Sofia Grant

Set in 1952, Lies in White Dresses by Sofia Grant is a poignant yet ultimately uplifting historical novel.

Best friends for over thirty years, Francie Meeker and Vi Carothers are going to Reno, NV together to divorce their husbands. While en route to their destination, they befriend another divorcee to be, June Samples and her four year daughter, Patty. The three women are trying to make the best of their decision to divorce their husbands, but their futures are a bit uncertain. Vi and Francie will not have any financial worries but they both worry about how their social lives will change. June's financial situation is already uncertain and she knows she must find employment immediately. Quickly bonding over their shared experience, Francie and Vi do everything they can to assist June but even more changes than just their marital status await them in Reno.

Neither Francie's nor Vi's marriages have been happy for several years, but with such stigma surrounding divorce, they felt they had no choice but to remain married. Recent circumstances have forced Vi's hand which in turn gives Francie the courage to end her marriage. June's situation is completely different but she has very sound reasons for seeking a divorce. Not long after their arrival in Reno, a shocking situation provides the catalyst for unexpected life altering changes.

Lies in White Dresses is an engrossing novel with a thought-provoking, topical storyline. The characters are from different socio-economic backgrounds with varied life experiences. The story is well-researched and springs vibrantly to life. Sofia Grant's newest release is clever and unique and readers will enjoy this intriguing glimpse the realities of divorce during the 1950s.… (más)

Weaving seamlessly back and forth in time, The Daisy Children by Sofia Grant is a multi-generational novel that is based on a real life tragedy.

In 1937, several young lives are tragically taken when a gas leak causes an explosion at their school. Several families immediately have “replacement” children which are referred to as the "Daisy Children". Caroline and Hugh Pierson are one of the families whose “replacement” daughter Margaret is quite willful and stubborn which often puts her at odds with her mother. As an adult, Georgina’s memories of her childhood are dramatically different from Margaret’s and her mother is somewhat flabbergasted at some of Georgina’s accusations.

Margaret ends up making an impetuous decision to marry a man who cannot forget his family’s loss in the explosion and their union is passionate yet volatile. Margaret’s relationship with her daughter, Georgina, is deeply troubled which results in a lifelong estrangement after Georgina leaves home. Georgina’s relationship with her daughter, Katie, is also dysfunctional, but Katie is willing to overlook her mother’s more annoying traits. After Margaret passes away, will her surprise bequests to Katie and Katie's cousin Scarlett repair the long running rift in their family?

The inheritance comes at a good time for Katie since she at loose ends and could use some time away from home. Her trip hits quite a few snags and once she arrives in Texas, this hiatus from Boston proves to be quite the catalyst for future changes. Her marriage to her husband, Liam, is not in a good place but it takes distance from her regular life to gain much needed perspective to view her marriage (and her husband) more clearly.

Katie is surprised by how much she enjoys spending time with Scarlett as they work together to fulfill the stipulations of Margaret’s will. As she and Scarlett clean out Margaret’s home, there are a few surprises awaiting them. Letters hint at family secrets and Katie hopes to glean some background information on her mother’s relationship with Margaret. Katie clearly sees her mother's flaws and their relationship works best with Katie spending minimal time with Georgina.

With real life events serving as the story’s backdrop, The Daisy Children is an engaging and interesting novel. The women in the Pierson family are not exactly the warm and cuddly types but some of their standoffishness is understandable given their family history. With some unexpected twists and turns, Sofia Grant brings this multi-layered novel to an uplifting conclusion that will delight readers.
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I had trouble with this one.

This is a post-war story and shows how female households -- those where the men of the family didn't survive WWII -- struggled to support themselves and each other. Peggy and Jeanne are two such women. They are sisters and live with Peggy's mother-in-law and Peggy's daughter, who was born after her father died. The characters are well developed and the story is well told.

However, I found the editing appalling! Most of the time Peggy and Jeanne were a year apart in age, but sometimes they were two years apart. And once, they were far enough apart in school that they moved in totally different crowds. Peggy's daughter lived eight years in her grandmother's house, then moved with her aunt and started Grade 1; and that's only one example of the child's age being inaccurate.

Peggy, as the widow of Tommy, is receiving a survivors' pension -- most of the time. Once or twice, it is Peggy's mother-in-law who is the recipient. And while Peggy misses her sister to distraction, she never answers Jeanne's letters -- or maybe she never got them?

I think a good editor could have made this book at least a four-star read. And I wish little details didn't bug me so much, but they do, especially when they are compounded.… (más)