Spanning decades, this was an emotional read about found family and helping hands.

After her adoptive Aunt Winnie passes, Bailey Rae goes to settle the estate in Bent Oak, South Carolina. Bailey Rae ends up discovering secrets, long since hidden, about her aunt and her dearest friends, as Bailey Rae herself is approached for help.

Beautifully written, emotionally charged stories of trauma/abuse and those who got away. This book was charged with hope, resilience and the power of connection.

My favorite quote, “I’m sorry it had to take me so long to realize we should be together. You’re worth the wait, he said. You’re my lightning in a bottle, that once in a lifetime event. Difficult. Challenging. And exciting beyond belief. We’re in the south, I reminded him. So that should be lightning in a mason jar.”

Thank you to author, Catherine Mann, Publisher Lake Union Publishing and Happily Booked PR for the opportunity to read this book. I am leaving my review voluntarily.

Breathe in breathe out, smell the flowers blow out the candles, smell the flowers blow out the candles. I loved this in the book, I'm going to remember it, I wrote it down, I have it on a post it note on my desk at work for when I need to breathe, for when I'm anxious. This book was hard sometimes, I wanted to cry, I wanted to help, I wanted to defend, I wanted to think of ones I knew that had been in this situation and wish I knew where help like this was. This was a story of women that made a difference, that became a family, that kept secrets in order to live, Oh my God read the book, find a piece of your life, someone you know, just read the book.. Maybe it will help you want to make a difference in someone's life.

One of the best books I’ve read in a long time. A group of chosen family escaping their lives for something better. The challenges and dangers they face are crazy real. This entire book felt so real life that it brought out so many emotions. I was a crying mess, whether the good kind or the bad kind. Bailey Rae inspired me in so many ways. A broken flower turned into a blooming plant. I was rooting for all the survivors. The romance between Bailey Rae and Martin was unexpected, but welcome, but the real story was everyone else. A must read.

This was such an interesting topic, and I still can't decide if all the secrets that Bailey Rae encountered added to the suspense of the book, or made it a frustration for the reader. I had a little bit of a hard time in the beginning keeping all the characters straight and all their connections. I didn't feel satisfied in what I was reading until the last few chapters when it came together - I almost gave up a few times because I felt like I was missing something obvious, and the payoff took a long time to get there.

Really loved this book. Interesting storyline about women escaping abusive situations, and how they were able to move forward. A feel good story, but in a good way. Loved the characters. Great character development. Would highly recommend. Thank you to Netgalley for chance to read this book, prerelease for an honest review.

The characters in this book were so believable it was a joy to read. Many sensitive topics were covered in this book well and without overbearing "here is what you should think or feel about this" attitude. I would have loved to have loved more of the underground railroad aspect added into this book....next drop off/daring pick up, etc. The friendship, loyalty to self and others was a welcome break from our actual community climates right now.

I just finished this one and really loved it. It tackled such a big subject. Domestic violence against women and children has long been a taboo subject and especially in a world that really loves men. Women have endured in silence. But many have escaped. And many women (and men) HELP those women escape this cycle of abuse. This was a heartwarming story of resilience and love and starting over.

Lightning in a Mason Jar is a book about discovering more about those we love. Bailey Rae misses her beloved adopted Aunt Winnie. Yet, she wants to flee from the home she's known for so long. As she prepares to sell everything off and pursue what she thinks is her dream, she begins to learn that her aunt had a secret life.

The story reminds us how we may not know as much about those we love as we think we do. There could be stories from their past that shed a light on how they became the person we knew. In WInnie's case, the fear of being found out kept her from sharing with Bailey Rae all that she had endured.

Overall, I enjoyed the book and will add Catherine Mann to my list of authors to read again. She does a wonderful job telling the story using flashbacks to Winnie's life and the words of people who knew her to unveil more of Winnie's story to Bailey Rae.

Thank you to NetGalley, Catherine Mann, and Lake Union Publishing for the advance reader copy. All opinions are my own.

I adored this book! From the first page to the last page, every single character had me invested!
The back-and-forth chapters between Bailey Ray and her “aunt” Winnie tied the story together so beautifully!
This is one book. You are definitely not going to want to miss!

Rating: 3.25

Thank you so much to Lake Union Publishing for the eARC!

