Thursday, May 13, 2021

Paint and Nectar



This beautiful time slip story whisked me away with its three interwoven stories of a buried heirloom and the two families whose feud lasts for more than a century. With greed being at the center of how events take place, it was truly tragic to see to what extremes men would go to in order to find the elusive treasure. 

There were so many wonderful quotes and metaphors in relation to life that I marked throughout the book that I will be returning repeatedly for encouragement. I find that to be a true gift to not only have a compelling story, but also be uplifting and faith building. Using gardening and painting with watercolor was a brilliant way of creating the thread that ran throughout the story. 

Even though Ms. Beth was a wonderful secondary character, her actions and wisdom brought about love and healing for these two families. Here is one thing she had to say that spoke to my heart.“In a way, all art is an imitation of a real, living experience. Think of Eliza’s garden and the many times she painted it. We love those paintings. They’re beautiful and evocative.” Ms. Beth took the blossom from Lucy’s palm and held up to her own nose to smell. “But the fragrance is unique to life. And it’s life that deserves preserving. Abundant life. If we don’t tend our ground, something else grow there. The choice is up to us.”

Ms. Clark’s descriptions of Charleston and the renaissance of music and art during the 1920’s and 30’s were so intriguing and well described that I just had to investigate the jazz singer, Cab Calloway and the houses on Rainbow Road. I will have to go visit Charleston to see them for myself. I highly recommend this 5 star book. 

Thank you to the author and Bethany House for a copy of the book. I was not required to write a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.


About the Book:

In 1929, a spark forms between talented watercolorist Eliza and William, a charming young man who has been hired to forge her popular paintings. Her aunt makes it clear Eliza should stay away from him because of a feud between their families over missing heirloom silver. But the source of the rivalry was long ago, and as the two get to know each other, they fall in love. William regrets the job that desperation led him to take and their families' ongoing bitterness, but setting things right comes at a cost.

In present-day Charleston, Lucy Legare has just inherited an old house from a mysterious benefactor, along with all the secrets it holds, including an old silver heirloom. Declan Pinckney is determined to buy the house for his family's development company. But as Lucy uncovers secrets about the house, garden, and silver, she becomes more determined than ever to preserve the historic Charleston property, not only for history's sake but also for her own.

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