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The Peach Keeper
Goodreads Choice Award
Nominee for Readers' Favorite Fiction (2011)The New York Times bestselling author of The Girl Who Chased the Moon welcomes you to her newest locale: Walls of Water, North Carolina, where the secrets are thicker than the fog from the town’s famous waterfalls, and the stuff of superstition is just as real as you want it to be.
It’s the dubious distinction of thirty-year-old Willa Jackson to hail from a fine old Southern family of means that met with financial ruin generations ago. The Blue Ridge Madam—built by Willa’s great-great-grandfather during Walls of Water’s heyday, and once the town’s grandest home—has stood for years as a lonely monument to misfortune and scandal. And Willa herself has long strived to build a life beyond the brooding Jackson family shadow. No easy task in a town shaped by years of tradition and the well-marked boundaries of the haves and have-nots.
But Willa has lately learned that an old classmate—socialite do-gooder Paxton Osgood—of the very prominent Osgood family, has restored the Blue Ridge Madam to her former glory, with plans to open a top-flight inn. Maybe, at last, the troubled past can be laid to rest while something new and wonderful rises from its ashes. But what rises instead is a skeleton, found buried beneath the property’s lone peach tree, and certain to drag up dire consequences along with it.
For the bones—those of charismatic traveling salesman Tucker Devlin, who worked his dark charms on Walls of Water seventy-five years ago—are not all that lay hidden out of sight and mind. Long-kept secrets surrounding the troubling remains have also come to light, seemingly heralded by a spate of sudden strange occurrences throughout the town.
Now, thrust together in an unlikely friendship, united by a full-blooded mystery, Willa and Paxton must confront the dangerous passions and tragic betrayals that once bound their families—and uncover truths of the long-dead that have transcended time and defied the grave to touch the hearts and souls of the living.
Resonant with insight into the deep and lasting power of friendship, love, and tradition, The Peach Keeper is a portrait of the unshakable bonds that—in good times and bad, from one generation to the next—endure forever.
It’s the dubious distinction of thirty-year-old Willa Jackson to hail from a fine old Southern family of means that met with financial ruin generations ago. The Blue Ridge Madam—built by Willa’s great-great-grandfather during Walls of Water’s heyday, and once the town’s grandest home—has stood for years as a lonely monument to misfortune and scandal. And Willa herself has long strived to build a life beyond the brooding Jackson family shadow. No easy task in a town shaped by years of tradition and the well-marked boundaries of the haves and have-nots.
But Willa has lately learned that an old classmate—socialite do-gooder Paxton Osgood—of the very prominent Osgood family, has restored the Blue Ridge Madam to her former glory, with plans to open a top-flight inn. Maybe, at last, the troubled past can be laid to rest while something new and wonderful rises from its ashes. But what rises instead is a skeleton, found buried beneath the property’s lone peach tree, and certain to drag up dire consequences along with it.
For the bones—those of charismatic traveling salesman Tucker Devlin, who worked his dark charms on Walls of Water seventy-five years ago—are not all that lay hidden out of sight and mind. Long-kept secrets surrounding the troubling remains have also come to light, seemingly heralded by a spate of sudden strange occurrences throughout the town.
Now, thrust together in an unlikely friendship, united by a full-blooded mystery, Willa and Paxton must confront the dangerous passions and tragic betrayals that once bound their families—and uncover truths of the long-dead that have transcended time and defied the grave to touch the hearts and souls of the living.
Resonant with insight into the deep and lasting power of friendship, love, and tradition, The Peach Keeper is a portrait of the unshakable bonds that—in good times and bad, from one generation to the next—endure forever.
273 pages, Hardcover
First published March 22, 2011
About the author
Sarah Addison Allen
42 books17.7k followersNew York Times Bestselling novelist Sarah Addison Allen brings the full flavor of her southern upbringing to bear on her fiction -- a captivating blend of magical realism, heartwarming romance, and small-town sensibility.
Born and raised in Asheville, North Carolina, in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Allen grew up with a love of books and an appreciation of good food (she credits her journalist father for the former and her mother, a fabulous cook, for the latter). In college, she majored in literature -- because, as she puts it, "I thought it was amazing that I could get a diploma just for reading fiction. It was like being able to major in eating chocolate."
After graduation, Allen began writing seriously. Her big break occurred in 2007 with the publication of her first mainstream novel, Garden Spells, a modern-day fairy tale about an enchanted apple tree and the family of North Carolina women who tend it. Booklist called Allen's accomplished debut "spellbindingly charming." The novel became a Barnes & Noble Recommends selection, and then a New York Times Bestseller.
Allen continues to serve heaping helpings of the fantastic and the familiar in fiction she describes as "Southern-fried magic realism." Clearly, it's a recipe readers are happy to eat up as fast as she can dish it out.
Her published books to date are: Garden Spells (2007), The Sugar Queen (2008), The Girl Who Chased the Moon (2010), The Peach Keeper (2011), Lost Lake (2014), First Frost (2015) and Other Birds (August 30, 2022).
--From B&N.com
Born and raised in Asheville, North Carolina, in the heart of the Blue Ridge Mountains, Allen grew up with a love of books and an appreciation of good food (she credits her journalist father for the former and her mother, a fabulous cook, for the latter). In college, she majored in literature -- because, as she puts it, "I thought it was amazing that I could get a diploma just for reading fiction. It was like being able to major in eating chocolate."
After graduation, Allen began writing seriously. Her big break occurred in 2007 with the publication of her first mainstream novel, Garden Spells, a modern-day fairy tale about an enchanted apple tree and the family of North Carolina women who tend it. Booklist called Allen's accomplished debut "spellbindingly charming." The novel became a Barnes & Noble Recommends selection, and then a New York Times Bestseller.
Allen continues to serve heaping helpings of the fantastic and the familiar in fiction she describes as "Southern-fried magic realism." Clearly, it's a recipe readers are happy to eat up as fast as she can dish it out.
Her published books to date are: Garden Spells (2007), The Sugar Queen (2008), The Girl Who Chased the Moon (2010), The Peach Keeper (2011), Lost Lake (2014), First Frost (2015) and Other Birds (August 30, 2022).
--From B&N.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 7,159 reviews
May 4, 2011
This wasn't terrible, but it lacks that spark of magic Allen's readers have grown to love. Late in the book there's a chapter called "The Joker, the Stick Man, the Princess, and the Freak." That should have been the book's title. There's not really anything about "peach keeping" in the story except one little thing near the end that feels like it was tossed in to justify the title.
The story's about four thirty-year-olds who finally come to terms with high school pettiness and decide to get on with their lives. I couldn't really relate because I pretty much forgot high school slights and disappointments by the time I was about twenty-one. Do thirty-year-olds really confront each other about stupid stuff they did as teenagers? I never attended any of my high school reunions, so I wouldn't know. Maybe this is just a small town thing. The story felt pretty silly to me.
So all in all, this is a squishy little bit of nothing. Kind of like eating chocolate macaroons for breakfast.
First mouthful: "Mmmmm, that's good!"
Second mouthful: "I feel a little ill."
Third mouthful: "I should have eaten something more substantial, but I've gone this far, so I'll just finish it and hope my pancreas won't shut down."
The story's about four thirty-year-olds who finally come to terms with high school pettiness and decide to get on with their lives. I couldn't really relate because I pretty much forgot high school slights and disappointments by the time I was about twenty-one. Do thirty-year-olds really confront each other about stupid stuff they did as teenagers? I never attended any of my high school reunions, so I wouldn't know. Maybe this is just a small town thing. The story felt pretty silly to me.
So all in all, this is a squishy little bit of nothing. Kind of like eating chocolate macaroons for breakfast.
First mouthful: "Mmmmm, that's good!"
Second mouthful: "I feel a little ill."
Third mouthful: "I should have eaten something more substantial, but I've gone this far, so I'll just finish it and hope my pancreas won't shut down."
February 18, 2017
Rating 3.5
The Peach Keeper tells the story of the people that live in Walls of Water, North Carolina. Focusing on a select few, their friendships, their loves, their struggles, and their secrets. The Blue Ridge Madam is a very old house that is being restored to her former glory. The story is a bit about that restoration, the grand gala that is being thrown for it, the people that it brings together, and the unearthing of stories that have remained buried for years.
I liked this one, but expected a bit more from it. I love Sarah Addison Allen and will read anything that she writes. But I have to say, this is probably my least favorite of her stories. It just seemed to be missing something. I missed the magical realism that is dripping in her other stories, her love of food that she usually weaves into her stories.
I listened to this one via audio and it was OK. Was a quick audio, but at times, I felt my mind wander a bit. Overall, glad I read another of Allen's books, and look forward to the next.
The Peach Keeper tells the story of the people that live in Walls of Water, North Carolina. Focusing on a select few, their friendships, their loves, their struggles, and their secrets. The Blue Ridge Madam is a very old house that is being restored to her former glory. The story is a bit about that restoration, the grand gala that is being thrown for it, the people that it brings together, and the unearthing of stories that have remained buried for years.
