The story centers around Gemma and her daughter Opal, who have been left reeling after the death of Gemma’s husband, Opal’s father. Life has been hard for both of them, and finally Gemma decides that they need a fresh start. So they leave Seattle to move to Beacon Shore where Gemma’s grandmother once lived in Moonstone House, the family home that Gemma inherited. It’s a place full of memories for Gemma, who visited in the summers when she was young. But it’s been years since she’s seen it, after her own mother suddenly stopped allowing the visits. Being back has revived more memories, including the redbud tree in the yard. There is something about it that inspires to dive into the history of her family’s past, leading her to discover an old journal. That leads her down a path, unraveling the story of the women in her family, secrets and history she never imagined. She draws Eric, the local contractor who’s helping her restore the House, into the story, his knowledge of the town’s history helping her fill in the blanks. But are the secrets and history better left forgotten? They might be, when an old fued is revived, putting both Gemma and Opal in danger.
I love a generational story, the gothic flavor of secrets and history. The weaving of family history with the present generation is so engrossing, especially with the Braucherei part of the story. The way that history affected both Gemma’s and Opal’s present was often emotional, and it kept me turning the pages. And the story is very emotional sometimes, as they both were struggling to find a new normal, and happiness, after losing someone they both loved. There was a lot of push and pull between them, and within themselves, that felt very real.