The Sweet Taste of Muscadines Review

Author: Pamela Terry

Genre: Mystery/Women's Fiction

Publisher: Ballantine Books

Release Date: April 20, 2021

Order Link: Amazon

My Rating: 4 Southern Bless Your Hearts

A special thank you to Ballantine Books for an arc of this book.

In this intimate debut novel, a woman returns to her small Southern hometown in the wake of her mother's sudden death--only to find the past upended by stunning family secrets.

Review:

When Abigail Bruce finds her elderly mother Geneva Bruce lying on the ground partially beneath the Bruce family's old muscadine arbor, one thing is crystal clear.  This time, she's really dead.  It's time for Abigail to call siblings Lila Breedlove and Henry Bruce back to their ancestral home in Wesleyan, Ga. - the home the two fled upon graduation from high school in an effort to escape the high expectations and limitations of life in a small, judgmental southern town while seeking their own place in the world.  When the three reunite, it is obvious Abigail’s losing it and on a suicide mission in regards to her reputation and community standing as a proper southern lady.   As strange revelations surface, Lila and Henry begin digging into the mystery surrounding their mother's death.  Why would the devoutly devoted, bible-carrying southern matriarch leave her home in the wee morning hours, wearing nothing but her nightgown to traipse to the far edge of the property and dig under a muscadine arbor . . . with an old spoon that was stored in the gardening shed?  What Lila and Henry discover leads them to Scotland seeking answers to newly unearthed, long ago buried family secrets that threaten to destroy their family history and life as they know it.

The Sweet Taste of Muscadines flows easily from a humorous spoof on southern culture in the first half to an emotionally charged exploration into the depth and consequences of Southern family traditions and expectations in the second half - speaking gracefully of the ramifications of unresolved childhood issues, of growing up with impossible expectations, of denying one's true self.  Terry flawlessly weaves plot, setting and characters into a mysterious yet beautifully rich story with all the distinctive southern flavors of hot apple pie, muscadine wine and sweet iced tea, rendering a sensual exploration of the south during the time period of the Vietnam War - highlighting the overwhelming sense of place felt by southerners - of binding ties and roots buried deep in southern soil.  

In a distinctly southern voice, Terry's lyrical prose carries hints of honeysuckle on a warm breeze and Sunday morning sermons heard through open doors and windows at the local Baptist Church.  Having lived my entire life in the South, I can say it stirred some childhood memories within me as I found the exaggerations on the Southern culture quite entertaining.  The Sweet Taste of Muscadines delves beneath the surface humor to reveal an emotionally evocative story that resonates with unresolved childhood memories, societal judgement, and lost dreams.  The author's rendering of this story is rich in poignant quotes, but this one stuck with me "So much hurt in the world, and for so many years.  All over who people love".

Many will call The Sweet Taste of Muscadines "women's fiction", but this profound story's also a fascinating mystery - a story of secrets kept buried until death by a proud southern woman - and the compelling journey of her children as they seek answers that will lead them out of the darkness into the light.  A story of the many ties and complexities of home and family.  Ultimately, a warm story of forgiveness and acceptance.  I highly recommend it to fans of mystery, family drama, and yes, women's fiction.

Synopsis:

Lila Bruce Breedlove never quite felt at home in Wesleyan, Georgia, especially after her father's untimely death when she was a child. Both she and her brother, Henry, fled north after high school, establishing fulfilling lives and relationships of their own, steeped in art and culture. In contrast, their younger sister, Abigail, opted to remain in Georgia to dote on their domineering, larger-than-life mother, Geneva. Yet, despite their years-long independence, Lila and Henry both know they've never quite reckoned with their upbringing.

Now, when their elderly mother dies suddenly and strangely, found among the dense vines of the muscadine arbor behind the family estate, they must travel back to the town that raised them. But as Lila and Henry uncover more about Geneva's death, shocking truths are revealed that upend the Bruces' history as they know it, sending the pair on an extraordinary journey to chase a truth that will dramatically alter the course of their lives.

With deep compassion and sharp wit, Pamela Terry brings to life the culture and expectations of a small Southern town that values appearance over authenticity--and where the struggle to live honestly can lead to devastating consequences.