I liked this one, but expected a bit more from it. I love Sarah Addison Allen and will read anything that she writes. But I have to say, this is probably my least favorite of her stories. It just seemed to be missing something. I missed the magical realism that is dripping in her other stories, her love of food that she usually weaves into her stories.
I listened to this one via audio and it was OK. Was a quick audio, but at times, I felt my mind wander a bit. Overall, glad I read another of Allen's books, and look forward to the next.
April 14, 2011
I guess the only thing more predictable than this book was my reaction to it. Once again I let myself be fooled by a high goodreads rating despite the fact that Winter Garden and lots of other dumb (or mostly dumb) chicklit books had high ratings as well. I should have known when I saw there was magic realism which I almost never enjoy(it usually feels like a deux ex machina to me), though all the goodreads reviewers said there was less of it here than in Sarah Addison Allen's other books so I had some hope. And though I usually don't appreciate books like this I did surprise myself by liking Savannah Blues. But alas, no. This book did not work for me.
Basically, this book combined two themes designed to appeal to women --romantic tension (of course), and female friendship. Willa, the first main character, was once a wild prankster (but shhh, nobody knew -- she was surprisingly asocial for someone with such a well-developed sense of fun) who has now reformed into a straitlaced individual; her foil, Paxton, is a straitlaced individual longing to break out of her shell. Ho hum. Do you think these two will become friends? Best friends? Oh, gee, I don't know. Better read the book and find out.
Willa reluctantly (of course) falls in love with Paxton's brother, a great guy who pursues her for most of the book before she finally agrees to open herself up to his love (yawn; how many times have I read this plot line before?); Paxton is hopelessly in love with Sebastian, who either is or isn't gay (I admit that this was an original twist, but its execution really got on my nerves). Add to that an extremely unmysterious mystery and some bizarre magic realism at odd points, and you have this book.
I give Sarah Addison Allen for trying. I believe she wanted to create interesting characters and an original story, and clearly others feel she succeeded so feel free to ignore this lone curmudgeon. I will also say that one scene made me smile -- at a meeting of the ladies' club early in the book, through some bizarre means (I think this was part of the magic realism) all the women suddenly revealed their inner thoughts, such as, "I know you go to the bathroom a lot because you have a bladder problem but I tell everyone you're bulimic." A little refreshing bitchiness in an otherwise treacly sweet story.
Basically, this book combined two themes designed to appeal to women --romantic tension (of course), and female friendship. Willa, the first main character, was once a wild prankster (but shhh, nobody knew -- she was surprisingly asocial for someone with such a well-developed sense of fun) who has now reformed into a straitlaced individual; her foil, Paxton, is a straitlaced individual longing to break out of her shell. Ho hum. Do you think these two will become friends? Best friends? Oh, gee, I don't know. Better read the book and find out.
Willa reluctantly (of course) falls in love with Paxton's brother, a great guy who pursues her for most of the book before she finally agrees to open herself up to his love (yawn; how many times have I read this plot line before?); Paxton is hopelessly in love with Sebastian, who either is or isn't gay (I admit that this was an original twist, but its execution really got on my nerves). Add to that an extremely unmysterious mystery and some bizarre magic realism at odd points, and you have this book.
I give Sarah Addison Allen for trying. I believe she wanted to create interesting characters and an original story, and clearly others feel she succeeded so feel free to ignore this lone curmudgeon. I will also say that one scene made me smile -- at a meeting of the ladies' club early in the book, through some bizarre means (I think this was part of the magic realism) all the women suddenly revealed their inner thoughts, such as, "I know you go to the bathroom a lot because you have a bladder problem but I tell everyone you're bulimic." A little refreshing bitchiness in an otherwise treacly sweet story.
April 4, 2024
What on earth is this garbage? How did this get past numerous editors, agents, publishers, etc. and actually get released?
Consider:
- one of our protagonists is constantly described as wide and fat as a matter of fact/course: "she had wide curves, as if one of her angular French ancestors had scandalized everyone by marrying a pretty stout milkmaid, and several generations later, Paxton was the result". We're constantly told how wide she is but don't worry, this doesn't matter to her love interest!
- we have a male character who may or may not be gay and is described as "one of those people you couldn't quite figure out which side of masculine or feminine they fell on" because he wore eyeliner and a purple jacket back in high school. Our protagonist is supposedly in love with him and constantly makes physical overtures (sitting in his lap and kissing him) to test "which side" he falls on. She then tells him "I guess you are one of the girls." His response? "I'm not a girl." Hers? "I didn't mean to imply you were." Um but you just did? What the hell is this book???
- our 30-year old protagonist keeps tween girl lists like "Sebastian's Favorite Things" and "If Sebastian And I Went on Vacation Together, Where Would We Go?"
- they're going to dig up and relocate a 150-year old tree? lol, okay (i.e. not possible)
- the scene where two women get accosted by a couple of male drunks outside a liquor store reads so fake and cringe and like the author has never actually met a human.
- zero originality whatsoever... our town is called Walls of Water (what the hell) and one of the characters was nicknamed Stick Man in high school because he was skinny (like a stick, see?) and because everyone thought he had a stick up his ass (ahhhh, yes, original!)
I don't understand how this got published, truly.
Consider:
- one of our protagonists is constantly described as wide and fat as a matter of fact/course: "she had wide curves, as if one of her angular French ancestors had scandalized everyone by marrying a pretty stout milkmaid, and several generations later, Paxton was the result". We're constantly told how wide she is but don't worry, this doesn't matter to her love interest!
- we have a male character who may or may not be gay and is described as "one of those people you couldn't quite figure out which side of masculine or feminine they fell on" because he wore eyeliner and a purple jacket back in high school. Our protagonist is supposedly in love with him and constantly makes physical overtures (sitting in his lap and kissing him) to test "which side" he falls on. She then tells him "I guess you are one of the girls." His response? "I'm not a girl." Hers? "I didn't mean to imply you were." Um but you just did? What the hell is this book???
- our 30-year old protagonist keeps tween girl lists like "Sebastian's Favorite Things" and "If Sebastian And I Went on Vacation Together, Where Would We Go?"
- they're going to dig up and relocate a 150-year old tree? lol, okay (i.e. not possible)
- the scene where two women get accosted by a couple of male drunks outside a liquor store reads so fake and cringe and like the author has never actually met a human.
- zero originality whatsoever... our town is called Walls of Water (what the hell) and one of the characters was nicknamed Stick Man in high school because he was skinny (like a stick, see?) and because everyone thought he had a stick up his ass (ahhhh, yes, original!)
I don't understand how this got published, truly.
March 23, 2011
Confession: I sent my husband out last night to retrieve this book for me while I made dinner for the kids and tried to breathe deeply. This pregnancy . . .it palls, you guys. The thing is, he was happy to do it and even (after some creative detective work) snagged the very last copy at our local bookstore! I was incredibly relieved. Because all I wanted to do last night, after dinner and talking to my two squirts, and reading Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows with Will, was get comfortable on the couch and drift off into the wonderful world of Walls of Water, North Carolina. I'm telling you, there is nothing, but nothing like a brand new Sarah Addison Allen book when it comes to comfort reading. You just know you're gonna get the full southern treatment, that the prose will be lighter than air, and that magic will swirl through your veins like cream in one of Rachel's red-and-white striped coffee cups. These are the things you can count on, and THE PEACH KEEPER doesn't disappoint in the slightest.
Willa Jackson returned to the stifling confines of her hometown of Walls of Water, North Carolina eight years ago when her father died. Despite her eternally restless nature, Willa resolved to buckle down and be the docile daughter her father had always wanted, even though it was now too late. So she bought the local organic sporting goods store and settled into a life of safe monotony. She visits her elderly grandmother once a week in the nursing home, even though Georgie doesn't recognize her anymore. She does her laundry every Friday night without fail. And if she sometimes drives up to sit and look at the old Blue Ridge Madam mansion and wonder, well, that's her business. Paxton Osgood is determined to restore the Blue Ridge Madam to its former glory and put on the best gala the Women's Society Club has ever seen. But things start going wrong from the get go, and obsessively detail-oriented Paxton is afraid everything will fall apart at her feet. It's now when she needs this success most of all, especially as her stalwart friendship with former outcast Sebastian Rogers is bleeding into uncharted waters. Then Paxton's twin Colin returns home to help with the renovation and, when he runs across Willa, remembers all the reasons he left in the first place. Meanwhile, a strange presence is swirling its way through the town, stirring up old ghosts better left hidden. Against her better judgement, Willa is drawn into the disturbing events up on Jackson Hill and into the lives of the Osgood family once more.
