Sarah Addison Allen masterfully blends magical realism, heartwarming romance, and a small-town sensibility, all infused with the irresistible flavor of her Southern upbringing. Her stories, often described as "Southern-fried magic realism," offer a unique concoction of the fantastical and the familiar. Allen is a New York Times bestselling author who captivates readers with tales rich in charm and warmth. She uses her distinctive storytelling talents to create unforgettable characters and worlds.
Down a narrow alley in the small coastal town of Mallow Island, South Carolina, lies a stunning cobblestone building comprised of five apartments. It's called The Dellawisp and it is named after the tiny turquoise birds who inhabit the building, alongside the human tenants, and imbue it with an air of magical secrecy.
"The first time Eby Pim saw Lost Lake, it was on a picture postcard--and she knew she was seeing her future. That was half a life ago, and now the idyllic Georgia lakeside community is about to slip into Eby's past. Her husband, along with most of her demanding extended family, is gone. . .as are many of her old dreams and desires. But then, just as Eby considers relinquishing her cabins to a developer with cash in hand, one last opportunity for having a family comes knocking at her door. . . Lost Lake is where Kate Pheris spent her last best summer as an adolescent, before she learned of loneliness and heartbreak and loss. But today she has hope, thanks to her resilient daughter, Devin, whose willingness to move forward gives Kate a chance to rediscover something that slipped through her fingers so long ago. After all, people seem to end up at Lost Lake, looking for something that they weren't sure they needed in the first place: love, closure, a mystery solved, redemption. Can Kate, Devin, and Eby find what each of them needs before it's too late?"--Back page of book
Readers fell in love with Sarah Addison Allen's debut novel, GARDEN SPELLS. Now the tale of the Waverley women is to be revisited with a magical sequel. Autumn has finally arrived in the small town of Bascom, North Carolina, heralded by a strange old man appearing with a beaten-up suitcase. He has stories to tell, stories that could change the lives of the Waverley women forever. But the Waverleys have enough trouble on their hands. Quiet Claire Waverley has started a successful new venture, Waverley's Candies, but it's nothing like she thought it would be, and it's slowly taking over her life. Claire's wild sister Sydney, still trying to leave her past behind, is about to combust with her desire for another new beginning. And Sydney's fifteen-year-old daughter Bay has given her heart away to the wrong boy and can't get it back. From the author of the New York Times bestselling sensation GARDEN SPELLS, FIRST FROST is magical and atmospheric, taking readers back into the lives of the gifted Waverley women - back to their strange garden and temperamental apple tree, back to their house with a personality of its own, back to the men who love them fiercely - proving that a happily-ever-after is never the real ending to a story. It's where the real story begins.
Willa Jackson of Walls of Water, North Carolina, has lately learned that an old classmate--socialite do-gooder Paxton Osgood--of the very prominent Osgood family, has restored her family's Blue Ridge Madam home to its former glory, with plans to open a top-flight inn. But when a skeleton, found buried beneath the lone peach tree on the property is found, Willa and Paxton must confront the dangerous passions and tragic betrayals that once bound their families.
NEW YORK TIMES BESTSELLER • “A dusting of magic, the aroma of sugary cakes swirling through the breeze, and a girl who unwittingly brings change to a town of misfits make for a sweet summer story filled with hope and forgiveness.”—Beth Hoffman, author of Saving CeeCee Honeycutt Emily Benedict has come to Mullaby, North Carolina, hoping to solve at least some of the riddles surrounding her mother’s life. But the moment Emily enters the house where her mother grew up and meets the grandfather she never knew, she realizes that mysteries aren’t solved in Mullaby, they’re a way of life: Here are rooms where the wallpaper changes to suit your mood. Unexplained lights skip across the yard at midnight. And a neighbor, Julia Winterson, bakes hope in the form of cakes, not only wishing to satisfy the town’s sweet tooth but also dreaming of rekindling the love she fears might be lost forever. Can a hummingbird cake really bring back a lost love? Is there really a ghost dancing in Emily’s backyard? The answers are never what you expect. But in this town of lovable misfits, the unexpected fits right in.
A tale of love, candy and magic to bewitch even the most skeptical reader . . .
A magical, utterly delicious debut that will cast its charm over everyone who loved Chocolat or Fried Green Tomatoes. Be enchanted by a delicious international bestseller!