The Memory House

The Memory House

Linda Goodnight

Genre: Historical Fiction

Summary (from Goodreads): New York Times bestselling author Linda Goodnight welcomes you to Honey Ridge, Tennessee, and a house that's rich with secrets and brimming with sweet possibilities...

Memories of motherhood and marriage are fresh for Julia Presley--though tragedy took away both years ago. Finding comfort in the routine of running the Peach Orchard Inn, she lets the historic, mysterious place fill the voids of love and family. No more pleasure of a man's gentle kiss. No more joy in hearing a child call her Mommy. Life is calm, unchanging...until a stranger with a young boy and soul-deep secrets shows up in her Tennessee town and disrupts the loneliness of her world.

Julia suspects there's more to Eli Donovan's past than his motherless son, Alex. There's a reason he's chasing redemption and bent on earning it with a new beginning in Honey Ridge. Offering the guarded man work renovating the inn, she glimpses someone who--like her--has a heart in need of restoration. But with the chance discovery of a dusty stack of love letters buried within the lining of an old trunk, the long-dead ghosts of a Civil War romance envelop Julia and Eli, connecting them to the inn's violent history and challenging them both to risk facing yesterday's darkness for a future bright with hope and healing.
 
Review: A delightful Southern tale that takes place in a haunted historical mansion.  While the historical section was interesting, I was mostly interested in the current story about the ex-prisoner and the B&B owner.  The characters were well-drawn, with realistic emotions, and I found myself relating especially to the mother.  I think the historical section could have been an interesting story in its own right, with more detailed character development, but it felt too rushed and choppy when mixed in with the modern story.  I did enjoy reading the book and will definitely look out for the next book in the series.

Rating: 4 stars