I'll go ahead and say that I went in wondering whether THE PEACH KEEPER would fall more along the lines of Ms. Addison's first two novels (Garden Spells and The Sugar Queen) or her most recent third book The Girl Who Chased the Moon. I've read and loved all three, but there did seem to me to be a slight divide between the first two and the third. The characters felt more even, a bit stronger in the first two, the flow smoother and more balanced. The writing, as always, is of the highest quality across all of her books. For example, here is the opening passage of THE PEACH KEEPER, just to whet your appetite:
See what I mean? You can just count on her. I'm delighted to say that THE PEACH KEEPER is one of Sarah Addison Allen's best works to date. It fully lives up to the promise of each of her previous novels and instantly shot to my keeper shelf. I read it in one sitting last night, and it was an infinitely blissful experience spending time with Willa, Paxton, Colin, and Sebastian. The wonderful thing about this book is that I was equally enamored of and involved in the story lines of both main characters. I mentioned before that I tend to identify with one heroine over another in Allen's books and, since the point of view alternates back and forth between them, I occasionally wish I was back with the other before I actually am. This was happily not at all the case here. Willa and Paxton are so different in personality and background and yet I loved them both equally. And not only them, but their relationships with their family members and their respective young men. It was very interesting (and amusing) watching Willa struggle to come to grips with a possible relationship with Colin, who is Paxton's twin. Even more moving was Paxton's relationship with Sebastian--a troubled young man on the fringe of society, who caught her eye once in high school and has now grown into an incredibly complex and magnetic adult who, despite his respectable job and tailored suits, still exists just on the edges. Their interactions brought tears to my eyes multiple times. I ached for them. And the few scenes that all four share together are breathtaking and funny. THE PEACH KEEPER is at once haunting and charming, in that perfect blend of magic and realism that Sarah Addison Allen has worked into an art form. Highly recommended.
Willa Jackson returned to the stifling confines of her hometown of Walls of Water, North Carolina eight years ago when her father died. Despite her eternally restless nature, Willa resolved to buckle down and be the docile daughter her father had always wanted, even though it was now too late. So she bought the local organic sporting goods store and settled into a life of safe monotony. She visits her elderly grandmother once a week in the nursing home, even though Georgie doesn't recognize her anymore. She does her laundry every Friday night without fail. And if she sometimes drives up to sit and look at the old Blue Ridge Madam mansion and wonder, well, that's her business. Paxton Osgood is determined to restore the Blue Ridge Madam to its former glory and put on the best gala the Women's Society Club has ever seen. But things start going wrong from the get go, and obsessively detail-oriented Paxton is afraid everything will fall apart at her feet. It's now when she needs this success most of all, especially as her stalwart friendship with former outcast Sebastian Rogers is bleeding into uncharted waters. Then Paxton's twin Colin returns home to help with the renovation and, when he runs across Willa, remembers all the reasons he left in the first place. Meanwhile, a strange presence is swirling its way through the town, stirring up old ghosts better left hidden. Against her better judgement, Willa is drawn into the disturbing events up on Jackson Hill and into the lives of the Osgood family once more.
I'll go ahead and say that I went in wondering whether THE PEACH KEEPER would fall more along the lines of Ms. Addison's first two novels (Garden Spells and The Sugar Queen) or her most recent third book The Girl Who Chased the Moon. I've read and loved all three, but there did seem to me to be a slight divide between the first two and the third. The characters felt more even, a bit stronger in the first two, the flow smoother and more balanced. The writing, as always, is of the highest quality across all of her books. For example, here is the opening passage of THE PEACH KEEPER, just to whet your appetite:
The day Paxton Osgood took the box of heavy-stock, foil-lined envelopes to the post office, the ones she’s had a professional calligrapher address, it began to rain so hard the air turned as white as bleached cotton. By nightfall, rivers had crested at flood stage and, for the first time since 1936, the mail couldn’t be delivered. When things began to dry out, when basements were pumped free of water and branches were cleared from yards and streets, the invitations were finally delivered, but to all the wrong houses. Neighbors laughed over fences, handing the misdelivered pieces of mail to their rightful owners with comments about the crazy weather and their careless postman. The next day, an unusual number of people showed up at the doctor’s office with infected paper cuts, because the envelopes had sealed, cement like, from the moisture. Later, the single-card invitations themselves seemed to hide and pop back up at random. Mrs. Jameson’s invitation disappeared for two days, then reappeared in a bird’s nest outside. Harper Rowley’s invitation was found in the church bell tower, Mr. Kingsley’s in his elderly mother’s garden shed.
If anyone had been paying attention to the signs, they would have realized that air turns white when things are about to change, that paper cuts mean there’s more to what’s written on the page than meets the eye, and that birds are always out to protect you from things you don’t see.
See what I mean? You can just count on her. I'm delighted to say that THE PEACH KEEPER is one of Sarah Addison Allen's best works to date. It fully lives up to the promise of each of her previous novels and instantly shot to my keeper shelf. I read it in one sitting last night, and it was an infinitely blissful experience spending time with Willa, Paxton, Colin, and Sebastian. The wonderful thing about this book is that I was equally enamored of and involved in the story lines of both main characters. I mentioned before that I tend to identify with one heroine over another in Allen's books and, since the point of view alternates back and forth between them, I occasionally wish I was back with the other before I actually am. This was happily not at all the case here. Willa and Paxton are so different in personality and background and yet I loved them both equally. And not only them, but their relationships with their family members and their respective young men. It was very interesting (and amusing) watching Willa struggle to come to grips with a possible relationship with Colin, who is Paxton's twin. Even more moving was Paxton's relationship with Sebastian--a troubled young man on the fringe of society, who caught her eye once in high school and has now grown into an incredibly complex and magnetic adult who, despite his respectable job and tailored suits, still exists just on the edges. Their interactions brought tears to my eyes multiple times. I ached for them. And the few scenes that all four share together are breathtaking and funny. THE PEACH KEEPER is at once haunting and charming, in that perfect blend of magic and realism that Sarah Addison Allen has worked into an art form. Highly recommended.
June 15, 2022
I loved this quirky story! All these misfit characters who find that they can't run or hide from the big huge love that is lurking in their lives.
At one point, as I followed the story arc for one of the main characters, I thought: well, at least there will be one HEA, but the author pulled a fast one on me and managed to save the day! Turned out to be a double hitter after all, in Addison Allen's own quirky way....!
This is magical realism at its best, as usual, with Sarah Addison Allen. A 4.25 out of 5 rating. This story relaxed me and took me away from all the deadlines and stress of my work day. Highly recommended!
At one point, as I followed the story arc for one of the main characters, I thought: well, at least there will be one HEA, but the author pulled a fast one on me and managed to save the day! Turned out to be a double hitter after all, in Addison Allen's own quirky way....!
This is magical realism at its best, as usual, with Sarah Addison Allen. A 4.25 out of 5 rating. This story relaxed me and took me away from all the deadlines and stress of my work day. Highly recommended!
June 26, 2019
Summer A Thon: Read a book while enjoying a summer-y drink
I read this book while drinking lemonade, iced coffee, and a strawberry smoothie.
This book surprised me. I didn't know what to expect going in, the synopsis made it sound like a Gothic mystery which it was. But it also contained some magical realism, which is usually a huge turn off for me but I didn't mind it this time. Magical realism usually pulls me out of the story but this is the rare book that was actually helped by having a little magical realism.
The Peach Keeper takes place in Walls of Water, North Carolina and revolves around the grand reopening of The Blue Ridge Madam which was once one of the grandest homes in town. Willa Jackson and Paxton Osgood are the grand daughters of the founders of The Blue Ridge Madam but they couldn't be more different. Willa's family lost their money years ago and she now wants nothing to do with her families history. Paxton on the other hand's entire life is about her family history and the towns history. Right before the grand reopening of The Blue Ridge Madam a long buried body is discovered. Willa & Paxton come together to try to figure out how their family history connects to this body.
The Peach Keeper has a little of everything it has romance, mystery, and friendship. I'd like to read more by Sarah Addison Allen. The Peach Keeper was a captivating and charming read.
I read this book while drinking lemonade, iced coffee, and a strawberry smoothie.
This book surprised me. I didn't know what to expect going in, the synopsis made it sound like a Gothic mystery which it was. But it also contained some magical realism, which is usually a huge turn off for me but I didn't mind it this time. Magical realism usually pulls me out of the story but this is the rare book that was actually helped by having a little magical realism.
The Peach Keeper takes place in Walls of Water, North Carolina and revolves around the grand reopening of The Blue Ridge Madam which was once one of the grandest homes in town. Willa Jackson and Paxton Osgood are the grand daughters of the founders of The Blue Ridge Madam but they couldn't be more different. Willa's family lost their money years ago and she now wants nothing to do with her families history. Paxton on the other hand's entire life is about her family history and the towns history. Right before the grand reopening of The Blue Ridge Madam a long buried body is discovered. Willa & Paxton come together to try to figure out how their family history connects to this body.
The Peach Keeper has a little of everything it has romance, mystery, and friendship. I'd like to read more by Sarah Addison Allen. The Peach Keeper was a captivating and charming read.
April 5, 2011
There is just something about Sarah Addison Allen's writing that makes you fall in love with reading all over again. In the Peach Keeper, her fourth book, Allen takes us back to North Carolina and to the town of Walls of Water. Paxton Osgood has been working to restore the Blue Bridge Madam, a local inn, to its former glory. Willa Jackson is, while not an outcast, one of the unique characters that show up in small Southern towns. While they grew up together and attended school together, they never truely ran in the same circles until they were grown. Now the two of them develop a friendship that will with stand the test of time.
