4.5 stars.

A Peach of a Pair by Kim Boykin is a delightfully charming and heartwarming story about family, friendship and forgiveness.

Set in 1953, the novel begins with lead protagonist Nettie Gilbert looking forward to college graduation and her return home to her close-knit family and fiancé Brooks Carver. After not hearing from her family for several weeks, she suddenly receives an unexpected invitation to a surprise wedding. Reeling from the news and feeling betrayed by her loved ones, Nettie makes an impetuous decision to take a leave of absence from school and takes a job as caregiver for a pair of elderly sisters, Emily and Lurleen Eldridge.

Neither Emily nor Lurleen ever married and they have lived with one another their entire lives. Lurleen's health has been declining and under advisement of their physician, Dr. Remmy Wilkes, they hire Nettie to help take care of them. Lurleen is accepting of the news that she does not have long to live, but Emily absolutely refuses to believe her beloved sister is, in fact, dying. After a newspaper article sparks a desperate plan, Emily talks Lurleen into making a bus trip to Texas and although it is against both Remmy and Nettie's better judgment, the three women embark on a journey that brings unexpected changes to their lives.

Nettie is very close to her family but after learning about the upcoming wedding, she finds the strength to stand up to her mother and forge a new path for herself. She has been betrayed in the worst possible way but she is surprisingly drawn to Remmy and their quiet friendship soothes her battered heart. But an unexpected spark of attraction scares her and despite her reservations about the trip with Emily and Lurleen, she is relieved for the opportunity to put some distance between her and Remmy. Will the old adage about absence making the heart grow fonder prove to be true for Remmy and Nettie? Or will Nettie continue to hold Remmy at arm's length due to her fear of getting her heart broken again?

Emily and Lurleen are quite the pair and while Lurleen is a big sweetheart, Emily is cantankerous and determined to drive Nettie away. There is never any doubt that the sisters love one another dearly but their shared history is full of unexpected heartache. Their story provides Nettie with a different perspective about her current situation but will learning the truth about the sisters' tragic past help her mend the rift in her own life?

A Peach of a Pair by Kim Boykin is a captivating novel with a cast of quirky but lovable characters and a storyline that is heartfelt and engaging. Full of surprising twists and turns, this beautiful journey of healing and friendship will stay with readers long after the last page is turned. ( )

I just read a really good book, y'all — A Peach of a Pair by Kim Boykin. Let me tell you a little about it.

A Peach of a Pair is a little different from my usual read. Instead of a romantic suspense or mystery, cozy or otherwise, A Peach of a Pair by Kim Boykin is Southern women's fiction. I wanted to read this book for review because most of A Peach of a Pair takes place in or near my home town of Columbia, South Carolina.

A Peach of a Pair tells the story of Nettie Gilbert's journey, both literal and figurative, taken to recover from her fiancé's and sister's betrayals. Nettie is a music education and piano major at Columbia College, just weeks away from graduation. Nettie receives news of her sister Sissy's pending (and necessary) nuptials to Nettie's fiancé Brooks.

Overwhelmed by this announcement, Nettie feels she cannot face her old life for a while. She is granted a leave of absence at college, and applies for work as a caregiver in nearby Camden, SC. She learned of the job from a help-wanted ad posted at her college by Katie Wilkes, on behalf of her brother Dr Remmy Wilkes, for his elderly patients, the Eldridge sisters. Live-in help is needed for the sisters because Miss Lurleen is in failing health due to a heart condition. (Her sister, Miss Emily, is totally against hiring outside help. She is perfectly capable of taking care of her sister all by herself, thank you very much.)

The story is told from four characters' points of view. Nettie tells her part in first person. The parts of Emily, Lurleen, and Remmy are told in third person. The POV changes are clearly noted with the character's name as a sub-title.

These POV changes allow the reader to get only bits and pieces of the characters' back-stories. We don't get the whole picture right away, and thus there are mysteries of a sort, such as:
• What caused the seven years of silence between the Eldridge sisters, even though they still lived together in the same house?
• What happened to their brother Teddy?
• What transpired between Lurleen, her beloved John, and Emily?
• Why is Katie Wilkes confined to a wheelchair? How was Remmy involved?

A Peach of a Pair by Kim Boykin is a realistic, genuine look at the world of genteel Southern women of the early 1950s. There is joy, sadness, laughter, and tears, just like in real life. Most of all, I found A Peach of a Pair by Kim Boykin to be a feel-good novel, one that I thoroughly enjoyed reading, and one that I think you will enjoy also.

To A Peach of a Pair I give Four Stars out of five — I really enjoyed it!


Note: I received a complimentary copy of A Peach of a Pair in exchange for my honest review. All opinions shared are 100% my own.

