Beyond the Garden
by Ashley Farley
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My Rating:
Favorite Quotes:
She arrived five minutes late for class to discover her students dancing around the room and singing into their fists to the sound of rap music blaring from one of the boys’ iPhones. Their shoes bore holes and their clothes were worn, but they all carried a smartphone of some variety.
Nothing in this life comes without risk, Miss Ellie. But if you don’t take the risk, you don’t get the reward.
My Review:
Beyond the Garden had an active and busy plot with several intense storylines involving lots of tension with family drama, tragedy, mental illness, murder, blackmail, and abuse, as well as the more positive elements of rescue, fresh starts, happy children, and a beach vacation, which is always the best ending for any story. The storylines were engaging, the characters were flawed yet intriguing, and the writing was highly descriptive, emotive, and keenly observant. I have enjoyed each and every book I’ve read by Ms. Farley. I relish her Low Country tales although I always seem to find myself with an intense hankering for shrimp, lobster rolls, and cornbread for several weeks afterward.
About the Author
Ashley Farley writes books about women for women. Her characters are mothers, daughters, sisters, and wives facing real-life issues. Her goal is to keep you turning the pages until the wee hours of the morning. If her story stays with you long after you’ve read the last word, then she’s done her job.
After her brother died in 1999 of an accidental overdose, she turned to writing as a way of releasing her pent-up emotions. She wrote SAVING BEN in honor of Neal, the boy she worshipped, the man she could not save.
Ashley is a wife and mother of two young adult children. While she’s lived in Richmond, Virginia for the past 21 years, part of her heart remains in the salty marshes of the South Carolina Lowcountry where she grew up. Through the eyes of her characters, she’s able to experience the moss-draped trees, delectable cuisine, and kind-hearted folks with lazy drawls that make the area so unique.
Visit her website at http://www.ashleyfarley.net for more information. Or sign up for her newsletter using this link: http://ashleyfarley.net/get-your-free…