The cast of supporting characters, Sebastian, the local dentist and once outcast; Colin, Paxton's twin brother; Rachel, the coffee-ologist (I don't think this is really a word, but hey it works) and their grandmothers, Agatha and Georgie make for a delightful read.
one of my favorite quotes from the book: all we have is our deep and abiding love for each other. We can't lose that or we lose ourselves. If we don't help each other, who will?
i can't wait to see what Allen writes next, as she rapidly moves onto my auto-buy list.
The cast of supporting characters, Sebastian, the local dentist and once outcast; Colin, Paxton's twin brother; Rachel, the coffee-ologist (I don't think this is really a word, but hey it works) and their grandmothers, Agatha and Georgie make for a delightful read.
one of my favorite quotes from the book: all we have is our deep and abiding love for each other. We can't lose that or we lose ourselves. If we don't help each other, who will?
i can't wait to see what Allen writes next, as she rapidly moves onto my auto-buy list.
February 14, 2021
The Walls of Water (a small town), North Carolina, will certainly be broached by the expected events everyone could see coming by page 20 in 'The Peach Keeper' by Sarah Addison Alken! I had to close my eyes because it was difficult to endure the wave of soporific words endlessly rolling out before me. Really. I had to close my eyes! But I pushed on, bringing it, climbing the Walls, diving into the Waters.
Despite my best effort, I was a drifting a bit all at sea, losing my oars in the Water, until I read about Sebastian.
Sebastian. Oh my! I pulled myself together. I had a laugh headache now and my ribs hurt. I had struck the first and only ripple marring gentle Walls of Water. I think I strained something guffawing.
Sebastian Rogers' reveal of:
Paxton Osgood's reveal of:
Willa Jackson's reveal of:
Colin Osgood's reveal of
The end.
Ok, ok, ok. There is a teeny tiny, minuscule mystery for a minute about a skeleton. It was dug up from under a peach tree that Paxton wanted to remove from the grounds of her new property, the Inn. Paxton and Willa get together to solve the mystery while patching up their friendship which became strained after high school.
Willa was expelled for her crazy wild jokes in high school (those prank greeting cards!), but she went on to college although she dropped out later. When her father is hit by a car and dies, Willa returns to Walls of Water and opens a store. She starts haunting the newly rehabilitated Inn owned by Paxton because it originally was Willa's great-grandmother's mansion. Willa's family lost all of their money when the federal government appropriated the forest as a national park, which closed their logging mill. Willa's grandmother went to work for the Osgoods as a maid in her own former house. However, despite the somewhat fraught circumstances, Willa's grandmother Georgie made a life for herself. She was protected by her friendship with Paxton's grandmother, Agatha Osgood.
Things apparently became awful when a traveling salesman, Tucker Devlin, arrived in town way back in 1936. Whatever it was that happened most certainly was about that hypnotically handsome man. Tucker disappeared eventually, life smoothed down, and Willa's family resumed life as a normal happy middle-class family (except for Willa continuing her secret jokes). And the early death of Willa's mother. But it's all good. Nothing ever has derailed the comfortable conventionality of the town or the languid lifestyle of the characters in the past and present, and for the foreseeable future.
As Willa and Paxton learn their grandmothers were involved somehow with Tucker Devlin, the trail leads to information which changes.
Both grandmothers are now in the same nursing home. Willa's grandmother Georgie is senile, and Paxton's grandmother Agatha is blind. Discovering that the two grandmothers are good friends affects Willa and Paxton, so they like each other more deeply. They were already getting close because of their intense joint investigation of old weekly gossipy town newsletter articles.
No worries, reader. Not a single word in this book that passes under your eye will do anything to your heart rate. In fact, you can count on easily slipping into a nap after every chapter.
Such a lovely thing, effortless friendship.
Despite my best effort, I was a drifting a bit all at sea, losing my oars in the Water, until I read about Sebastian.
Sebastian. Oh my! I pulled myself together. I had a laugh headache now and my ribs hurt. I had struck the first and only ripple marring gentle Walls of Water. I think I strained something guffawing.
Sebastian Rogers' reveal of:
Paxton Osgood's reveal of:
Willa Jackson's reveal of:
Colin Osgood's reveal of
The end.
Ok, ok, ok. There is a teeny tiny, minuscule mystery for a minute about a skeleton. It was dug up from under a peach tree that Paxton wanted to remove from the grounds of her new property, the Inn. Paxton and Willa get together to solve the mystery while patching up their friendship which became strained after high school.
Willa was expelled for her crazy wild jokes in high school (those prank greeting cards!), but she went on to college although she dropped out later. When her father is hit by a car and dies, Willa returns to Walls of Water and opens a store. She starts haunting the newly rehabilitated Inn owned by Paxton because it originally was Willa's great-grandmother's mansion. Willa's family lost all of their money when the federal government appropriated the forest as a national park, which closed their logging mill. Willa's grandmother went to work for the Osgoods as a maid in her own former house. However, despite the somewhat fraught circumstances, Willa's grandmother Georgie made a life for herself. She was protected by her friendship with Paxton's grandmother, Agatha Osgood.
Things apparently became awful when a traveling salesman, Tucker Devlin, arrived in town way back in 1936. Whatever it was that happened most certainly was about that hypnotically handsome man. Tucker disappeared eventually, life smoothed down, and Willa's family resumed life as a normal happy middle-class family (except for Willa continuing her secret jokes). And the early death of Willa's mother. But it's all good. Nothing ever has derailed the comfortable conventionality of the town or the languid lifestyle of the characters in the past and present, and for the foreseeable future.
As Willa and Paxton learn their grandmothers were involved somehow with Tucker Devlin, the trail leads to information which changes.
Both grandmothers are now in the same nursing home. Willa's grandmother Georgie is senile, and Paxton's grandmother Agatha is blind. Discovering that the two grandmothers are good friends affects Willa and Paxton, so they like each other more deeply. They were already getting close because of their intense joint investigation of old weekly gossipy town newsletter articles.
No worries, reader. Not a single word in this book that passes under your eye will do anything to your heart rate. In fact, you can count on easily slipping into a nap after every chapter.
Such a lovely thing, effortless friendship.
January 9, 2012
Disappointing.
That's the best word to describe this book. I have read Sarah Addison Allen's previous books, and I have generally enjoyed them. They're basically Alice Hoffman knock-offs, but that's okay, that's what I was looking for. When I read the description for this latest book, I was excited. It sounded like an interesting story, with all the small-town elements I enjoy. And the problem is, the basic plot elements are really interesting: a skeleton found beneath a peach tree on an old derelict plantation being renovated. A re-awakened spirit wreaking havoc on a small Southern town, divided into wealthy and poor families. Sounds great!
But Allen does nothing at all with this set-up. She wastes her entire novel letting her characters have Deep Conversations with each other about Who They Were and Who They Are and How They Have Changed (or Not Changed). I felt like every word these people spoke to each other was an overwrought greeting-card of sentimental crap, burying the good plot elements Allen introduces, only to never talk about again. She somehow makes a decades-old murder boring.
The novel has very little depth. Relationships are not explored in any real way, and the motivation of certain characters are just confusing and weird, to be frank. The supernatural elements could have been given much more weight to them, or they should have been left out all together. As it stands, the strange happenings look like just fancy window-dressing, an excuse for Allen to write pretty, quirky descriptions that at least break up her otherwise-clunky prose.
This just seems like a phoned-in effort, a half-assed attempt to write another Hoffman-esque magical realism story, but it falls flat. Nothing is explored, nothing is given any real attention, and nothing is actually, really explained. You are never given a reason why people either like or dislike each other. You are never given any actual motivation for anything. I was very disappointed by this story, and I will think twice about picking up another Allen novel.
That's the best word to describe this book. I have read Sarah Addison Allen's previous books, and I have generally enjoyed them. They're basically Alice Hoffman knock-offs, but that's okay, that's what I was looking for. When I read the description for this latest book, I was excited. It sounded like an interesting story, with all the small-town elements I enjoy. And the problem is, the basic plot elements are really interesting: a skeleton found beneath a peach tree on an old derelict plantation being renovated. A re-awakened spirit wreaking havoc on a small Southern town, divided into wealthy and poor families. Sounds great!
But Allen does nothing at all with this set-up. She wastes her entire novel letting her characters have Deep Conversations with each other about Who They Were and Who They Are and How They Have Changed (or Not Changed). I felt like every word these people spoke to each other was an overwrought greeting-card of sentimental crap, burying the good plot elements Allen introduces, only to never talk about again. She somehow makes a decades-old murder boring.
The novel has very little depth. Relationships are not explored in any real way, and the motivation of certain characters are just confusing and weird, to be frank. The supernatural elements could have been given much more weight to them, or they should have been left out all together. As it stands, the strange happenings look like just fancy window-dressing, an excuse for Allen to write pretty, quirky descriptions that at least break up her otherwise-clunky prose.
