I started listening to the audiobook but just could not muster the enthusiasm to listen beyond 20%. The whole dual timeline seemed a little messy. The letters from Sarah did not really add anything. The mental illness side of the plotline was not presented with empathy, but rather with fear.

Overall, I felt the book drag.


#netgalley #AtTheCornerofKingStreet

This was a gentle, layered novel that combines family secrets, personal growth, and a touch of historical intrigue. Set in Alexandria, Virginia, it follows the story of Addie Morgan, a woman trying to distance herself from a family legacy steeped in superstition and dysfunction.
The book blends themes of ancestry, homecoming, and self-discovery, and while the historical elements are interesting, the pacing sometimes drags. The characters are reasonably fleshed out, though not all are particularly memorable. Addie’s internal conflict is relatable, but the resolution feels predictable and tidy.
Taylor’s writing is competent, and her sense of place is strong, giving the setting a warm, lived-in feel. However, for readers expecting a more emotionally charged or twist-filled narrative, the plot may come off as subdued or overly safe.
Overall, At the Corner of King Street is a fine read—nothing groundbreaking, but pleasant enough if you enjoy contemporary women's fiction with a historical slant.

This was an ARC on audiobook. I was not a fan of narrators and it was hard to pay attention.

4⭐️

This book was truly captivating and let me to wanting more.

At the Corner of Kings Street follows Addie Morgan. Her childhood was chaotic at best, so when she had a chance she left and found happiness at a vineyard and a new boo, Scott - the owner of the vineyard.

However, after a series of ignored phone calls from her sister, and the sudden appearance of her aunt disrupting her new life, Addie finds herself returning to Alexandria. Many of the women in her life have been ‘cursed’ with mental illness - her mother and sister were no exception. Addie returns to Alexandria to help with her sister, as she has done all her life.

This book was so well written and the narrators did a great job. The book flips between modern day Addie and diary entries written by ancestors from Colonial Alexandria.

This is an exciting read with dark themes, witchy elements from the past, found family and takes you through all the feels.

This was… pretty good. Not something I’d rush to purchase for the library, but it made for a solid listen. I wasn’t deeply invested in the story, but clearly something worked because I rolled right into book two afterward.

Both narrators—Kate Marcin and Elle Newlands—did a good job, no complaints there. The story itself didn’t knock my socks off, but if you’re in the mood for a gently paced family drama with a bit of history woven in, this fits the bill.

A decent listen, just not one that’ll stick with me long-term.

I’m never disappointed having spent time listening or reading anything from this author. This book takes us back to Alexandria and along with the new characters we revisit some of the characters and places from the Union Street Bakery series. The definition of family varies from person to person based on their life experience. We first meet Addie. She has spent her life dealing with her mother and sisters mental health diagnoses. It caused her to be the adult in the room from a very young age. When she has finally had enough and wants to be untethered from her sister packs up and leaves it all behind. She is ultimately called back home when her sister resurfaces. I really liked her storyline. She goes from complete denial to slow acceptance while dealing with everything else in her life. She is amazing. The rest of the people around her, not so much. Mixed in with some historical mysticism which I personally could have done without and still loved the story. Now off to listen to the next in the series.

I really loved this audiobook. It touched on so many subjects, including mental health. I really like books that take the time to touch on mental health since I work in mental health. It was a good and easy listen. Good narration. Well written.

Cute! This one tackled a bunch of different tropes - dual timelines, mental health, romance, etc. I thought the author did so well. Quick and interesting read.

Audiobook - This story brings to light the effects of mental illness on the family of the sufferer and the lengths they sometimes have to go to be able to live a somewhat regular life, with and without the affected loved one. The small town setting is sweet and the main character Addie is likeable and easy to sympathise with. With dual narrators and timelines set now and in the 1700s that also explored witches and curses in relation to Addie’s ancestors, the historical letters worked well.
Thanks to Netgalley and Brilliance Audio for the audiobook arc for review.

Rooted in family secrets, second chances, and a whole lot of Southern charm, On the Corner of King Street by Mary Ellen Taylor is a quiet, emotional story about letting go and coming home. The characters were heartfelt and the setting gave it that small-town comfort feel, but the pacing was a little slow in spots. I liked the generational layers and themes of forgiveness, even if it didn’t totally sweep me away. Still, it’s a thoughtful, warm read that fans of slow-burn family dramas will appreciate.

⭐️⭐️⭐️💫 3.5 stars
Rated PG for mild language and emotional themes.

