Aunt Ivy's Cottage by Kristin Harper

I started reading this book on my kindle, late in the evenings close to Christmas.  I read beside the Christmas tree, under the twinkling of the lights, with the fire burning beside me, or in the dark, in bed, curled under the quilts and duvet. I was really longing to read a heart warming story, and take a break from my usual thrillers. The warmth of the twinkling lights, the fire and quilts created the perfect atmosphere, but it was the story that brought all the warmth.
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I fell in love with the characters almost instantly. Harper created an embracing family life, full of love and delicious secrets, sorrow, grief, sacrifice and forgiveness that my soul longed to be a part of. I could not put this book down.  Every night after work, I couldn't wait until the quiet of the house came upon me, everyone in bed, so I could dig into the world of Dune Island. It was a beautiful beach side escape, being whisked away to a perfect, slower paced life.  Harper's characters weren't without flaws; they had real life issues that many of us struggle with everyday...loss, alcoholism, shame, regret, illness...the problems just made the story more real, relatable. Aunt Ivy's Cottage was a jewel, a precious nugget of a story I think I will always keep close to my heart.