This just seems like a phoned-in effort, a half-assed attempt to write another Hoffman-esque magical realism story, but it falls flat. Nothing is explored, nothing is given any real attention, and nothing is actually, really explained. You are never given a reason why people either like or dislike each other. You are never given any actual motivation for anything. I was very disappointed by this story, and I will think twice about picking up another Allen novel.
February 9, 2018
Such a sweeping story that captured my heart from the beginning. Highly recommend!
My Rating: 5 stars
My Rating: 5 stars
June 22, 2011
I really disliked this book. That said, I really enjoyed Addison Allen's other titles, but this one read too chick-lit-ish for me. I didn't feel like Colin, Paxton, or Willa were as interesting as her usual characters, nor did I feel like their problems were very difficult or compelling. I mean, Colin felt like his youth was rough because his friends considered him to be tightly wound? How horrible. And what were Paxton's reasons for staying in her parents' house so long? I didn't feel like we understood her well enough to see why she did that. (SPOILER ALERT) And the story about Agatha and Georgie at the end was so predictable. I was also bothered by the nature of Sebastion's sexuality... I felt like the story would have had more integrity if the author would have allowed him to remain gay and then had Paxton deal with that reality as an adult. That's the sort of thing that makes an adult, not merely moving out of your parents' house. And really, how often does *that* happen-- someone acts gay their whole life but then later in life realizes they actually are not? I'm not saying it never happens, but to make it believable here, it needed to be written a whole lot better than this.
The only thing that I enjoyed was Clare Waverly's cameo, that was fun. If you want to read Addison Allen, read Garden Spells or The Sugar Queen. If I had read this one first, I'm sure I would not have read any of her other books.
The only thing that I enjoyed was Clare Waverly's cameo, that was fun. If you want to read Addison Allen, read Garden Spells or The Sugar Queen. If I had read this one first, I'm sure I would not have read any of her other books.
May 8, 2016
Willa Jackson and Paxton Osgood come together to honor their grandmothers. Along the way they find a mysterious murder, what your coffee order says about you, and most importantly- themselves. Sarah Addison Allen always introduces a number of interesting characters and we even got a glimpse of the Waverlys catering a party- which was a nice surprise. My favorite parts about this one was the Blue Ridge Madam- the house that Willa & Paxton fix up, and the coffee shop where the barista discovers what your coffee order says about yourself. These two women weave two separate stories, but ultimately end up twisting together. These books are perfect to read if you are looking for something lighter with a magical touch.
September 30, 2012
The Peach Keeper by Sarah Addison Allen was like a beautiful pie with a golden brown crust that just invites you to slice into it and enjoy a piece. Unfortunately, once the first bite has been taken you find yourself chewing and chewing waiting for a burst of juicy fruit or a satisfying custard filling but instead finding a lot of puff pastry and air.
I really, really wanted to read this novel, expecting a driving plot or strong character development that fleshes out the subplot of love, friendship and death.
Loose connections between little dramas and scattered character development made it difficult to connect with the main characters. At times, it feels like a second or third hand story with significant details missing. By the end of the book, I felt robbed of my time spent reading it and frustrated because it seems the author wanted to hedge her bets and give us a little knowledge about several characters but not enough for us to fall in love with one or two.
I don't believe I have read any of Allen's other novels and to be honest, I probably will not if I have anything else to read.
I really, really wanted to read this novel, expecting a driving plot or strong character development that fleshes out the subplot of love, friendship and death.
Loose connections between little dramas and scattered character development made it difficult to connect with the main characters. At times, it feels like a second or third hand story with significant details missing. By the end of the book, I felt robbed of my time spent reading it and frustrated because it seems the author wanted to hedge her bets and give us a little knowledge about several characters but not enough for us to fall in love with one or two.
I don't believe I have read any of Allen's other novels and to be honest, I probably will not if I have anything else to read.
February 17, 2012
My son told me a story about a spider and a ladybug, and how he squashed the spider because it was icky and it bites, but he let the ladybug crawl across a toy at the toy store instead. That story was ten times more riveting than this one, and the language in it was far more believable than the language in The Peach Keeper. Some of the events are interesting - like when the ladies' club meeting goes horribly wrong because everyone tells the person next to her what she really thinks of her, as if they've all suddenly lost control of their own ability to filter their speach. However, like so many other events in the book, this isn't really a big deal, and it's still a lose end by the end. It's almost as if it started out as kind of a surreal fiction, and ended up a thick mass of character development, with characters that reminded me far too much of the Breakfast Club, one hundred percent stereotype. Two stars.
March 6, 2017
Three stars, because I liked it. A good relaxing read.
The Blue Ridge Madam—built by Willa’s great-great-grandfather and once the finest home in Walls of Water, North Carolina—has stood for years as a monument to misfortune and scandal...
...a skeleton is found buried beneath the property’s lone peach tree, long-kept secrets come to light
These words got me reading this book. The rest of the blurb made it a dubious possibility, but curiosity and a love of these old southern houses, finally pulled the decision through. The beautiful cover was just too convincing
The Joker, the Stick Man, the Princess, and the Freak, had a lot to sort out before the grand opening of the The Blue Ridge Madam as a guesthouse: old family secrets, high school memories and family dynamics of an earlier era. The skeleton buried below the peach tree could once make birds stop singing, hair grow, hats float around, a shop bell ring with no fingers to touch it, and photos move from one place to another without leaving any trace of footsteps carrying the photo.
A hundred-and-fifty-year-old Oak tree had to be planted in the hole where the huge old peach tree, which never bore fruit, was removed. Peach trees did not thrive in the high altitude, although it did leave an unexpected legacy for those who could see. Georgie Jackson, in the grasp of dementia, and Agatha Osgood, blind from macular degeneration, the last surviving founders of The Women's Society Club, made a pact in 1936. A friendship-pact, that would keep the peach keeper where he belonged ... and teach their granddaughter what friendship REALLY meant.
If anyone had been paying attention to the signs, they would have realized that air turns white when things are about to change, that paper cuts mean there’s more to what’s written on the page than meets the eye, and that birds are always out to protect you from things you don’t see.
Georgie Jackson's great-grandfather built the stately old home for his beautiful young wife, but Agatha Osgood's family would become the new owners in 1936.
"Every life needs a little space. It leaves room for good things to enter it.”
With the restoration of the old grande dame of architectural integrity, two granddaughters would reconnect to restore the old glory from the past. The scandals safely intact, and the secrets finally exposed.
Paxton Osgood and Willa Jackson would have to redefine the friendship between their grandmothers.
The integrity of chick-lit is safely established with positively orgasmic moments, and lust, heavy and elemental, sprinkled all over the tale. Romance, even the cheap option, must be present for chick-lit to be luring and captivating. Skip-reading saved me from forced voyeurism and buying love sold like a discount bargain on a Walmart sale.
In any other respect, the novel turned out to be a really great read with enough intrigue to make this a perfect Sunday afternoon read. Relaxing and mysterious. Old secrets and young protagonists to discover them. It cannot get any better for a feel-good, light and enjoyable read.
The Blue Ridge Madam—built by Willa’s great-great-grandfather and once the finest home in Walls of Water, North Carolina—has stood for years as a monument to misfortune and scandal...
...a skeleton is found buried beneath the property’s lone peach tree, long-kept secrets come to light
These words got me reading this book. The rest of the blurb made it a dubious possibility, but curiosity and a love of these old southern houses, finally pulled the decision through. The beautiful cover was just too convincing
The Joker, the Stick Man, the Princess, and the Freak, had a lot to sort out before the grand opening of the The Blue Ridge Madam as a guesthouse: old family secrets, high school memories and family dynamics of an earlier era. The skeleton buried below the peach tree could once make birds stop singing, hair grow, hats float around, a shop bell ring with no fingers to touch it, and photos move from one place to another without leaving any trace of footsteps carrying the photo.
A hundred-and-fifty-year-old Oak tree had to be planted in the hole where the huge old peach tree, which never bore fruit, was removed. Peach trees did not thrive in the high altitude, although it did leave an unexpected legacy for those who could see. Georgie Jackson, in the grasp of dementia, and Agatha Osgood, blind from macular degeneration, the last surviving founders of The Women's Society Club, made a pact in 1936. A friendship-pact, that would keep the peach keeper where he belonged ... and teach their granddaughter what friendship REALLY meant.
If anyone had been paying attention to the signs, they would have realized that air turns white when things are about to change, that paper cuts mean there’s more to what’s written on the page than meets the eye, and that birds are always out to protect you from things you don’t see.
Georgie Jackson's great-grandfather built the stately old home for his beautiful young wife, but Agatha Osgood's family would become the new owners in 1936.
"Every life needs a little space. It leaves room for good things to enter it.”
With the restoration of the old grande dame of architectural integrity, two granddaughters would reconnect to restore the old glory from the past. The scandals safely intact, and the secrets finally exposed.
Paxton Osgood and Willa Jackson would have to redefine the friendship between their grandmothers.
