truly enjoyed the dual timeline narrative and the seamless interweaving of past and present offered me both a depth and emotional weight. I felt involved as I discovered Bailey's personal growth and seeing Winnie’s courageous history first-hand. The themes of resilience & community emphasized the transformative power of women supporting women through trauma, healing, and survival. The only downside I had was that at times I felt the plot lacked suspense or surprises, making the twists foreseeable early on.

Ultimately for me, Lightning in a Mason Jar is a heartfelt and inspiring tale of courage, female solidarity, and rediscovered purpose. If you're drawn to stories of quietly powerful women, community-driven healing, and small-town Southern charm, this novel offers a tender and uplifting journey, despite a few predictable turns. A meaningful read for book clubs, fans of women’s fiction, and anyone seeking a hopeful, emotionally intimate story.

EXCERPT: PROLOGUE - 1971
Changing my identity and leaving behind everything familiar should have been difficult. Traumatic, even. Except it wasn't. Because from birth, we women aren't tethered to our names. Marriage may turn a Jane Smith into a Jane Brown or Jane Jones. Or into Jane Smith Brown Jones through widowhood or divorce, followed by remarriage.
Even the connection to a first name is tenuous when spoken. "Introducing Mrs. John Smith" would be followed with a whisper like a distorted echo . . .
"Her husband's a doctor."
"Her baby d-i-e-d."
"She's barren."
As if a woman's entire worth, her sum total sense of self, were tied into her ring finger and uterus. A Mrs. or a mom.
Could those hushed voices be that oblivious to the world exploding with marches and rallies, bra-burnings and sit-ins? I wasn't. I cheered those women on from my living room, images flickering across my new color television set, the wooden cabinet kind that dominated its own corner where once a tiny black and white had rested on an antique tea cart.
This was more than simply incinerating cotton and lace. It was like a broken bottle being melted and reshaped by an emerging sisterhood, a revolutionary sorority.
The world was changing, and that bigger, brighter screen gave me an expanded peek. Decorated with family portraits and silk flowers on top, the Magnavox invited me on a nightly news date to watch them and all they were battling to achieve. I was also thankful for my safe life that protected me from being them. What a comfortable place to exist, in that cottony swaddle of complacency.
So yes, I expected the changes that began when my father gave away the bride. Giving me away to Philip, as if I were a possession passed over to a neighbor like a handsaw or a charcoal grill - or the tiny black and white television - he no longer needed but still thought of fondly. Although, if I'd been a brighter color TV, I might have been wanted. Still objectified, but not discarded.

ABOUT 'LIGHTNING IN A MASON JAR': Since Bailey Rae Rigby’s adoptive aunt Winnie passed, Bent Oak, South Carolina, doesn’t have much of a hold on her anymore. So it seems.

Bailey Rae aims to settle the small estate and, armed with her aunt’s inspiring personal cookbook, buy a food truck with an ocean view in Myrtle Beach. Everything goes awry when a distraught young mother arrives in town clutching a copy of that same cookbook. Embedded inside is a code that promises a safe place in Bent Oak for desperate women on the run. For Bailey Rae it opens up a world of questions. Who really was the beloved aunt she’s known most of her life?

Winnie Ballard’s story reaches back fifty years—one of a Southern debutante’s harrowing marriage, of her escape and reinvention, and the galvanizing friendship of three resilient women who overcame their traumas, created a shelter, and found purpose. But there’s more to Winnie’s deliverance and long-held secrets than Bailey Rae imagines.

With each revelation, Bailey Rae draws on her aunt’s courage to find purpose herself. For now, whatever threats may come, Bailey Rae isn’t going anywhere.

MY THOUGHTS: I am at a total loss for words . . . two stories spanning two timelines. But these two stories contain many other stories; stories of women and children escaping abusive situations to make new lives elsewhere. Stories of violence and terror, of fear and hope, of people willing to provide help and safe places.

Although she has been rescued herself, Bailey-Rae knows none of this about her 'aunt' Winnie. It is a journey of discovery involving hundreds of cookbooks, money in unexpected places, a woman with dementia, a Parks and Reserves Officer with endless patience, and her aunt's best friends.

Lightning in a Mason Jar is a story of friendship, loyalty and love, of hope and second chances. It made me cry. It made me laugh. It made me want to be a part of this group of women who used their own experiences to help others instead of fading quietly into the background of life.

