If you are looking for a book with plenty of Southern-sass, then you are in for a treat with The Gardins of Edin by Rosey Lee. Set in the fictional town of Edin, Georgia, this contemporary novel features four women in the Gardin family — Ruth, Naomi, Martha, and Mary. That’s right! The characters are named for the famous biblical mother-in-law/daughter-in-law and sister duos. While this is not a retelling of Bible stories, the women are definitely inspired by their namesakes and there are plenty of spiritual truths shared. The Gardin family loves fiercely, but they are a messy bunch! Full of real life relationship pitfalls and strengths, Lee delivers a poignant story that also made me laugh out loud.
With its strong characterization, The Gardins of Edin is a wonderful debut from Lee. I look forward to a continuation of the story, A Gardin Wedding, releasing in May 2025.
Recommended.
Audience: Adults.
(I purchased the audiobook from Audible. All opinions expressed are mine alone.)
The four women of the Gardin family live side-by-side in Edin, Georgia, but residing in tight proximity doesn’t mean everything is picture-perfect. Ruth runs the family’s multimillion-dollar peanut business, a legacy of the Gardins’ formerly enslaved ancestors. But tensions have intensified since the death of her husband, Beau, and she feels like an outsider in the very place she wishes to belong.
Sisters Mary and Martha fuel the family tension. Martha’s unfounded mistrust of Ruth causes her to constantly seek ways to undermine Ruth’s decisions with the business, while Mary, trying to focus on her new restaurant that serves healthy comfort food, is dragged into the family fray by Martha.
For years, Naomi, the matriarch who raised the sisters after their parents’ death and supported Ruth in her grief, has played peacemaker. But as she decides to take a step back, hidden truths, life-and-death circumstances, and escalating clashes finally force the Gardin women to grapple with what it means to be a family.
A heartwarming Southern story of family and all its many complexities, The Gardins of Edin delivers a thoughtful portrayal of four women trying to hold on to their secrets. Women who just might—if they can only let go—find the peace they seek by holding on to one another.
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