The integrity of chick-lit is safely established with positively orgasmic moments, and lust, heavy and elemental, sprinkled all over the tale. Romance, even the cheap option, must be present for chick-lit to be luring and captivating. Skip-reading saved me from forced voyeurism and buying love sold like a discount bargain on a Walmart sale.
In any other respect, the novel turned out to be a really great read with enough intrigue to make this a perfect Sunday afternoon read. Relaxing and mysterious. Old secrets and young protagonists to discover them. It cannot get any better for a feel-good, light and enjoyable read.
November 17, 2018
Well, I have officially read all of Ms. Allen's novels and I must admit to being a wee bit sad there are no more left to read. Her stories have a special kind of magic to them, a combination of bitter and sweet, dark and light that is done so seamlessly I am in awe of her.
While her books are not perfection (but honestly, what book is truly perfection?) the way they make me feel when I read them takes my breath away. I long to live in the world she's created, to eat flowers that will make me fall in love or have books follow me around, to meet a very tall man who checks his empty dryer for frogs or live in a room with mood changing wallpaper.
Ms. Allen looks for magic in this world, magic of the everyday-ordinary variety and that of the extraordinary, the impossible, the impracticable, but mostly love's magic and the bounds between not just lovers but sisters, friends, mothers and daughters.
She weaves her own magic, that cannot be bottle like fog, but felt deep within. The kind of magic that makes you laugh and cry, swoon and sigh. The kind of magic you hope to find every time you open a book.
While her books are not perfection (but honestly, what book is truly perfection?) the way they make me feel when I read them takes my breath away. I long to live in the world she's created, to eat flowers that will make me fall in love or have books follow me around, to meet a very tall man who checks his empty dryer for frogs or live in a room with mood changing wallpaper.
Ms. Allen looks for magic in this world, magic of the everyday-ordinary variety and that of the extraordinary, the impossible, the impracticable, but mostly love's magic and the bounds between not just lovers but sisters, friends, mothers and daughters.
She weaves her own magic, that cannot be bottle like fog, but felt deep within. The kind of magic that makes you laugh and cry, swoon and sigh. The kind of magic you hope to find every time you open a book.
March 7, 2021
I never thought I'd be into magical realism and books of superstition but Sarah Addison Allen writes it so GOOD!
The story is set in North Carolina and goes from the present in the characters of Willa Jackson and Paxton Osgood to the past of their grandmother's stories set in 1936.
The story is set in motion by Paxton restoring The Blue Ridge Madam built by Willa's great-great-grandfather. Weird things start happening around town like people blabbing out their secrets they would never share. Pictures from an attic end up near Willa's bed. A human skull is found under a peach tree that has never sprouted the fruit.
The before and after stories meshed well together and it was a fun, sweet read. Not a chick-lit per se but a little romance thrown in there. The characters were all likable flawed human beings. I really enjoyed.
The story is set in North Carolina and goes from the present in the characters of Willa Jackson and Paxton Osgood to the past of their grandmother's stories set in 1936.
The story is set in motion by Paxton restoring The Blue Ridge Madam built by Willa's great-great-grandfather. Weird things start happening around town like people blabbing out their secrets they would never share. Pictures from an attic end up near Willa's bed. A human skull is found under a peach tree that has never sprouted the fruit.
The before and after stories meshed well together and it was a fun, sweet read. Not a chick-lit per se but a little romance thrown in there. The characters were all likable flawed human beings. I really enjoyed.
April 1, 2011
Sarah Addison Allen writes magic: her stories are full of strong Southern women, sweetness and secrets. In The Peach Keeper: A Novel, she once again weaves a wonderful tale of two Southern women, distant in the present but bound together by the past and a powerful secret. Paxton Osgood has spent her life being the girl and then the woman that everyone seemed to expect her to be. Willa Jackson is just the opposite. She defied convention and her grandmother's attempt at a strict upbringing, only to 'lock down' that wild child to become a responsible adult. Neither woman is truly happy, each wanting some part of who the other is, not realizing that what marks them as different, really makes them so much the same.
Paxton is in charge of the restoration of the Blue Ridge Madam, a spectacular home formerly owned by Willa's ancestors, but lost during the financial crisis of the Depression. During the landscaping, a skeleton is dug up from beneath the lone peach tree. The skeleton brings to light secrets from the past, secrets of a Magic Man who held the town captive under his spell. Secrets belonging to Willa's grandmother Georgie and Paxton's grandmother Adele. The secret brings the younger women together, in an attempt to protect the older ones. Their unlikely alliance leads each woman to discover something special and magical about herself, love and the power of friendship.
I am a huge admirer of Sarah Addison Allen's work. The Peach Keeper: A Novel tells a wonderful story of love, loss and regrets. It reminds us that we all need to be who we are, not who we think we should be and that we all need to open some space up in our lives for something good to come in.
Paxton is in charge of the restoration of the Blue Ridge Madam, a spectacular home formerly owned by Willa's ancestors, but lost during the financial crisis of the Depression. During the landscaping, a skeleton is dug up from beneath the lone peach tree. The skeleton brings to light secrets from the past, secrets of a Magic Man who held the town captive under his spell. Secrets belonging to Willa's grandmother Georgie and Paxton's grandmother Adele. The secret brings the younger women together, in an attempt to protect the older ones. Their unlikely alliance leads each woman to discover something special and magical about herself, love and the power of friendship.
I am a huge admirer of Sarah Addison Allen's work. The Peach Keeper: A Novel tells a wonderful story of love, loss and regrets. It reminds us that we all need to be who we are, not who we think we should be and that we all need to open some space up in our lives for something good to come in.
May 10, 2016
3 stars ("I liked the book")
Sweet. Cozy. Optimistic. Charming. These are the words I would use to describe this fluffy, happy read--the first book by Addison Allen I've read (though it won't be my last). I enjoy these family-secrets novels, where everything works out in the end, generations come together, and everyone learns to love and understand each other. I thought the magical realism seemed tacked on and unnecessary (though I do normally enjoy magical realism), but no complaints otherwise. Definitely a "feel-good" book.
I listened to the audiobook and I disliked the reader (she read really slowly and kind of had a sugary voice).
Sweet. Cozy. Optimistic. Charming. These are the words I would use to describe this fluffy, happy read--the first book by Addison Allen I've read (though it won't be my last). I enjoy these family-secrets novels, where everything works out in the end, generations come together, and everyone learns to love and understand each other. I thought the magical realism seemed tacked on and unnecessary (though I do normally enjoy magical realism), but no complaints otherwise. Definitely a "feel-good" book.
I listened to the audiobook and I disliked the reader (she read really slowly and kind of had a sugary voice).
October 21, 2015
Why oh why did I take this long to ever read this author??? I absolutely LOVED this book. I am a fan of chick lit and southern fiction and this was the best of both. This will not be the last I read of Sarah Addison Allen.....
June 3, 2017
3.5 Stars
If you're looking for a whimsical, ridiculously charming read, here it is!!
If you're looking for a whimsical, ridiculously charming read, here it is!!
March 17, 2015
Another lovely read from Sarah Addison Allen, complete with quirky, memorable characters, a touch of magic, and enough whimsy to catch your breath. I really enjoyed this book and (as this was a library loan) at some point I'll buy a copy for my permanent collection.
As well as the two blossoming romances in the book, there was the welcomne inclusion of a character from a previous novel -- Claire from "Garden Spells" -- and it's delightful how the books are weaving together across locations and events not far from each other. At some points haunting, poignant and sad, and at others amusing, hopeful and romantic, this was a delicious and quick read perfect for lazy weekend afternoons or chilled bath times.
As well as the two blossoming romances in the book, there was the welcomne inclusion of a character from a previous novel -- Claire from "Garden Spells" -- and it's delightful how the books are weaving together across locations and events not far from each other. At some points haunting, poignant and sad, and at others amusing, hopeful and romantic, this was a delicious and quick read perfect for lazy weekend afternoons or chilled bath times.
March 25, 2017
I have to say I'm a bit disappointed that there wasn't more magical realism in this. There's a bare hint of something paranormal, but not enough to make it anything more than a contemporary romance. I did like it well enough when seen in that light. But although there was potential for both magical and gothic atmosphere, they just weren't fleshed out enough. And there's not much to do with keeping peaches, either.
November 8, 2020
Decided to take a break from arcs and attack my kindle tbr, which may have not been the best of choices. I chose Sarah Addison Allen because everyone keeps telling me to read her books. I made the mistake of choosing THE PEACH KEEPER over GARDEN SPELLS.
The estate restoration at the center of this book is an old antebellum house built in the early 1800s. Willa’s wealthy ancestor had built it for his new bride, who moved all the way from Atlanta to a woodsy isolated section of North Carolina.
The way this manor is described is... ick. Constant references to plantation-style antebellum architecture (it’s unclear if the family owned slaves). And all these years later when the Blue Ridge Madam is finally in ruins, the new owners decide to restore the manor and turn it into a hotel. The restoration process uses an antebellum architectural style. At one point in the story, they bring a transplanted oak tree (supposedly first planted during the Civil War) to the estate.
