Book Review: The Firefly Hour by Annie Rains

 

Grandma Laverne's bed and breakfast, The Shelter Inn, sits in a small town on the North Carolina coast. After a hurricane hits, three siblings come together to repair the inn, but the only thing they seem to have in common is Laverne herself and the reunion ends up in angry words and tears.

Amelia has just gotten a high paying job she's been working towards for years, while Maggie floats from job to job and relationship to relationship. Amelia thinks her sister is only at the inn because she has nowhere else to live. Duncan, who is usually the one who works to bring peace between them has been running the inn since their grandmother's death, and he's a bit preoccupied with something he's not yet ready to share.

There is so much discord and anger, especially between the two women in this novel. They are coming together because their grandmother's inn has weathered a storm, and then Duncan's secret comes to light—at least for the reader if not for his sister's right away. There is much to be sad about in this novel, but Rains has created a story that still feels hopeful even though the characters she writes are carrying so much on their shoulders. The recipe cards Grandma Laverne wrote and kept in a box were a huge bit of levity in this family drama, and even when it becomes clear that this story is heading in a difficult direction, it's almost impossible to be unhappy.

This is a beautiful novel. The family dynamic was convoluted, but realistic, and Rains brought the past into the present so well. Few books have made me feel like this one did. I would definitely recommend this read. I give The Firefly Hour five stars.