I appreciate a compilation of novellas with a central subject that brings together all the stories. In the case of The Kissing Tree, it is the titular tree in town of Oak Springs, Texas. This tree ties together the novellas, yet the stories can stand on their own. The tree is already full grown at the start of the first novella, set in 1868. We also see the tree in 1891, 1945, and today in the final story in the collection. Imagine all the history that tree has experienced in its hundreds of years! Luckily for us we don’t have to imagine. We have four amazing novellas to read some of that history! As Adam says in Broken Limbs, Mended Heart:
“It’s this tree that brought us together, and I’m going to predict that our love will be as rooted and strong as it is.”
After reading Broken Limbs, Mended Hearts, I thought it would be my favorite story in the collection. Then I read Inn for a Surprise, and it was my favorite. Then I had the same thoughts for From Roots to Sky and Heartwood. Turns out, I couldn’t pick a favorite. Every story is my favorite. I also experienced all the emotions while reading these novellas, from happiness and laughter to loss and crying. Yes. Real tears. On more than one occasion. Clearly, I care a lot about trees and stories about trees!
Broken Limbs, Mended Hearts: Flirty banter drives the love story of Bella and Adam. These two characters are like oil and vinegar, strong apart, but better when combined and supporting each other. Adam knows that he and Bella belong together. Bella takes longer to be convinced. I especially enjoyed how Adam ‘tricks’ Bella into relaxing enough to concentrate on her teaching exam by making her hold hands with him! This is a very sweet romance.
Inn for a Surprise: I love a cantankerous character of either gender. Right away, I could tell that Barnabas was just my sort of leading man, cranky and not in the least bit interested in his new task, that of ensuring the success of Phoebe’s hotel endeavor. No easy feat, given that the town doesn’t have the tourist traffic to warrant such a venture. Barnabas and Phoebe balance each other’s skills and ideas to create the perfect hotel. And relationship. As Barnabas states:
“You might understand the intricacies of the heart, but I understand the intricacies of business. Both are necessary if this enterprise is to succeed.”
True in the hotel business as well as in romance! This romance is a slow build, like the inn. We see the little touches of friendship that develop into love over time. I also really enjoyed Phoebe’s spirit. Her father’s wealth allows her freedoms that not many women in the 1890s had. She takes full advantage of these freedoms. I’m always glad to read a story about a heroine who isn’t afraid to make her own desires come true.
From Roots to Sky: Luke and Hannah begin their relationship as pen pals, introduced to each other by Danny, Hannah’s brother. She writes long letters about the town of Oak Springs. He sends her drawings of buildings he sees while mapping Europe as a pilot in WWII. The two work together to build the cottage that Danny always dreamed of living in. (Oh, and BTW, the cottage where Abby lives in Heartwood!) What really struck me in this novella is Ms. Dykes use of visual language. From Pete’s sake referring to an actual Pete, to describing Luke’s shyness as being “big quiet”, to comparing the green and gold of Luke’s military uniform to the green and gold leaves on The Kissing Tree, I could really visualize this story as it unfolded. Oh, and I’m in for any celebration that includes a pie jubilee!
Heartwood: For me, this was the most emotional of the stories. The dedication “to all those who have lost someone precious and are brave enough to love again.” is accurate and appropriate. In the case of this novella, that loss is of a parent, Abby’s father, the former caretaker of the tree and inn property (from Inn for a Surprise!). But it’s also the story of the lost love between Abby and Griffin. I’m a sucker for a story about reunited lovers. What really works here is that the feelings between Abby and Griffin for each other, and the tree, are palpable. I also really appreciated how Ms. Deese shows the growth of the town of Oak Springs, from the small town that we started with (in Broken Limbs, Mended Hearts) to the bustling city of today. We really see the community coming together in this story. I was very moved by this story after learning about the memory gardens that Abby makes. I’ll certainly be researching those more.
Separately, each of these stories are beautifully written. But what impresses me the most is how the stories are tied together: they are set in the same town, the impact the tree has on each novella, and how characters from one story make an appearances in another story. Kudos to these four authors for a great collaboration! Check out this compilation if you are into romance novels. Or sappy for trees like me! (Pun intended!).
I received The Kissing Tree free in exchange for my honest review. Thanks to authors Karen Witemeyer, Regina Jennings, Amanda Dykes, Nicole Deese, and Lone Star Book Blog Tours for providing this opportunity
Love the gush! This sounds like such a wonderful set of novellas, and I love the premise of the tree being the common tie. Thanks for the review!
Thanks, Kristine!