I was able to combine reading with listening to Lightning in a Mason Jar, written by Catherine Mann and superbly narrated by Shannon McManus and Ann-Marie Gideon. Although the narration of the audiobook was excellent, this was one of those occasions where I preferred the written word, where I could stop, ponder, reread and ponder some more.

⭐⭐⭐⭐.5

#LightninginaMasonJar #NetGalley

MEET THE AUTHOR: CATHERINE MANN is a South Carolinian at heart. After years of moving around the country Catherine has settled back in her home state with her Harley-riding husband. Empty nesters, they have a blended family of nine children, nine grandchildren, two dogs, and three feral cats, who all provide endless inspiration for new novels.

DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Lake Union Publishing for providing an e-arc and Brilliance Publishing (Brilliance Audio) for providing an audiobook of Lightning in a Mason Jar, written by Catherine Mann and superbly narrated by Shannon McManus and Ann-Marie Gideon, for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.

Beautifully written, emotionally intense, and grounded in realism, Lightning in a Mason Jar is a powerful story of trauma, resilience, and the generational echoes of survival. Catherine Mann delivers a dual-timeline narrative that explores how women build community, forge found family, and carry each other through the darkest chapters of life.

Bailey Rae returns to South Carolina to finalize her Aunt Winnie’s essays, only to uncover secrets that reshape everything she thought she knew. As the story unfolds, Winnie’s past emerges—revealing a network of friendship, courage, and quiet resistance. The longer Bailey Rae stays in Bent Oak, the more she’s called to continue her aunt’s legacy.

The dual timeline is especially compelling, drawing readers into Winnie’s journey of survival, womanhood, and historical truth. To say more would risk diluting the impact of the story’s revelations—but trust that they land with emotional weight and grace.

Thank you to Catherine Mann, Lake Union Publishing, and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this unforgettable novel. This review reflects my personal response to the book.

A fabulous story about strong, Southern women - past and present.

Bailey Rae's aunt Winnie has passed on and she's ready to sell the farm, move on to Myrtle Beach and run a food truck with Winnie's recipes. As she's unloading extra items at the local market, she's approached by a lady in distress that says a cookbook she was given sent her to find Winnie. As Bailey Rae helps her, she's finding out a lot about Winnie she wasn't aware of previously. Things that involve the community and Winnie's group of lady friends. It's a really interesting story - both the historical timeline and the current timeline.

Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publisher for a temporary, digital ARC in return for my review.

The strength and fight the women of Bent Oak have is inspiring. They have their own fears but they don’t hesitate to help others in need. I loved the dual timeline and the way the reader learned about the town and the women. Found family is one of my favorite themes to read in an emotional setting and it was a huge part of this novel. There were secrets and trauma but also resilience and love.

Thank you @catherinemannauthor @suzyapprovedbooktours for the gifted copy.

a beautiful book from start to finish. one that had all of my emotions and fighting them a fair through times throughout. this book captivated so much strength and i could almost feel the characters within it. the cover also needs a special mention as this just encompassed so much of what i felt in the book.
i love a book that spans time like this. it had a feeling of fried green tomatoes story which is an ultimate fave of mine.
the book bring us Bailey Rae whos arent has passed and its been left to her to deal with the estate. she has her aunts cookbook and she plans to purchase a food truck and run it. but then another woman comes with the very same cookbook and inside is a hidden code. the code reveal a safe place, a sanctuary for woman on the run. and now Bailey is left with so many more questions and a mind full of intrigue. who was her aunt?
and we then get to learn the history of Aunt Winnie as we are taken back to a time woman found the strength and courage to create a world of safety for other woman in need.
this book was just such a heart holding read for me. the story of friendships, of the courage it takes woman to survive the things they do. its all made better by the setting and time which adds that feeling you get, you know the one i mean.
the woman's stories arent easy. and finding out about her Aunts must be so hard for Bailey in this book. but its real. its honest and its shows just how brave people can be. shows how brave they are to keep going and bring something good from it too.
a brilliant book.

This book was a pleasure to read. It had a tough subject matter but overall it was a beautifully written story of women, friendships, being there for each other, and moving past abusive relationships. It is in two different time periods that eventually meet. I enjoyed this book so much. Even the hard parts were good. Not hard to read.

Back in the early seventies women were still predominantly reliant on men. To have a home. Money. Children. Everything. Who wants to go back to that? Uggg

When Winnie goes missing and is presumed dead Bailey Rae is devastated. Winnie had been the best thing to ever happen to Bailey Rae. Even though they were not blood relations they loved each other like they were. Bailey Rae was like the daughter Winnie never had.

