Her Book Self

Willa Jackson and former classmate Paxton Osgood have never been close friends despite the fact that their grandmothers were inseparable. With their stations reversed from past generations - the Jackson family meeting financial ruin and the Osgoods climbing to social elite - the two girls have never had much in common. However, when Paxton takes on the project of restoring the Blue Ridge Madam, a mansion built by Willa's ancestors, a skeleton buried under a peach tree thrusts Paxton and Willa together to uncover the secrets and half truths hidden in the distant - and not-so-distant - past.

In The Peach Keeper, Sarah Addison Allen has composed another gem of a novel. Set in Walls of Water, North Carolina the story is infused with the signature southern charm and touch of magic that distinguished Allen's previous works (The Sugar Queen, Garden Spells). The mystery is compelling and the characters are delightful. Willa and Paxton were equally enjoyable to read and as the masks that each hid behind were whittled away, I was torn between which heroine I preferred.

Though less dependent on fantasy elements than some of Allen's other novels, The Peach Keeper still had an air of magical realism to it. Allen fans will also enjoy a brief cameo appearance from a past heroine. I really enjoyed this book. The plot is fresh and unique, but the themes of love and friendship - across generations, past grudges, and hurdling stereotypes - are timeless.