Just... ugh. I can’t tell if this place used to be a plantation because the book conveniently glosses over antebellum atrocities and focuses on pretty Doric columns, but I got major ick vibes. It’s a real choice for the Osgood family to restore the house to its former glory. It’s amazing that the book mentions the Civil War era in benign ways (look at the really old oak tree that was planted then!) and conveniently doesn’t mention slavery. I think the author purposely kept the plantation/slave-owning aspect vague so readers can pretend that THIS antebellum house wasn’t connected to slavery. Which feels extremely gross because, hello, this is exactly how antebellum glorification occurs in the 21st century with plantation weddings.
I should’ve DNFed, but kept reading because I wanted to find out the truth behind the murder mystery (they find a skeleton buried under a peach tree on the estate). The two romantic arcs are mediocre and I seriously side-eye the “Paxton is in love with her best friend, who she thinks is gay and is thus doomed to unrequited torment” storyline (the best friend is not gay, as we find out in the end of the book).
The estate restoration at the center of this book is an old antebellum house built in the early 1800s. Willa’s wealthy ancestor had built it for his new bride, who moved all the way from Atlanta to a woodsy isolated section of North Carolina.
The way this manor is described is... ick. Constant references to plantation-style antebellum architecture (it’s unclear if the family owned slaves). And all these years later when the Blue Ridge Madam is finally in ruins, the new owners decide to restore the manor and turn it into a hotel. The restoration process uses an antebellum architectural style. At one point in the story, they bring a transplanted oak tree (supposedly first planted during the Civil War) to the estate.
Just... ugh. I can’t tell if this place used to be a plantation because the book conveniently glosses over antebellum atrocities and focuses on pretty Doric columns, but I got major ick vibes. It’s a real choice for the Osgood family to restore the house to its former glory. It’s amazing that the book mentions the Civil War era in benign ways (look at the really old oak tree that was planted then!) and conveniently doesn’t mention slavery. I think the author purposely kept the plantation/slave-owning aspect vague so readers can pretend that THIS antebellum house wasn’t connected to slavery. Which feels extremely gross because, hello, this is exactly how antebellum glorification occurs in the 21st century with plantation weddings.
I should’ve DNFed, but kept reading because I wanted to find out the truth behind the murder mystery (they find a skeleton buried under a peach tree on the estate). The two romantic arcs are mediocre and I seriously side-eye the “Paxton is in love with her best friend, who she thinks is gay and is thus doomed to unrequited torment” storyline (the best friend is not gay, as we find out in the end of the book).
September 19, 2015
“…If you’re lucky enough to find [true friendship], you hold on to it, hold on and never let it go…”
The Peach Keeper isn’t the first novel I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing by Sarah Addison Allen. I��ve read The Girl Who Chased the Moon and Garden Spells by her as well. However, I have to say that The Peach Keeper is by far my favorite.
This novel takes place in Walls of Water, North Carolina at a time when the Woman’s Society Club is planning their 75 Annual Gala. The Osgood family has decided to renovate The Blue Ridge Madame mansion, which is a historical landmark for the town. This grand home was abandoned when the Jackson family lost the house due to financial struggles. What Paxton, the current President to the Woman’s Club, doesn’t know are the deep seeded secrets that are buried in the house. They are soon unearthed when her brother comes to town to finish the agricultural renovations and uproots the peach tree on the property. When they dig a bit further, a human skeleton is revealed and the mystery of the place becomes the talk of the town.
I absolutely enjoyed this cast driven novel that revolved around the next generation children of the town that are in their early thirties. The Joker (Willa), Stickman (Colin), The Princess (Paxton), and The Freak (Sebastian) were a perfectly blended group of protagonists that each commanded the stage with their intriguing stories. I loved the chemistry between them and the way they ultimately formed a tight unit.
I also enjoyed the magical element infused in the novel. You had woman involuntarily admitting secrets, misplaced invitations, store bells ringing at random moments, party streamers floating in the air and let’s not forget the unique scents of lemon, cut grass, donuts and so much more that permeated the town.
The Peach Keeper is light, whimsical and romantic all at the same time, but at the core, it’s a story about the importance of friendship. True win in my book!
The Peach Keeper isn’t the first novel I’ve had the pleasure of experiencing by Sarah Addison Allen. I��ve read The Girl Who Chased the Moon and Garden Spells by her as well. However, I have to say that The Peach Keeper is by far my favorite.
This novel takes place in Walls of Water, North Carolina at a time when the Woman’s Society Club is planning their 75 Annual Gala. The Osgood family has decided to renovate The Blue Ridge Madame mansion, which is a historical landmark for the town. This grand home was abandoned when the Jackson family lost the house due to financial struggles. What Paxton, the current President to the Woman’s Club, doesn’t know are the deep seeded secrets that are buried in the house. They are soon unearthed when her brother comes to town to finish the agricultural renovations and uproots the peach tree on the property. When they dig a bit further, a human skeleton is revealed and the mystery of the place becomes the talk of the town.
I absolutely enjoyed this cast driven novel that revolved around the next generation children of the town that are in their early thirties. The Joker (Willa), Stickman (Colin), The Princess (Paxton), and The Freak (Sebastian) were a perfectly blended group of protagonists that each commanded the stage with their intriguing stories. I loved the chemistry between them and the way they ultimately formed a tight unit.
I also enjoyed the magical element infused in the novel. You had woman involuntarily admitting secrets, misplaced invitations, store bells ringing at random moments, party streamers floating in the air and let’s not forget the unique scents of lemon, cut grass, donuts and so much more that permeated the town.
The Peach Keeper is light, whimsical and romantic all at the same time, but at the core, it’s a story about the importance of friendship. True win in my book!
September 4, 2011
I sat and read this all in one last night. There is something extremely satisfying in reading a book cover to cover in one sitting, even if the book is mediocre at best. Sadly, this description fits The Peach Keeper: mediocre. I say "sadly" because as much as I'm not naturally drawn to chicklit, I do sometimes get in the mood to read from the genre, and when that happens, I check out what my reading girl friends have been nattering about. Recently, The Peach Keeper has been showing up all over my GoodReads feed, so I thought it was worth checking out.
To be honest, as chick lit goes, it's not that bad. I've actually read much, much worse. There is a solid plot, the characters are generally well-developed, and the dialogue is natural. The problem is that I felt the author had not decided what she wanted this book to be. Was it a mystery? A love story? A modern-day fairy tale? An allegory? My understanding seemed to be that she was attempting to write a fairy tale; however, her prose lacked lightness and lilt--two characteristics absolutely necessary for such an endeavor.
Then there was the problem of the central theme. The problem was that I'm still not sure what it was supposed to be. If--as I suspect--the feminist theme of the power of female friendship was to have been highlighted, then she should have spent more time developing an actual kinship between Paxton and Willa, rather than just throwing them together and allowing them to develop what at best felt like the shaky beginnings of friendship. She also could have woven the histories of the grandmothers throughout the tale rather than saving their narrative for an anti-climactic revelation at the end. Instead, she gives the dual romances much more story time than they deserved, unless they were intended to support a central theme which managed to elude me.
In short, this book failed to thrill. It did, however, provide a few hours of soothing weekend entertainment, and if it were possible to give this 2.5 stars, I would.
To be honest, as chick lit goes, it's not that bad. I've actually read much, much worse. There is a solid plot, the characters are generally well-developed, and the dialogue is natural. The problem is that I felt the author had not decided what she wanted this book to be. Was it a mystery? A love story? A modern-day fairy tale? An allegory? My understanding seemed to be that she was attempting to write a fairy tale; however, her prose lacked lightness and lilt--two characteristics absolutely necessary for such an endeavor.
Then there was the problem of the central theme. The problem was that I'm still not sure what it was supposed to be. If--as I suspect--the feminist theme of the power of female friendship was to have been highlighted, then she should have spent more time developing an actual kinship between Paxton and Willa, rather than just throwing them together and allowing them to develop what at best felt like the shaky beginnings of friendship. She also could have woven the histories of the grandmothers throughout the tale rather than saving their narrative for an anti-climactic revelation at the end. Instead, she gives the dual romances much more story time than they deserved, unless they were intended to support a central theme which managed to elude me.
In short, this book failed to thrill. It did, however, provide a few hours of soothing weekend entertainment, and if it were possible to give this 2.5 stars, I would.
October 25, 2017
Μία εγκαταλειμένη έπαυλη στην κορυφή ενός λόφου, σήμα κατατεθέν μιας κωμόπολης, αποτελεί το σημείο αναφοράς του βιβλίου. Οι πρόγονοι της Γουίλλα ήταν οι ιδιοκτήτες που πτώχευσαν και την έχασαν και οι πλούσιοι γονείς της Πάξτον είναι αυτοί που την αγόρασαν και την ανακαίνισαν.