Winnie had fled an abusive marriage. Her husband had put her in an institution. Not because of losing a child. Not because she was mental in any way. Because he could. She was just in his way. When she managed to escape she faked her death and went to South Carolina. Once there she was able to get help to start her life over. She met several ladies who had come there for the same reason. Made some friends. Deep friends. Ones that understood what she had endured and why she fled.

This book will make you shed some tears. It will also have you rooting for the women. For them to get past things that happened. These women had gone through so much. Some way worse than others. But still it was the ultimate sacrifice to lose your name and start over with a whole new identity. To leave behind all that you once thought would be such a good and happy life. To make new memories. New dreams. A whole new life. And in most cases, never look back.

This book was tough but also it was filled with so much love. I throughly enjoyed reading it. I loved getting to know the women and the dog. Yes I loved that dog. When it grabbed that bullies leg I cheered.

Great book. Well written. A real page turner with lots of intense scenes and, yes, a love story too.

Thank you to #NetGalley and #LakeUnion for this ARC.

Lightning in a Mason Jar by Catherine Mann
Contemporary women’s fiction. Dual time line 1970’s, 2025. Secondary romance.
Bailey Rae Rigby (2025) is cleaning out the contents of her aunt’s home in preparation for leaving Bent Oak, South head to Myrtle Beach to own run a food truck. Prepared to live her aunt’s dream. But the more Bailey Rae clears out, the more memories she has of her aunt and her friends. Why so many copies of the same cookbook? Why so many women and children passing through the small town, there one day, gone the next with supplies and clothing that Winnie had stored in her barn? The more questions she asks, the more Bailey Rae realizes the depth of her aunt and the hidden town secrets are special.

Winnie Ballard’s history is revealed from the 1970’s with a troubled marriage and an escape from being involuntarily institutionalized to the small town of Bent Oak, a new name and job. Three additional woman arrive in Bent Oak at the same time and become fast friends as they rebuild their lives and then secretly pass on the help to others.

Friendship. Loyalty. Love.
It’s an emotional story and for me, a cryer. These women survived so much and yet help others unconditionally. The friendships are strong and supportive. They didn’t let the bad defeat them and came out stronger and then reached out to help the next woman. Winnie’s romance is heartwarming and beautiful. Bailey Rae’s new romance is hopeful and sweet.

A heartfelt and uplifting story.

I received a copy of this from NetGalley. I also purchased a copy to keep.

Wow! What a eye opener, heart wrenching beautiful story. Bailey Rae life is in an upheaval once again. This time her beloved Aunt Winnie has passed away. She is still coming to grips with Uncle Russell passing. They saved her when she was 6 years old and the mainstay of her turbulent childhood. The memories are everywhere and Winnie’s friends are the family she depends on. Determine to honor Winnie she is packing up Winnie and Russell cabin and selling, donating and dumping the stuff. Going to buy a food truck and head off to Myrtle Beach as her aunt spoke of. As Bailey Rae sorts out the cabin she discovers secrets, secrets that seem Winnie’s friends are a part of. And when at the market selling various items a distressed woman and small girl come looking for Winnie to help her. More pieces to the puzzle of who was Winnie?
Told in a dual timeline and is a page turner. I love the writing of this author and didn’t even know what this story would be about. I just started reading and was enthralled with the story. Well done! Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union for this ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

Lightning in a Mason Jar is a story told by two different main characters, one has died, and the other is trying to do everything she can to honor the deceased's memory. It's really sad to think that women regardless of age, had to run away from their homes to avoid abusive relationships, and these are facts that did not stop happening, they are very much present in everyday's societies around the world. What I found really interesting was the way women dealt with helping each other, taking risks for women they did not know but whose problems they knew. Beautifully written, its a story about compassion, resilience, fear, love and romance, life choices.
I thank the author, her publisher, and NetGalley for this ARC.

Thank you to the author, Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley, for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I really wanted to like this, and there is promise here - the dual storylines uncover a hidden chapter of women's history, where help was given to escape domestic abuse situations, and I liked how the author interwove the two timelines. However, the story moves veeery slowly and uses quite a few tired stereotypes. There are also loose ends that are never addressed, not to mention a very improbable ending.

This was a wonderful and entertaining read that I finished in a few hours.
A well written story that kept me hooked from the very beginning.
The characters draw you in and keeps you flipping the pages.
The characters were all realistic and very well developed.
I really enjoyed the writing style. I found myself hooked, turning the pages.