Originally published on my blog Jane Reads.
( )

He done her wrong. But, possibly Brooks Carter didn’t do Nettie Gilbert any more wrong than her own sister, Jemma Renee (Sissy). Now Nettie’s mother expects her to attend the wedding of Brooks and Sissy and be happy for their expected little one. Well, Nettie will have nothing to do with it. It’s the first time she actually stands against her mother’s wishes. She’s ready to leave Columbia College in South Carolina and go anywhere but home to Satsuma, AL. With her dream of studying music tossed behind her, she finds a job as a caregiver in Camden, SC for sisters Emily and Lurleen Eldridge. Actually, it’s Lurleen who is dying that insists on Nettie. Lurleen truthfully tells Nettie, “My sister will try to run you off like a stray dog, but I want you to promise me you won’t go.” Nettie promises. Then, she experiences how difficult life can really be with Emily.

But, not all things are difficult. Lurleen’s doctor, Remmy Wilkes, is attractive. Likewise, he finds Nettie very attractive. He comes in the evening when the sisters have retired to bed; he and Nettie get to know each other on the porch swing. Romance could blossom … but would it? Nettie’s heart had been broken; how can she trust another?

The story is set in 1953. Most of the chapters are from Nettie’s first person perspective, with several sections told in third person through Lurleen, Emily, and Remmy. Kim Boykin is so very talented with slowly pulling back the layers of these well-drawn and fascinating characters. As it turns out, Nettie is not the only one with secrets. It’s such an enjoyable and comfortable read. I could easily see this story as a feel-good movie which in my opinion would provide warmth and satisfaction on the level of Fried Green Tomatoes. Rating: 5 out of 5. ( )

A Peach of a Pair is a captivating story of the strength of sisterly bonds, family, friendship, self-discovery, love and forgiveness.

I am a huge fan of Southern Women's Fiction, and in A Peach of a Pair, author Kim Boykin weaves a thoroughly enjoyable tale that fulfilled all of my expectations. It is a delightful tale filled with plenty of Southern charm and sass that easily draws the reader into the engaging story of a young woman's quest to heal and forgive with the help of a pair of sassy elderly sisters.

Set in the South in 1953 and written in the first person narrative, Nettie Gilbert takes the reader along for the ride on her emotional journey of self-discovery. The reader meets Nettie in the southern town of Columbia, South Carolina, where she is eight weeks away from graduating from Columbia College with a degree in music, and is eagerly waiting to return home to Satsuma, Alabama. Nettie's world is turned upside down when she receives a letter from her mother informing her of the unexpected wedding of her younger sister Jemma Renee to Nettie's childhood sweetheart Brooks Carter. To add insult to injury, her mother included their wedding invitation in the letter! Heartbroken and feeling betrayed by her sister and ex-boyfriend, Nettie leaves college before graduation and accepts a live-in caregiver position with the elderly Eldridge sisters (Emily and Lurleen) in Camden, South Carolina. The elderly "peach of a pair" Eldridge sisters will help redefine, shape, and change Nettie's life in a profound way.

A Peach of a Pair is a beautifully written and captivating story that engages the reader to follow along as Nettie's journey leads her on a path of self discovery and healing forgiveness. Author Kim Boykin weaves a poignant tale of the complexities of sisterly and family bonds that flows smoothly, and alternates between the first person narrative of Nettie, with the third person narratives of Emily, Lurleen, and Dr. Remmy Wilkes. I couldn't help but get swept away and lose myself in the unfolding of the multi-layered story. I absolutely loved how both the author parallels the different generational but very similar stories of the complexity of sisterly bonds between Nettie and Jemma with Emily and Lurleen, while adding in the blossoming of a special friendship/relationship with Remmy. Embarking on a quirky adventure with these sassy elderly sisters, Nettie discovers that the special sisterly bond is a strong one that can be preserved, even after a heartbreaking betrayal, and that the road to love and forgiveness will ultimately lead you back home.

Author Kim Boykin weaves a delightful tale full of humor, emotion, drama, and southern sassiness intertwined with a sweet poignancy that easily keeps the reader engaged and turning the pages. I absolutely loved the fiesty Eldridge sisters, they reminded me of the Baldwin sisters from the television show, The Waltons. As Nettie and the sisters embark on their faith healing adventure, Nettie learns life lessons that will bring forgiveness, healing, and a second chance at finding love.

With a quirky cast of characters; witty dialogue and interactions; a richly descriptive setting; and a storyline that delves into the complexities of family, friendships, love and life; A Peach of a Pair is a touching southern women's fiction tale that will leave a smile on your face.

Disclaimer: I received a copy of the book from the author / publisher in exchange for my honest review and participation in a virtual book tour event hosted by Pump Up Your Book.

http://jerseygirlbookreviews.blogspot.com/2015/10/a-peach-of-pair-by-kim-boykin-... ( )

I loved this book! Nettie was wonderful. When I learned what the story of the Eldridge sisters is by the end of the book I saw the parallels between them and Nettie. I figured that is what it would be and I was not disappointed. The story and these characters are enthralling. I hated putting the book down to work or get off the bus. I liked that Nettie had a back bone when she finally goes home. She did not allow anyone to walk over her. I also liked that for the short time she had known Remy in Camden that she went with her feelings. She realized what she had discovered about herself, the past, and her future and did not try to fit back into the past. I would like to see where Nettie goes from there and what her words back home did to her family. ( )