Book Blurb:
*Shelf Unbound finalist for 2023 Best Indie Book Award.
*American Fiction Awards 2023 finalist in the category of family saga.
*Shortlisted for Chanticleer International's 2023 Laramie award in Americana fiction.
*Literary Titan Gold Book Award, May 2023.
*Longlisted for Chanticleer International's 2023 Best Series Award (as part of The Silk Trilogy).
Trouble lurks in the Lowcountry of South Carolina in the guise of a family feud, forbidden love, and a journalist hell-bent on uncovering corruption.
Meet Zingle Caddell, who doesn't regret the destruction left in his wake so much as he is annoyed by it. Figuring no man can continue to have such bad luck, Zingle is waiting for his fortunes to improve. He knows what he likes--alcohol, women, and family, in about that order--and he'll continue on with them as before.
That is, until he's surprised by a violent encounter with his match, Jessie Bell, when her stepdaughter doesn't come home as expected.
Bad blood is rampant between the Bells and the Caddells by the time Jessie's daughter and Zingle's nephew unwittingly fall in love. Forbidden to see one another, the couple must decide how much they're willing to risk. Is it worth being ostracized from their families? Destitution? Their very lives?
Book Buy Link: https://geni.us/TcX4p
Author Bio:
Sophia Alexander writes character-driven historical fiction that grips readers' emotions and surprises them with unexpected twists. A Lowcountry native, she is the award-winning author of the Silk Trilogy. Her writing is inspired by historical fact, genealogical investigations, intuitive guesswork, and fanciful romanticizations. Sophia is a graduate of the College of Charleston and Bastyr University. She lives with her husband in Savannah, GA. Visit authorsophiaalexander.blogspot.com to sign up for her newsletter.
Editorial Review:
Set in the early twentieth century, tells the story of the Caddells and the Bells, two families who have been at odds with each other for years. Just when these two families think they can’t despise each other more, two young people from each family secretly fall in love. Ginny and Jack will have to navigate their love while dealing with the rival families. Forbidden to see each other, they will have to make the decision on how far they are willing to go and whether they can deal with the inevitable fallout from their families. Homespun puts a twentieth-century spin on a Romeo-and-Juliet-style story that explores love, family, passion, and disagreement in a way that will draw readers in and make them unable to stop reading until the very end.
“As Zingle went back inside his house, the filth of his clothing filled him with sudden disgust. The grime penetrated right through, on down to his skin. He’d hardly noticed these past few weeks. After he’d run out of money and then alcohol, he’d gotten sick as a dog, shaking like he was having an eternal fit. He didn’t know how he’d gotten through that, with not a god-blasted person coming by to check on him the whole time. Not even the tax man.”
Homespun is the third book in Sophia Alexander’s Silk Trilogy. Even though there are two previous books, readers should be able to follow the story and information within Homespun without having read the two previous novels. While characters from the first two novels are included in Homespun, this novel also introduces new characters and storylines.
“Her dark hair was coiled back into its usual style, and he wondered what it would look like loose down her back. Above her, the immense white blossoms of a magnolia tree were closing; he let himself fancy that they were lanterns set there by some divine design, expressly for him to see her better.”
The characters are the real gem of Homespun. The novel is highly character-driven and Alexander does a fantastic job of creating characters that evoke emotions from readers, especially negative ones. Alexander has a talent for creating unsavory characters such as Zingle Caddell. There are also more likable characters to balance out those that readers will love to hate.
“Indeed, Jack had always struggled to behave in a civilized fashion, the way his mother had taught him. “If you act like a gentleman,” she promised, “then people will treat you like one.” I’ve been a gentleman when not yet even a man. When other boys my age were bein’ looked after, I was taking care of a whole big family, sacrificin’ so much for all of them. Now that Pa’s back home, it’s my turn to have a normal life. I deserve a fair chance.”
The writing in Homespun is beautifully done. It flows nicely and is easy to follow. Alexander’s writing is rich in detail and she does a fantastic job incorporating imagery that many readers will fall in love with.
“The thrill of their clandestine activities had already worn away for Jack. He longed for nothing so much as a normal life with his wife, beginning that very moment. I’ve had enough adventure for a lifetime.”
While the plot is set in a historical setting, the early twentieth century in South Carolina, the historical elements and elements of the southern location do not necessarily overpower the plotline. It certainly incorporates historical elements but the focus of the novel is not the history, per se. The historical elements guide the story and paint the scenery but don’t dominate the story. Because of this, readers who don’t necessarily love historical fiction will still find Homespun an enjoyable read. These historical elements are also indicative that Alexander has done excellent historical research and understands how to weave that information almost inconspicuously throughout her novel. Her skill in writing is evident.
“The indistinct shapes of trees and fields whizzed by, and Vivian managed to follow the gentle curves of the road, grateful for the relative absence of other motorcars. She held her breath as she recognized the dark shape of the bridge ahead.”
The target audience for Homespun is those who are interested in the early twentieth-century time period as well as those who enjoy family dramas. The drama between the Caddells and Bells is engaging and readers will enjoy following their stories. Readers who are reluctant to read lengthy books or who may not be familiar with historical drama could feel overwhelmed by Homespun. At almost four hundred pages, many readers might struggle to tackle such a large book. However, readers who don’t normally enjoy historical fiction may find Homespun to be a novel that they really enjoy. The historical setting and events do not overpower the storyline and drama that so many readers will love.
“A hush descended on the small farmhouse, and soon Gaynelle and Vivian had fallen asleep in their seats, the heads of both women resting against either of Clayton’s arms; Gaynelle’s forehead was pressed firmly against his right upper arm, as if she had drifted off while trying to will him well. Jessie alone stood a silent vigil, afraid that she might miss a single moment in the flicker of the lantern.”
Homespun by Sophia Alexander is a well-researched and beautifully written character-driven novel. Readers will find Alexander’s writing enchanting and her characters will pull emotions from the readers through the whole novel.
*****
“Homespun” by Sophie Alexander receives five stars and the “Highly Recommended” Award of Excellence from the Historical Fiction Company
Award:
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