Love books written by Catherine Mann, this is no exception. I did enjoy this book.
Beiley Rea is back to Bent Oak to take care of everything left after her aunt Winnie passing.
She wants to do this fast and move on, but things happen and she discovers secrets her aunt had.
Lovely story, enjoyed it.

Catherine Mann is an author whose romances I have read for years but Lightning in a Mason Jar is the first women’s fiction novel I have read written by her. The prologue set the stage, hooking me into this dual time story. The reader finds out the events in the late Aunt Winnie’s life before her “adoptive” niece does so. This is because we get to hear it from Winnie, when Bailey Rae only learns of the past after Winnie’s death. This is an effective way in writing these two women’s stories.

A Southern story that could have happened anywhere in the country, but the Southern favor is as much of humor as well as the strength of this book. Highlighting the struggles of women in situations of abuse and bias of interracial relationships in the 70’s-80’s, this is a beautiful, enlightening book.

"Lightning In A Mason Jar" by Catherine Mann is an absolute classic that will capture reader’s attention from the first page to the last. This novel weaves an exceptional plot through multiple timelines and narratives, creating a rich tapestry of stories that are both poignant and heartfelt.

The small-town setting is vividly depicted, brimming with charm and authenticity, anchoring the characters' journeys in a place that feels both comforting and real. The romance in the story is tender and beautifully crafted, striking the perfect balance between passion and emotional depth.

What truly sets this book apart are its unforgettable characters. Each one is meticulously developed, their stories resonating deeply as they navigate love, loss, and redemption. Their connections feel genuine, their struggles relatable, making it impossible not to become emotionally invested.

Catherine Mann’s storytelling prowess shines through every chapter, with seamless transitions between timelines that keep the reader engaged and eager to uncover how the past intertwines with the present.

In summary, "Lightning In A Mason Jar" is a poignant, heartfelt masterpiece that will linger in your heart long after you've turned the final page. Highly recommend for anyone who loves deeply moving narratives filled with romance, rich character development, and a touch of small-town magic.

Bailey Rae's Aunt Winnie has passed away, and she has to deal with her aunt's South Carolina estate. She has her aunt's cookbook with her because she wants to purchase a food truck and run it in Myrtle Beach. Bailey Rae's plans go awry when another woman shows up with another copy of the very same cookbook. This causes Bailey Rae to find and figure out a hidden code inside the book. The code reveals a promise of a sanctuary for women on the run, now Bailey Rae has more questions than she does answers about who her aunt really was. This story goes back 50-plus years as we learn about three different women who use their traumas and strength from each other to help other women in the same situation.

This was a profound and emotional novel about friendship, surviving and the strength women have when we need it most. I loved the South Carolina setting as southern fiction is a favourite of mine, and I especially love the timeline in the 70s. The author developed these female characters so well, and I loved her easy-to-read writing style. Aunt Winnie's secrets are heart-wrenching to read about, and it was hard to explore her trauma with Bailey Rae. A true story of the human spirit that was both personal and relatable all at once. I highly recommend this one to readers who enjoy stories of family drama/trauma and the fortitude of women of strength. All. The. Stars.

A story of women helping women, Bailey Rae has inherited (sort of) her Aunt Winnie's things as well as, it turns out, her role in helping women escape domestic violence, This is more Winnie's story than Bailey Rae's. Thanks to netgalley for the ARC. There might not be any surprises but it's a generous and heartfelt read.

What a captivating story!
Strong women, dual timelines, and a touch of mystery—this is a powerful novel about survival, healing, and the strength of friendship that I couldn’t put down.
It deals with abuse and trauma, which may be difficult for some readers, but it’s written with such care and grace that I found it ultimately hopeful and deeply moving.

Reviewing this one is an interesting one. I really got into it and enjoyed it looking at domestic violence and what would happen if a secret group of women supported others to escape. But in many ways it seemed so light it almost brushed over the complexities of escaping domestic violence? It definitely had its dark moments. And a core aspect of the story was that of the power of found family. So despite my rating it highly for my enjoyment, it’s not one I’d rate highly for looking at how hard it is to escape domestic violence and if you want recommendations I’d love to give them as it’s a passion topic of mine apparently especially with the love for a certain book that romanticises it. 🙃🙃

Lightning in a Mason Jar is an enticing Southern dual-timelines story that slowly and sweetly develops through the multiple family sagas. This is a dramatic book with poignant memories and difficult scenes of spousal abuse and torture. Fortunately love, passion and justice all prevail by the end.

Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read this ARC.