First Line: The letter had been sent by a dead man.
The adventure for Ava began when an envelope fell at her feet containing a mysterious message from her dead boyfriend, Alexander, sending her to Driftwood Alabama to interview as a caretake for a stubborn old man.
The town turns out to be full of charming and nutty and friendly folks all with stories to tell:
Maggie, who runs Magpie Cafe and matches people up with curios from her cabinet of curiosities when she feels a vibe.
Estrella, who always wears black and a veil and knows things. If one doesn't listen to her advice, they break out in hives.
Dez, Maggie's father, who is keeping secrets, seems forgetful, and is weeding out all his old possessions. Maggie wants to know why.
Sam, friendly yet sad, with his little dog normal, who according to Ava 'quabarks', a cross between a quack and bark only she can hear. Sam is keeping secrets as well.
Rose and Titus, who do the coffee dance, him asking for a special coffee, and she giving him black coffee instead.
Characters fall in love and try to deny it, or hold on to the past as long as they can. Some hide the truth, while searching for the one who will help them the most.
Ava is accepted into the fold, and tries to help, at the same time looking for something different, than her ordinary life, all while hiding her medical issues.
While Driftwood is a charming, magical, little town, set by the ocean, and the place is full of love, and help draw Ava out of her comfort zone, all the characters go through the wringer, ironing out their issues and relationship, until they find their happily ever after.
One of my favorite quotes:
"It was a gray morning, the sky filled with low hanging clouds. Leftover rain droplets from a storm that had rolled through in the wee hours of the morning sat fat and sparkly on the edges of my bug splattered windshield as I glanced at the dashboard clock: 8:38."
I love how Webber crammed all the detail about the weather, the car, the time in one sentence so beautifully.
320 Pages
Forge Books 2023
Magical Realism
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