This one deserves more than five stars! Margaret recently lost her husband . She has three children but they seem to be struggling at the moment. They are not really estranged but have not had much contact over the years. Margaret was told her parents are dead and she was raised by her Aunt Edith who is deceased. Aunt Edith starts appearing to Margaret who feels she is trying to tell her something. Beautiful story of grief, love, and forgiveness.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advance copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This was the third book I have read by this author, and I have enjoyed them all.

Margaret was raised by her aunt Edith and her friend Ida, since she was a baby, after her parents died in a car accident. In the intervening years, Margaret married and had three children, twins Tom & Laurie and daughter Agatha, affectionately known as Mouse. Now, after her beloved husband has passed away, Margaret starts seeing Edith, who herself died years before.

Are these hallucinations? Is Margaret losing her mind? Is she really seeing a ghost? Margaret keeps this to herself, worried as to what her grown children will think. When Edith appears to be holding out a yellow envelope, Margaret decides that Edith is trying to tell her something.

This was a lovely gentle novel with great characters - especially those of Margaret and Mouse, and Margaret's friend Harriet. We delve deeper into the lives of all of the family, focusing on one of them at a time, as we uncover family secrets and personal issues. I loved how the characters grew as they were dealing with their grief, their relationships and and the secrets they discovered. I particularly enjoyed the way my perspective changed on one of the children, Tom, as he went through his personal growth.

This novel contains a healthy dose of magical realism, but I felt it was really well done, and I liked the way it was presented. I enjoyed the surprises and twists that were revealed as the characters moved along their journey.

An enjoying 'good feel' book.

This is a heartwarming story cleverly written with love – the type of love that comes from a mother who adores her family.

Yet, Margaret, the mother of three grown children, has a secret she’s not sure she wants to share. She sees a ghost: her Aunt Edith who died a while ago. Her daughter, Mouse, and twin boys, Tom and Lawrie, also see this older lady in places like a park for a few seconds and they sort of dismiss it. Aunt Edith whom lovingly raised Margaret, is there to help her reveal an important part of her past.

It's the type of story that when all the characters are placed in your mind, you feel like you’re right there with them. It takes place in a small southern town of Georgia where you can feel the sticky humidity in the summer.

The daughter’s nickname, Mouse, is pretty uncommon and made me think of how people would identify her as small and weak. She, however, was strong with a successful catering business. Her real name was Agatha, named after her father's favorite author.

The story is easy to follow with point of views from the mother, her three adult children and significant others. There’s also the love of dogs. This is a cozy mystery that makes you think about the importance of family interactions and how sometimes plans go out the window and resurface into something unexpected.

My thanks to Ballantine Books and NetGalley for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book with an expected release date of August 19, 2025.

This beautifully written family life fiction is split into five parts, and I really enjoyed how the structure added layers to the story. Set in the small town of Wesleyan, Georgia, it explores the bonds of family, the weight of secrets, and how grief ripples through generations.

Margaret Elliot has recently lost her husband and since his passing, she’s been seeing the ghost of her Aunt Edith, the woman who raised her after her parents died. Margaret knows Aunt Edith is trying to tell her something, but what? It’s clear there’s a long‑hidden secret lingering in the past…

Her children are woven into the heart of this story:
✨ Mouse, her eldest daughter, married to Nick (a doctor) and struggling with depression since losing her father.
✨ Lawrie, who owns a veterinary clinic, and his girlfriend Emlynn, who owns a charming gift shop.
✨ Tom, Lawrie’s twin, whose career has imploded after a bold choice, and he’s now searching for what’s next.

Will these secrets change the course of their lives? And what does it mean that Margaret is seeing a ghost?

I loved the writing style and the way this novel explored grief, family, and resilience.

Pamela Terry's books always surprise me. Expecting some bit of southern fluff, we end up with a lovely, meaty story that's always a pleasure to read.
Margaret, recently widowed, is making her way in the family home which her grown children are convinced is too big for Mama to maintain. Margaret can't imagine living anywhere else. She starts seeing visions of her Aunt Edith who is holding what looks like an envelope. Margaret was raised by Aunt Edith after the death of her parents. Afraid to tell her children about seeing Aunt Edith - she knows they will quickly call it dementia and pack her off to the old folks home. Aunt Edith shows up all over the house. Lawrie is the local veterinarian, married to Emlynn who owns a quaint little shop in town. Tom is, supposedly, a very successful real estate entrepreneur, whose life is falling apart. And Agatha, aka Mouse, grieves her father's death and fears she is driving her beloved husband away.
When the truth becomes too obvious to ignore, the whole family becomes invested in finding out the truth of what really happened to Margaret's family.
The story and the characters draw the reader in and the reader becomes invested in the story. Southern family drama at its best.