Οι 2 κοπέλες ξεκινούν ως άσπονδες και καταλήγουν ως αληθινές φίλες. Το παρελθόν του σπιτιού έρχεται στο φως με το ξερίζωμα μιας ροδακινιάς και την ανακάλυψη ενός τηγανιού, μιας βαλίτσας και ενός σκελετού στο λάκο - με αυτή τη σειρά ακριβώς. Τί έφταιγε η κακομοίρα η ροδακινιά να ξεριζωθεί; Η συγγραφέας την ξερίζωσε για να φυτευτεί σε εκείνο το μέρος μια μεγάλη βελανιδιά που θα μεταφερόταν με 1000 κόπους και έξοδα από αλλού. Σίγουρα, δεν είναι βιβλίο για κηπουρούς και για όσους αγαπούν τα δέντρα και τα φυτά!
Στην ιστορία μπερδεύονται και (οι απαραίτητοι) 2 άντρες αλλά και οι 2 γιαγιάδες των κοριτσιών. Ευτυχώς η μία είχε άνοια και δεν μας ταλαιπώρησε ιδιαίτερα. Η άλλη συνέβαλε στη λύση του μυστηρίου και την κατανόηση των μεταφυσικών αιχμών που έδιναν και έπαιρναν.
Τα ανυπόφορα του βιβλίου :
Βρήκα λίγο γελοία τα ονόματα Γουίλλα και Πάξτον. Τα άκουγα συνέχεια στο audio book και όσο τα άκουγα τόσο τα σιχαινόμουν.
Αφήνει να εννοηθεί ότι διαδραματίζεται στη σύγχρονη εποχή αλλά περιγράφεται μία (πλούσια) 30χρονη Πάξτον που μένει με τον μπαμπά της και τη μαμά της και τρέμει να μπαινοβγαίνει στο σπίτι, δίνοντας λογαριασμό και για το πότε αναπνέει. Δεκαετία '70;
Κυριολεκτικά μου πρήχτηκαν τα συκώτια με το αν είναι ή δεν είναι γκέι ο ένας από τους 2 άντρες. Σε όλο το βιβλίο! Και να τα υπονοούμενα, να οι αιχμέ��, να οι προβληματισμοί, μέχρι το τέλος!
Μέχρι να αποκαταστήσω τους ήρωες, όπως γίνεται σε ένα συνεπές άρλεκιν, χτίκιασα!
Για audio book καλό ήταν αλλά δεν παύει να τοποθετείται από εμένα στο άυλο ράφι των not-for-me.
Το εξώφυλλο θα έπρεπε να περιλαμβάνει μόνο το κλαδάκι της ροδακινιάς, ως φόρο τιμής στο ξεριζωμένο δέντρο της άπονης συγγραφέως!
Οι 2 κοπέλες ξεκινούν ως άσπονδες και καταλήγουν ως αληθινές φίλες. Το παρελθόν του σπιτιού έρχεται στο φως με το ξερίζωμα μιας ροδακινιάς και την ανακάλυψη ενός τηγανιού, μιας βαλίτσας και ενός σκελετού στο λάκο - με αυτή τη σειρά ακριβώς. Τί έφταιγε η κακομοίρα η ροδακινιά να ξεριζωθεί; Η συγγραφέας την ξερίζωσε για να φυτευτεί σε εκείνο το μέρος μια μεγάλη βελανιδιά που θα μεταφερόταν με 1000 κόπους και έξοδα από αλλού. Σίγουρα, δεν είναι βιβλίο για κηπουρούς και για όσους αγαπούν τα δέντρα και τα φυτά!
Στην ιστορία μπερδεύονται και (οι απαραίτητοι) 2 άντρες αλλά και οι 2 γιαγιάδες των κοριτσιών. Ευτυχώς η μία είχε άνοια και δεν μας ταλαιπώρησε ιδιαίτερα. Η άλλη συνέβαλε στη λύση του μυστηρίου και την κατανόηση των μεταφυσικών αιχμών που έδιναν και έπαιρναν.
Τα ανυπόφορα του βιβλίου :
Βρήκα λίγο γελοία τα ονόματα Γουίλλα και Πάξτον. Τα άκουγα συνέχεια στο audio book και όσο τα άκουγα τόσο τα σιχαινόμουν.
Αφήνει να εννοηθεί ότι διαδραματίζεται στη σύγχρονη εποχή αλλά περιγράφεται μία (πλούσια) 30χρονη Πάξτον που μένει με τον μπαμπά της και τη μαμά της και τρέμει να μπαινοβγαίνει στο σπίτι, δίνοντας λογαριασμό και για το πότε αναπνέει. Δεκαετία '70;
Κυριολεκτικά μου πρήχτηκαν τα συκώτια με το αν είναι ή δεν είναι γκέι ο ένας από τους 2 άντρες. Σε όλο το βιβλίο! Και να τα υπονοούμενα, να οι αιχμέ��, να οι προβληματισμοί, μέχρι το τέλος!
Μέχρι να αποκαταστήσω τους ήρωες, όπως γίνεται σε ένα συνεπές άρλεκιν, χτίκιασα!
Για audio book καλό ήταν αλλά δεν παύει να τοποθετείται από εμένα στο άυλο ράφι των not-for-me.
Το εξώφυλλο θα έπρεπε να περιλαμβάνει μόνο το κλαδάκι της ροδακινιάς, ως φόρο τιμής στο ξεριζωμένο δέντρο της άπονης συγγραφέως!
February 17, 2018
Cute, entertaining, fast read. Perfect for when you want to read- but brainpower may be feeling a little sluggish. (stressed reading maybe???) I liked it okay. It wasn't necessarily great, but it wasn't bad either.
Pros: light hearted, quick read, easy characters, fun bits of history for the family. The author has her light touch of magical elements that are in her other books. It's true to Sarah Addison Allen and her style. It's entertaining... like a Hallmark holiday movie. if you're in the mood for a cute and easy story- here you go.
Cons: Out of the books I have read by this author it is my least favorite. The plot sort of felt choppy- like it didn't quite flow between the characters, flash backs, and story lines. As a reader there was a lack of connection with the characters that made it a little bit of an un-invested read (it kind of didn't matter what happened or what the 'secrets' they found out were). Maybe that was just me, but it didn't quite charm me as much as her others. The magical elements weren't presented as well either.
If you like this author you will want to read it, just for your collection of stories and the way she tells them, but if you like a deeper read or something a little more substantial, you won't miss anything by skipping this one.
Pros: light hearted, quick read, easy characters, fun bits of history for the family. The author has her light touch of magical elements that are in her other books. It's true to Sarah Addison Allen and her style. It's entertaining... like a Hallmark holiday movie. if you're in the mood for a cute and easy story- here you go.
Cons: Out of the books I have read by this author it is my least favorite. The plot sort of felt choppy- like it didn't quite flow between the characters, flash backs, and story lines. As a reader there was a lack of connection with the characters that made it a little bit of an un-invested read (it kind of didn't matter what happened or what the 'secrets' they found out were). Maybe that was just me, but it didn't quite charm me as much as her others. The magical elements weren't presented as well either.
If you like this author you will want to read it, just for your collection of stories and the way she tells them, but if you like a deeper read or something a little more substantial, you won't miss anything by skipping this one.
December 1, 2014
Τέσσερις διαφορετικοί, νέοι άνθρωποι, που αφήνουν τις καταστάσεις να τους ορίζουν. Τους ανθρώπους, τον τόπο τους, τις αναμνήσεις τους. Είτε συμβιβάζονται και αποδέχονται, είτε τρέχουν να ξεφύγουν, τελικά δεν μπορούν να ξεπεράσουν το Γουόλς οφ Γουότερ και ότι αυτό συμβολίζει. Ένας θαμμένος σκελετός που αποκαλύπτεται με τον ξεριζωμό μιας ροδακινιάς, θα σημάνει την στιγμή που οι καταπιεσμένες ανάγκες τους θα αρχίσουν να βγαίνουν στην επιφάνεια και θα απαιτούν ικανοποίηση. Θα συνειδητοποιήσουν όμως ότι μόνοι τους ξεχωριστά δεν θα μπορούν να τα βγάλουν πέρα, η ενστικτώδης αλληλεγγύη θα οδηγήσει σε ουσιαστική φιλία και η φιλία θα δείξει τον δρόμο για την προσωπική τους ευτυχία.
Ύφος απλό, με όμορφες περιγραφές, παροιμιώδεις ατάκες, ρομαντικές προλήψεις και τρυφεροί χαρακτήρες… κλασική Άλεν.
"Η ευτυχία είναι ρίσκο. Αν δεν φοβάσαι λιγάκι, τότε κάτι δεν κάνεις σωστά."
Γουίλα Τζ��κσον
Ύφος απλό, με όμορφες περιγραφές, παροιμιώδεις ατάκες, ρομαντικές προλήψεις και τρυφεροί χαρακτήρες… κλασική Άλεν.
"Η ευτυχία είναι ρίσκο. Αν δεν φοβάσαι λιγάκι, τότε κάτι δεν κάνεις σωστά."
Γουίλα Τζ��κσον
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