It seems like Addie Morgan's family has been cursed for as long as they have been in Virginia. Half of the girls born into her family develop a severe form of bipolar disorder as teenagers, including Addie's late mother and her sister, Janet. A few years back, Addie stopped playing Ms. Fix-it for her sister and fled to the mountains. She has a job, boyfriends, and plans for the rest of her life when she gets dragged back to Alexandria (temporarily!) to deal with Janet's latest drama: a baby girl. While trying to keep the child alive until somebody more qualified comes along, Addie makes some chance discoveries that may shed light on that old family curse before it comes for her niece.


Addie Morgan and her ex-brother-in-law Zeb Talbott are great characters. As somebody with a family member who is bipolar (thankfully without the delusions that the Shire-clan women are subjected to), I relate to the frustration they feel. Aunt Grace as a character was more convenient than real, but the inclusion of the McRae sisters from a previous series created a support system for Addie that actually worked. They felt like more of her family than any of her blood relatives, save the baby. Watching Addie realize she had help as she made the major decision of whether to embrace this chaos in Alexandria or go back to the winery was so nice and made her eventual choice a natural conclusion.


Overall, I liked this book and am anxiously awaiting the second book (<i>The View from Prince Street</i>, but it seems as though <i>King Street</i> ends rather abruptly. The climax felt like it hit far past a point that allowed any amount of resolution and the plot is left too loose.

The interludes from Addie's ancestor develop quite a bit of intrigue though I did wish for a bit more from them if they were going to happen between every chapter.


I'm unhappy with the choice to anachronistically refer to US Route 1 by its current name instead of the name in 2015 when the book was set. The name change to Richmond Hwy didn't happen until 2019. Referring to it as such is completely unnecessary in the first place because <b>you could just say Route 1</b>! Which, as a Virginian who grew up close to Rt 1, is completely normal (if not preferred by many). This small detail kicked me completely out of the setting. The city council that advised on the name change wasn't even created until September 2015; this book is set in August and the 2015 edition was published in <i>May</i>. This was an active choice to insert inaccuracy by the author or publisher that makes no sense. If you didn't want to call it Jefferson Davis Hwy, there was another way that wasn't a lie.

As an audiobook, the editing is good but I have problems with the voice actress's choices. I wish narrators would bother to look up how to pronounce place names. Staunton, Virginia is pronounced STAN-tən, not STAWN-tun. Somebody living and working nearby would 100% call it correctly. She also gives the character a light southern twang that comes and goes like she's having trouble keeping her accent consistent. That inconsistency is just not good in an audiobook and can be a distraction, presenting some accessibility challenges alongside the thick Scottish accent of the interludes. Overall, it's a serviceable audiobook but this is not a book I'd recommend explicitly on audio.

ARC review
@netgalley
The dual POV was a great tie in. I thoroughly enjoyed this audiobook that had two settings, two narrators, and one wrap up. The story was engaging; I commend the writer for talking about mental health and showing a peak into the lives of so many people who struggle with Bipolar disorder. We need more of these books to help educate others. Would recommend this book, highly recommended the audio as I am a lover of the British accent 💖

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me early access.

I am fascinated by this book and its setting. The other books I’ve read by this author, that go along with this town setting, held my attention so well and this one is no exception! I adored the Union Street Bakery and Sweet Expectations books and to see the characters from those books mentioned and visited again in this one made me feel all warm and cozy!

I connected with these characters too, loved going on the journey with them and teared up a few times at the conclusion. Thank you for allowing me to take this “ride”.

5 star all the way and can’t wait to get the other in this compilation completed!

A dual timline novel that draws you in. Good character building throughout. Can't wait to read the next in the series.

After a childhood filled with conflict and loss, Addie Morgan is determined to live a very different kind of life, she deserves stability and happiness, doesn’t she? Addie finds just what she’s looking for when she gets a job at a vineyard in the country. And maybe she’s found more than peace and contentment with the vineyard owner, Scott.

But Addie’s ties to the past intrude when she gets a call telling her that her sister has just given birth and she is wanted at home to help the family she tried so hard to forget. Now, as she returns home, she faces an impossible choice – should she abandon the picture-perfect future she planned or to return to the past.

Thank you Brilliance Audio and NetGalley for the audio ARC

5 stars ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️ ⭐️

🎧 AUDIOBOOK REVIEW 🎧

I LOVED THIS BOOK! I loved the audio the narrator was great it flowed nicely.

This is story stole my ❤️ from the first chapter. I can’t wait to start the second one which I’m starting now! Addie is a beautiful human. The way she dealt with life is just amazing.