Review: Things Left Unspoken

From Amazon:
Product Description
Jo-Lynn Hunter is at a crossroads in life when her great-aunt Stella insists that she return home to restore the old family house in sleepy Cottonwood, Georgia. Seeing the project as the perfect excuse for some therapeutic time away from her self-absorbed husband and his snobby Atlanta friends, Jo-Lynn longs to get her teeth into a noteworthy and satisfying project. But things are not what they seem, both in the house and within the complex history of her family. Was her great-grandfather the pillar of the community she thought he was? What is Aunt Stella hiding? And will Jo-Lynn's marriage survive the renovation? Jo-Lynn isn't sure she wants to know the truth--but sometimes the truth has a way of making itself known. The past comes alive in this well-written and thoughtful novel full of secrets, drama, and family with a hint of Southern drawl.

From the Back Cover
Every family--and every house--has its secrets. Jo-Lynn Hunter is at a crossroads in life when her great-aunt Stella insists that she return home to restore the old family manse in sleepy Cottonwood, Georgia. Jo-Lynn longs to get her teeth into a noteworthy and satisfying project. And it's the perfect excuse for some therapeutic time away from her husband. Beneath the dust and the peeling wallpaper, things are not what they seem, and what Jo-Lynn doesn't know about her family holds just as many surprises. Was her great-grandfather the pillar of the community she thought he was? What is Aunt Stella hiding? And will her own marriage survive the renovation? Jo-Lynn isn't sure she wants to know the truth--but sometimes the truth has a way of making itself known. "A lovely and deeply moving story. I didn't just read this story, I lived it!"--Ann Tatlock, award-winning author of The Returning "Eva Marie takes her readers on a delightful ride of rediscovery, remodeling, and re-evaluating."--Denise Hildreth, author of the Savannah series, Flies on the Butter, and The Will of Wisteria Eva Marie Everson is an award-winning author, a successful speaker, and a popular radio personality. She is coauthor of the Potluck Club series and the Potluck Catering Club series. Things Left Unspoken was inspired by her own Southern family history.

My Comments: I really enjoyed this book. The characters were well-drawn and suffered from the foibles that make most of us human. It was interesting watching Jo-Lynn find that life hadn't always been perfect for the older generation, but that fact didn't make them less lovable. My only problem with the book is I thought the ending was just a little too good. Without giving anything away, I'll just ask, does the fact that someone has sinned, even grievously, negate the good in their life?