What a great story about an interesting family. Sometimes we just have to trust that things happen for a reason. How many times have you done something out of love? The further I got into the story the better I liked these folks. I would love another book to see how my new friends are doing. I received this book from NetGalley, but my opinion is my own.

When I found out that Pamela Terry had a new book coming out this summer, I requested it immediately from Netgalley. Her first two books (The Sweet Taste of Muscadines and When the Moon Turns Blue) were absolute home-run hits for me. I live in Georgia and I felt a close connection to the setting of both of these books-I have a strong feeling think that the author loosely based the town of Wesleyan, GA on my hometown!

Through an Open Window wasn't as good to me as her earlier books, but I still really enjoyed it.

What worked for me: I enjoyed the depth of the characters-yes, even the dear departed Aunt Edith. The ghosty plot device didn't bother me and I enjoyed the family secrets all coming to light. It is a light read, and I read it over the span of just a couple of days.

What didn't work as well for me: This book is heavy on the character development and light on the plot. Honestly, even that wasn't much of a problem. I think my main issue is that I have come to expect a rich, developed story from this author and this book landed for me more like a novella.

That being said, I will continue to pick up anything Pamela Terry writes!

A big wholehearted thank you to the publisher for sending me an ARC of this one. It made my entire week to be granted this ARC as I can't shake the feeling that Wesleyan, GA is at least partially based on a real city!

I liked this book,, but I struggled to connect with the characters. Parts of their actions just didn’t resonate with me. I will read another book by this author though!

Loved his book and I knew I would because I just adored The Sweet Taste of Muscadines, one of Pamela Terry’s prior books. Families, secrets kept out of love, healing, loss, new life! Just a wonderfully written story. Do not miss this one! Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing House-Ballantine Books for granting this book for review consideration. All opinions are my own. #ThroughanOpenWindow, #NetGalley, #goodreads.

I received an ARC of this novel from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Sweet novel about a mildly dysfunctional family that is able to mend their relationships and find ways to love each other better.

An enchanting story of how a ghost works in the lives of a woman and her three siblings to bring about changes for each of them. When the aunt who raised a woman begins to appear to her nightly, the woman is confused as to why. It always appears as if the ghost has some urgent message to relay. As the story progresses, the three adult children see her also but they have not a clue as to who she is.
Such a delightful story.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Please see my full review at http://michelleardillo.com/2025/05/13/book-review-through-an-open-window-by-pamela-terry/

Before I was sent this book, I had never heard of Pamela Terry's novels, which I think is likely due to me not reading in this genre very often. I felt that I might be too young for this book's intended audience; I didn't get a lot of references, and due to the main characters being older than what I usually read, I struggled to really connect to them. The mystery at the heart of this novel was sort of discovered pretty early on, (even revealed to us in the prologue, so it was never a mystery to the reader!) and the rest of the novel just felt like a matter of letting the rest of the characters know about it. I felt like there was very little reason for the secrets to have been kept from the central character, Margaret. The men in her life chose to never tell her about things that I felt, all things considered, had she known about them sooner, wouldn't have drastically affected her much. While she does protest this when she discovers things, it just felt too simple of a reason for the main character to not know such important things about herself. This book is supposedly magical realism, which in a way it is- there are ghosts that show up, don't speak, and point some characters in the right direction for their life. Sometimes, they're more for closure or comfort to grapple with grief. None of them were real characters, though, just images of characters who died before the events of the novel. While I understood who those people were supposed to be through the descriptions of those around to remember them, as ghosts, they didn't really offer much. I think the same goal could have been achieved if the living characters just had vivid dreams of their loved ones. I enjoyed the growth between Maragret's adult children Lawrie, Tom, and Mouse, although I felt like the character POVs sometimes were used too often. Often, a chapter would end with someone planning on going and telling someone else about a discovery, and then we'd miss the scene where the conversation itself happens. Had this book focused more closely on Margaret, and maybe one sibling, (either Mouse, with her grief for her father, or Tom, who seemed quite deep), I think the book would have felt less bloated. Overall, I didn't find myself particularly excited to get through this story. The mystery was revealed too early, and the rest of the story was the 5 POV characters talking about it.

Thanks to Ballantine Books for an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!

This novel is an entertaining blend of magical realism and family dynamics. It kept me engaged from the very beginning and ended on a satisfying note. The characters are well-developed and realistic in the face of the paranormal visits.

The Elliot family is grieving the recent death of their beloved husband/father, each managing the loss in their own way. Margaret, the widow, is finding the family home too large with her husband gone and their three adult children established on their own. That is…until her deceased great aunt Edith complete with pearls) begins to appear to her seemingly to deliver a envelop. Thus, a multitude of appearances begin to occur for several family members as the story unfolds with the revelation of long held secrets, a reunion, and a wedding.

