Christmas in Peachtree Bluff (The Peachtree Bluff Series)
The newest installment of the New York Times bestselling Peachtree Bluff series follows three generations of Murphy women as they come together to face a hurricane that threatens their hometown—and the holiday season—in this “book equivalent of a warm and fuzzy pair of socks” (E! Online).
When the Murphy women are in trouble, they always know they can turn to their mother, Ansley. So when eldest daughter Caroline and her husband announce they are divorcing—and fifteen-year-old daughter Vivi acts out in response—Caroline, at her wits end, can’t think of anything to do besides leave her with Ansley in Peachtree Bluff for the holidays. After all, how much trouble can one teenager get into on a tiny island?
Quite a lot, as it turns out.
As the “storm of the century” heads toward Peachtree Bluff, Ansley and her husband, Jack, with Vivi in tow, are grateful they’re planning to leave for the trip of a lifetime. But Vivi’s recklessness forces the trio to shelter in place during the worst hurricane Peachtree has ever seen. With no power, no provisions, and the water rising, the circumstances become dire very quickly…and the Murphy sisters soon realize it’s up to them to conduct a rescue mission. With the bridges closed and no way to access Peachtree Bluff by land or air, they set sail on Caroline’s boat, The Starlite Sisters, determined to rebuild their beloved town—and their family.
In “pitch perfect tones” (Publishers Weekly) and written with her signature Southern charm, New York Times bestselling author Kristy Woodson Harvey explores the magic of Christmas, the power of forgiveness, and the importance of family in a tale that reminds us that, no matter the circumstances, home is always where we belong—especially during the holidays.
When the Murphy women are in trouble, they always know they can turn to their mother, Ansley. So when eldest daughter Caroline and her husband announce they are divorcing—and fifteen-year-old daughter Vivi acts out in response—Caroline, at her wits end, can’t think of anything to do besides leave her with Ansley in Peachtree Bluff for the holidays. After all, how much trouble can one teenager get into on a tiny island?
Quite a lot, as it turns out.
As the “storm of the century” heads toward Peachtree Bluff, Ansley and her husband, Jack, with Vivi in tow, are grateful they’re planning to leave for the trip of a lifetime. But Vivi’s recklessness forces the trio to shelter in place during the worst hurricane Peachtree has ever seen. With no power, no provisions, and the water rising, the circumstances become dire very quickly…and the Murphy sisters soon realize it’s up to them to conduct a rescue mission. With the bridges closed and no way to access Peachtree Bluff by land or air, they set sail on Caroline’s boat, The Starlite Sisters, determined to rebuild their beloved town—and their family.
In “pitch perfect tones” (Publishers Weekly) and written with her signature Southern charm, New York Times bestselling author Kristy Woodson Harvey explores the magic of Christmas, the power of forgiveness, and the importance of family in a tale that reminds us that, no matter the circumstances, home is always where we belong—especially during the holidays.
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Community Reviews
While it is always fun to revisit characters I've known and loved, I wasn't expecting this book. The final installment of the trilogy The Southern Side of Paradise ended in a way I thought created a strong closure. However, in true Murphy women fashion, I was drawn back into their southern charm and family dynamics.
The plot of the hurricane was a little predictable, but that's part of the allure of Harvey's writing--the understanding that everything is going to be okay. A little "Hallmarkesque," but feel-good stories have a definite place among readers and viewers! Now...she does pull a few punches here and there that Hallmark wouldn't like (some language occasionally and some casual sex every now and again), but otherwise, this is wholesome family fun.
Sloane, Caroline, and Emerson are still a tight-knit trio of sisters watching out for each other and family. Their children (Grandjack and Gransley's - Jack and Ansely's - grandchildren) are written in a promising and realistic way that doesn't undermine solid parenting (that's a pet peeve for me - when writers don't get parenting right!). My only struggle for characters was Vivi, Caroline's daughter, that's going through the terrible teens (which as the book reminds us, has nothing on the terrible twos!). Caroline and James's divorce is still causing problems and while James is the one who cheated (sorry - plot spoil from the series) and is already out cavorting with a new girlfriend, Caroline takes the brunt of Vivi's nasty behavior. When Grandjack puts her in her place at the beginning of the book I was THRILLED! I was not thrilled when he was scolded for doing so. Teenagers respect boundaries and authority - have some backbone.
Quirk: It is hard to conceive the sheer amount of money this family seems to have -- all of them. I love the idea of small-town shops breaking the big business industry barrier, but there is a suspension of reality for how well the Sloane Emerson gallery seems to be doing, and the pressure placed on Sloane to produce the mass amount of paintings she does. I'm not a painter, but I've known a few and most of them don't paint on-demand. It is a lovely fairytale-like idea, that a business would be booming based on the works of one sister and run by the other two, however it's a little hard to believe. But, then again - this is feel-good women's fiction and I still like it.
Harvey's writing style is easy to read and even with the multiple narrative shifts, the story of overcoming Pearl (the hurricane), the finally told family secret, and the crafty little pirate legend keep the reader engaged from beginning to end. In fact, because there are so many characters it is nice to see the omnipotent viewpoint because it brings variety to the story.
A solid
The plot of the hurricane was a little predictable, but that's part of the allure of Harvey's writing--the understanding that everything is going to be okay. A little "Hallmarkesque," but feel-good stories have a definite place among readers and viewers! Now...she does pull a few punches here and there that Hallmark wouldn't like (some language occasionally and some casual sex every now and again), but otherwise, this is wholesome family fun.
Sloane, Caroline, and Emerson are still a tight-knit trio of sisters watching out for each other and family. Their children (Grandjack and Gransley's - Jack and Ansely's - grandchildren) are written in a promising and realistic way that doesn't undermine solid parenting (that's a pet peeve for me - when writers don't get parenting right!). My only struggle for characters was Vivi, Caroline's daughter, that's going through the terrible teens (which as the book reminds us, has nothing on the terrible twos!). Caroline and James's divorce is still causing problems and while James is the one who cheated (sorry - plot spoil from the series) and is already out cavorting with a new girlfriend, Caroline takes the brunt of Vivi's nasty behavior. When Grandjack puts her in her place at the beginning of the book I was THRILLED! I was not thrilled when he was scolded for doing so. Teenagers respect boundaries and authority - have some backbone.
Quirk: It is hard to conceive the sheer amount of money this family seems to have -- all of them. I love the idea of small-town shops breaking the big business industry barrier, but there is a suspension of reality for how well the Sloane Emerson gallery seems to be doing, and the pressure placed on Sloane to produce the mass amount of paintings she does. I'm not a painter, but I've known a few and most of them don't paint on-demand. It is a lovely fairytale-like idea, that a business would be booming based on the works of one sister and run by the other two, however it's a little hard to believe. But, then again - this is feel-good women's fiction and I still like it.
Harvey's writing style is easy to read and even with the multiple narrative shifts, the story of overcoming Pearl (the hurricane), the finally told family secret, and the crafty little pirate legend keep the reader engaged from beginning to end. In fact, because there are so many characters it is nice to see the omnipotent viewpoint because it brings variety to the story.
A solid
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