Probably the most important thing you need to know about this novel is that Pamela Terry can write. Her compelling descriptions are in no way trite. They pull you into the story.

Those who have read The Sweet Taste of Muscadines and When The Moon Turns Blue will be delighted that Through An Open Window takes them back once again to the town of Wesleyan, Georgia.

Margaret has lost her husband and chief confident, Lawrence, so she doesn’t know who she can confide in when she starts seeing her Great Aunt Edith silently appear at the foot of her bed at night. She mystified by what Great Aunt Edith might want. She seems to be holding an envelope, but can’t give it Margaret, so she doesn’t know who it’s for or what it says.

On the night of her birthday dinner at the country club, her son’s partner hands Margaret the exact envelope she has been seeing Edith holding out. It seems she found in a the dollhouse which now resides in the window of her bookshop, but once belonged to Great Aunt Edith.

When Margaret finally opens the envelope, there is a newspaper article and a photograph in it. I’m not going to tell you the rest of the story because I hate spoilers. But I will tell you that story is well worth reading. I’ll end with what I consider my highest endorsement: I look forward to reading another book by Pamela Terry.

This is a wonderful story about family, love, faith, and relationships of al kinds. The author's prose is beautifully written and tugged at this reader's heart. This is also a story of discovery; finding out who you are after a loved one has died, or what your next step is when you've lost a job. The characters reflect on their past yet always seem to have their eyes also on the future; whatever that may hold. The characters are endearing and some are a little quirky. In the author's acknowledgements she says that this story didn't begin this way and took on a life of i's own. It needed to be out in the world to lift up the readers and spread hope and love.

Through an Open Window is a Southern story where a ghost reveals family secrets. Months after the death of Margaret's beloved husband Lawerance, she starts seeing the ghost of her Aunt Edith. Her daughter Mouse is still grieving the loss of her father, and the rivalry between twin brothers Lawrie and Tom is still in play. Through visits from Aunt Edith to each family member, it is soon discovered that Margaret has a brother she never knew existed. This was a very touching story about family ties with a light touch of magic. I enjoyed reading it. Thanks to the author Pamela Terry, Ballantine Books, and NetGalley. I received a complimentary copy of this ebook. The opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own.

A southern Georgia cozy mystery infused with bits of the supernatural is the setting for this 3rd book by Pamela Terry.

Margaret, is living alone after the death of her husband. All her children have grown up, and all of a sudden she starts seeing apparitions of her deceased aunt Edith, who raised her after her parents died.
Unbeknowst to Margaret, each of her children are receiving similar visitations.

These visitations guide Margaret toward clues that unravel a hidden family secret, drawing in her children as they each confront grief, change, and personal revelation. Edith plays a major role in the story, guiding each character to a choice that may or may not be in their favor. So you have to suspend disbelief as far as that is concerned. I loved the dynamic between the three children, who were all struggling with their own issues. They still managed to come together to help their mother solve the secret, and deal with the outcome.

The author does a great job describing small southern towns. You feel like you are watching the action play out as everyone knows everyones' business. The big secret is revealed early on in the book but that didn't stop me from enjoying how everything played out.

I received a free DRC of this book through Netgalley. It has a little bit of everything: An older woman who discovers that she is not who she thought she was and forges ahead. Family relationships between siblings, mother and child, couples. Numerous ghost sightings. Small town southern living with all it's pros and cons. It's good to see that sometimes beauty lies in the broken parts. The descriptions of the shop, dollhouse, and flowers makes it easy to picture the story unfolding.

This was such a sweet read. A story of loss by a family I loved getting to know.

I loved going along on their journey of healing & hope with a little twist of the supernatural. This is a really great read.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House for this ARC for my honest review.

#NetGalley #ThroughAnOpenWindow #PamelaTerry

Through an Open Window by Pamela Terry was a book that I just could not connect with the characters in the story. I struggled through this book but was determined to finish it. I can say that this book will not be taking up space in my bookcase. I know that there are readers out there who will enjoy it. I have read a book by this author and enjoyed it.
Thank you NetGalley, Pamela Terry and Random House Publishing Group – Ballantine for the arc of Through an Open Window. This is my personal review.

