The Book
The Secret Keepers of Old Depot Grocery by Amanda Cox
Present Day. After tragedy plunges her into grief and unresolved anger, Sarah Ashby returns to her childhood home determined to finally follow her long-denied dream of running Old Depot Grocery alongside her mother and grandmother. But when she arrives, her mother, Rosemary, announces to her that the store is closing. Sarah and her grandmother, Glory Ann, make a pact to save the store, but Rosemary has worked her entire life to make sure her daughter never follows in her footsteps. She has her reasons–but she’ll certainly never reveal the real one.
1965. Glory Ann confesses to her family that she’s pregnant with her deceased fiancé’s baby. Pressured into a marriage of convenience with a shopkeeper to preserve the family reputation, Glory Ann vows never to love again. But some promises are not as easily kept as she imagined.
The Review
This book follows three generations of women as they each battle their hold on personal secrets they’ve kept hidden from society and each other. The blending of their stories, all at different ages and time periods, meld perfectly amid their changing circumstances. Will the Old Depot Grocery close or will the youngest of the three, Sarah, be able to save the one stable thing in her new, upturned life? Can Rosemary let her daughter make the one choice she’s worked her whole life to avoid? Will the eldest in the trio, Glory Ann, learn how to let go of the past and embrace an uncertain future?
This story reflects on how seeking the truth, no matter how hurtful, can be freeing and heal broken relationships.
- Violence: none/off-screen.
- Christianese: Moderate but presented through each character as they handle their life issues and doesn’t come off as preachy.
- Romance: hinted at but this story is more in the women’s fiction realm than romance.
If you’re seeking a redeeming story involving the unbreakable, but sometimes fragile relationships between mothers and daughters, The Secret Keepers of Old Depot Grocery is a must read.
This review was originally shared on episode 21.
Disclaimer: The publisher offered a complimentary copy of this book. The review was given freely, without payment. All views expressed are only the honest opinion of a member of the Historical Bookworm Review Team.
The Author
Before becoming a stay-at-home parent, Amanda spent her time counseling children, families, and individuals through life’s challenging moments. Now she uses those same skills to develop layered characters and stories, bringing them on a journey of hope and healing. A journey she hopes her readers experience in their own lives as they read.
A few of her favorite things are the sanctuary of the great outdoors, the feeling of pen on paper, the sound of her children’s laughter, and exploring new places with her husband of 17 years. (Oh, let’s not forget good fiction and good coffee. She’s addicted to both.).