I’m honestly a bit dumb-founded as to why this book hasn’t been getting more attention! Especially in the wake of our current political climate (if you know…you know), this book is an important fictional perspective on the danger of domestic violence (DV) and intimate partner violence (IPV). As a social worker, I have worked with clients who have experienced DV or IPV within their lives or are struggling to cut off ties with their perpetrator. Even though this is a work of fiction, it still offers a meaningful perspective that is worthy of examining. How can we support agencies and groups in our area that provide services to survivors? And what current policies or laws affect them? Cause the sad and unfortunate truth is that these stories aren’t fictional for some individuals and might be very similar to what they experienced. I really appreciated the dual time lines and I thought it made the book a bit more dynamic. If it weren’t for Winnie’s perspective being told, the book would’ve been a lot less engaging. The main reason as to why this book isn’t getting a higher rating from me is because I found certain parts of the plot and the ending to be quite predictable. I would’ve appreciated maybe a touch more mystery since the organization/program Winnie was a part of was supposed to be a secret. Also, I found the characters to be a bit one note. All I learned from Bailey Rae was that she missed Winnie and wanted to have her own food truck…that’s pretty much it. I think a bit more depth could’ve been created within her character to further enhance the plot. Overall, this was a pretty good book and I’m thankful I got a chance to read it!

This book was okay I felt it dragged in parts but overall it was good though not my favorite
Thanks for letting me read and review this book from the publisher

well, this is exactly what a 4-star read offers in my eyes

continuously asked myself how things would go on in the book when i couldn’t read due to no time

also there seems to be a trend in fiction right now that follows the stories of the women who came before us

and what we’ll do with that inheritance?

what does it mean to be related by blood and why can we feel bonds with people simply made with love?

From the very first pages, I was captivated by this fascinating and heartfelt story. Eloise Carlisle Curtis comes from a prominent Southern family and marries well. However, as the years go by, her husband begins to make her doubt her own sanity, leading Eloise to question herself. Phillip ultimately institutionalizes her, subjecting her to electroshock therapy. Eloise suspects that he intended to leave her there indefinitely while he seized all her money and possessions.
Determined to regain control of her life, Eloise manages to escape from the hospital, leaving her trust fund behind. She adopts a new identity as Winnie Ballard and takes a job at the paper mill in Bent Oak, South Carolina. Winnie dedicates herself to helping other women who are struggling or in crisis. She provides them not only a safe haven but also the opportunity to rebuild their lives, including choosing new names. The women become her family, especially Bailey Rae, a neglected child abandoned by her addict mother. While Bailey Rae calls her Aunt Winnie, Winnie considers her as a daughter.
Fifty years pass since Winnie first arrived in Bent Oak. The love of her life has passed away, and Bailey Rae has grown into a smart, capable young woman. After Winnie’s death, Bailey Rae begins to clean out her house with plans to move to the coast. However, she uncovers a number of shocking secrets that date back even before Winnie came to Bent Oak.
The characters in this heartfelt story are delightful, lovable, and unforgettable. The book is truly hard to put down.
I received a complimentary copy of this book, and all comments and opinions are my own.

When Bailey Rae’s Aunt Winnie disappears and is presumed dead, she takes it as an opportunity to pull up stakes and make a fresh start away from the small town she’s known since she was a young child. Her first task is to clean out decades of living from Winnie’s house. She’s distracted, however, by a couple of things. A young woman, clearly in need of help, appears looking for Winnie and somehow is under the impression that Bailey can help her. Adding to the puzzle is the discovery of some strange things hidden around the house. And then there are the seemingly random comments made by a few of Winnie’s friends. As she digs deeper, Bailey realizes that her aunt was part of a network that helped women escape troubled home lives and start anew. The question she must answer is, how does she fit into this? I loved this book. The author does a great job of telling Winnie’s story from multiple timelines. And it sheds a light on a problem that sadly still occurs today.

I liked this book! I loved how there were old secrets uncovered from the past, and how they related to even present tense issues of our main character. I liked the themes of secrets, womanhood, sisterhood/female friendships, and love were discussed

Thank you to NetGalley, to the author, and to the publisher for this complimentary ARC in exchange for my honest review!!!

This was such a sweet story. Shedding light on the struggle women faced in the 70s. It also highlighted the challenge for interracial relationships. Loved the characters and really connected with the whole cast!

Secrets and story’s that can change someone are what this woman encounters. It was just a beautiful story to see how she handles what life threw her way.

I just read a great work of fiction. Lightening in a Mason Jar by Catherine Mann was such a good book.

At first I was hesitant in choosing this novel and now.im glad I did!
Such a moving and powerful novel that will sometimes move you to tears and at other times find yourself rooting for the people in the story.
A dual timeline that works well for this novel. These are another favorite of mine in books.
This novel is set in North Carolina. The way the author has described this book I felt like I was there. I've been there and that's one of the reasons I was able to connect with these characters. I didn't want to leave. I feel that these characters have more to tell.
I'll not forget this story anytime soon. It left me feeling full and satisfied. My favorite thing thing about a book.
This new to me author has done her job in making me happy.
I finished this delightful novel in one afternoon. It was very good!
5 stars from me. I highly recommend.
My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine.

This novel was set in South Carolina, a woman discovers her aunt’s secrets and explores themes including trauma, survival, and female friendship. I really enjoyed it.