Under The Magnolias - T. I. Lowe

Under The Magnolias

Author: T. I. Lowe

Genre: Fiction, Romance, Mental Health

Pages: 384

Rating: 5/5

ABOUT

"This night not only marked the end to the drought, but also the end to the long-held secret we'd kept hidden under the magnolias.

Magnolia, South Carolina, 1980
Austin Foster is barely a teenager when her mama dies giving birth to twins, leaving her to pick up the pieces while holding her six siblings together and doing her best to stop her daddy from retreating into his personal darkness.

Scratching out a living on the family's tobacco farm is as tough as it gets. When a few random acts of kindness help to ease the Fosters' hardships, Austin finds herself relying upon some of Magnolia's most colorful citizens for friendship and more. But it's next to impossible to hide the truth about the goings-on at Nolia Farms, and Austin's desperate attempts to save face all but break her.

Just when it seems she might have something more waiting for her--with the son of a wealthy local family who she's crushed on for years--her father makes a choice that will crack wide-open the family's secrets and lead to a public reckoning. There are consequences for loving a boy like Vance Cumberland, but there is also freedom in the truth.

T. I. Lowe's gritty yet tender and uplifting tale reminds us that a great story can break your heart . . . then heal it in the best possible way."

THOUGHTS

This book made me cry so many times I was close to giving up. It was so emotionally touching; I cried with happiness, but mostly with sadness. I could really empathize with Austin, her siblings, and their father. Throughout the whole book, I thought about how strong Austin was for taking care of her siblings and acting as their lost mother, but also how brave she was for seeking help. The question is – are you braver if you stay silent or if you seek help?

RECOMMENDATION

I would not recommend this book if you have problems with mental health yourself. This is due to the graphic descriptions of attempted suicide and self-harm that appear in the book.

Beyond that, I would certainly recommend this emotionally touching book to any youth or adult who wants something deeper to discuss, for instance, in a book club.

To sum up – an excellent read and kind of a must-read if you like deeper books.

Review writer: Josefin