I found this a delightful tale of broken families trying to get together after a long time apart. If you do not believe in ghosts you will really feel left out as a maiden aunt appears to each member unbeknownst to the others. She leads each one to answers of long hidden secrets and attempts to mend all the brokenness in their relationships. I smiled a lot as I read this book and wished for a ghost of my own. I found this to be a refreshing story and one I totally got absorbed in reading. When I finished it I felt sad as though all my friends had left. I will recommend this one highly to book clubs and/or a beach read. This story is set in Georgia and is filled with life in a small town. It is the first book for me by this author but I will look forward to more.

I wish to thank Net Galley and Random House – Ballantine Books for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this book. I have voluntarily read and reviewed this advanced copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Title: Through an Open Window  
Author: Pamela Terry         
Genre: Fiction    
Rating: 5 out of 5

In the small Southern town of Wesleyan, Georgia, where the air smells of red clay and sea salt, Margaret Elliot has lived a seemingly charmed life—until the recent loss of her beloved husband. Since then, Margaret has been seeing visions of her aunt Edith, the indomitable woman who raised her after her parents died when she was a baby. As these mysterious and undeniable visitations continue, Margaret becomes convinced that Aunt Edith is trying to tell her something important. As she follows the clues that almost magically present themselves, it becomes clear there is a secret from Margaret’s past waiting to be uncovered.

As Margaret grapples with each new revelation, she also worries about her three grown children. Her stoic and inscrutable eldest daughter, Mouse, continues to struggle with the grief of losing her father. Her son Lawrie, always his mother’s favorite, faces life-altering changes that he both longs for and fears—while Tom, Lawrie’s twin, must wrestle with the consequences of a work decision that has blown up his entire life. Despite the tensions among the siblings as they argue about how best to support their mother, the whole family is soon embroiled in uncovering the truth the ghost of Aunt Edith is striving to expose.

I loved this book! The characters are so vivid and realistic---down to the chihuahua in a bowtie. Lots of family dynamics on display here, to go with the small-town drama, and it was so well-written I half forgot I was reading about these people instead of watching them in real life. Such a good read!

Pamela Terry lives in Georgia. Through an Open Window is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine | Ballantine Books in exchange for an honest review.)

(Blog link live 8/20).

As the saying goes, "Everything happens for a reason!" That is my thought as I am reading this book. It was a great story about loss and believing in signs. I enjoyed the characters and the plot flowed nicely. Overall a really good story.
I received an advance copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

I stopped and started this book probably about 15 times. I simply could not get into the storyline. I don’t believe in giving authors poor reviews because all work should be celebrated. I think maybe if this was a series I had read more of (this a was my first book so I had zero connection to the characters) I might have enjoyed it more. Looking through some of the reviews, I see that people who are familiar with the series really enjoyed it. I will consider maybe revisiting this further down the road. Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group- Ballantine for the early copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

I requested this back in March and tried several times to connect with the book. I think this writing style was not for me, but I do plan to try different titles by this author to see.

Thank you for the ARC!

Once again, Pamela Terry takes the reader back to Wesleyan, Georgia. Not to say that Terry has a formula, but the story again starts with the death of a beloved family member and the grief involved. And once again, there’s a bit of magic realism to her story. This time, much more than just a bit. Margaret was delivered to her Aunt Edith as a baby after the death of her parents. The recipient of a happy childhood and wonderful marriage, Margaret has just lost her husband and is now living alone. Except for Aunt Edith, who, as a ghost, shows up most evenings.
Told from multiple POVs, we watch Margaret and her adult children move forward in life and try to come to grips with their new normals. The character development is spotty. Margaret and Mouse are much more firmly fleshed out than Tom and Lawrie, who at times came across almost as ghostlike as Edith.
While I enjoyed her prior two books, I struggled more with this one. It was a little too saccharine for my taste. And while I’m okay with a little magic realism, Edith’s ghost was a bit too much for me especially when she starts showing up for multiple family members. Without Edith’s ghost, there would have been no story.
This is a sweet story and definitely enjoyable, but don’t expect the depth of her prior two books. Readers who aren’t annoyed by excessive magic realism will enjoy this more than those of us who prefer our fiction to be more realistic.
My thanks to Netgalley and Random House for an advance copy of this book.

I struggled to really connect with this story. 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.

After the death of her husband, Margaret starts seeing her Aunt Edith, who died decades ago, and she’s trying to tell her something. A lovely southern story with wonderful characters, a magical storyline, and a delight to read.