Overall, this is a heart-warming, entertaining novel that I recommend for a few hours of relaxing reading.

My thanks to the author, the publisher, and NetGalley for the privilege of reviewing this book. The opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This review is being posted immediately to my GoodReads account and will be posted on Amazon upon publication.

Oh Aunt Edith, I liked your main story line but I just couldn’t get in to your current life.
I will say this book was well written with good character development but the use of Aunt Edith just turned me off.
There are definitely many readers will enjoy this book and I will recommend it to those I think will enjoy it.
I am happy to have had the opportunity to read this in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher.

I have not read Pamela Terry before and I throughly enjoyed her book Through an Open Window-
Margaret found her husband slumped over his desk of an apparent heart attack- they had been warned after his first one to live each day to the fullest because their was going to be another and it wouldn’t be good. Margaret and her 3 grown kids were all having grief issues over the loss of their spouse and father. Margaret kept waking up at night and seeing the image of her Aunt that raised her and realizing that Aunt Edie was trying to tell her something. Mouse was especially fond of her father and was really having a hard time with the loss of her father. Her husband Nick a physician even had sought help from the minister to try to find a way to help his wife she was so distraught from losing her father.
The story is very amusing and accurate of how siblings get along even as adults and come together and step up to the plate when they need to.
Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC of this book!

I didn't know what to expect when I was sent this book to read. I have never read a Pamela Terry book. I was intrigued by the premise of the story and feel like it surprised me (in a good way) by the events in the story. I feel like the ghost of Aunt Edith visiting was only a small piece of the story as this is more about family and the bonds we can share (and renew). Multiple perspectives of the different family members really helped me connect more to who they are. I wasn't sure how I felt toward the middle of the story, as I didn't know where the story was going. As I continued to read, I could see the connections the siblings needed with each other (and themselves) as they found their way back to each other (and themselves).

I was able to read this novel thru NetGalley and enjoyed it. If you like stores about Siuthern families along with a little ghost story then this is the book for you. It was well written and the author’s descriptions of southern lifestyles and the people were entertaining.

I'm a sucker for a strong southern drama and this one didn't disappoint. A bit far fetched at times but I think today we call it magical thinking! I really liked the characters and I would happily read a sequel.

Thank you to Netgalley for providing me with an early release in exchange for a fair and honest review.

A wonderful story of the South, rich with elegant old homes, lush gardens, beautiful imposing trees, a couple of ghosts, the requisite secrets, Through an Open Window is a multi-generational family saga filled with joy, sorrow, and love.
Recently widowed after being happily married to her childhood friend for decades, Margaret is not sure what to do next. Her adult children are all busy with their own lives and, at 62, she is still young and independent. And then, Margaret finds a cottage for sale on the Internet during the same time that she has been seeing what she thinks is the ghost of her dear great aunt who took care of her since she was a baby after her parents had died. Sounds far-fetched? Well, Pamela Terry pulls it off seamlessly!
Margaret and her three children (Mouse, Tom, and Lawrie) and their partners are the well-developed individual main characters who are buttressed by wonderfully eccentric friends. Everyone plays their part in this well-crafted novel that will leave you with a smile on your face.

A wonderful and heartwarming look at families, secrets and love. Margaret was raised by her aunt, married the live of her life and has 3 wonderful kids. But after her husband dies she begins seeing the ghost of her aunt and long kept secrets surface. A beautiful book!

I enjoyed this book. It was quick. It is a story about grief and processing grief. Everyone deals with pain differently and I enjoyed reading the different perspectives. I was sometimes confused because there are many characters in this book and a lot of them tell their perspectives. I didn't connect to anyone really though so sometimes I found it hard to pick up and read. Thank you to Netgalley for the ARC

I truly enjoyed this story!
Are ghosts real?
Margaret is quite sure that her deceased Aunt Edith is back as a ghost.
She has been "visiting" ever since Margaret's husband has died.
Is there a reason? What exactly is the message that Aunt Edith is trying to give?

It's an emotional, funny, heartbreaking, heartwarming ,journey of a family that is not perfect with secrets and troubles.
I loved it!

Thank you to @NetGalley and to @Random House Publishing Group-Ballantine Books for this wonderful ARC and allowing me to provide my own review.

A wonderful and heartwarming look at families, secrets and love. Margaret was raised by her aunt, married the live of her life and has 3 wonderful kids. But after her husband dies she begins seeing the ghost of her aunt and long kept secrets surface. A beautiful book!

Ms Terry's distinct cadence in her prose - calm storytelling descriptions of ordinary scenes bring detail and life to the characters on the page
Lively and lilting with acerbic wit, southern euphemisms further clarify and color in the details.
Not a ghost story but more like fate causing a seismic shift to set things right
No hyperbole to fill pages. A big fan- excited to read another story from her