Scent of Lilacs by Ann H. Gabhart ~ Book Review

In the quiet town of Hollyhill, Kentucky Jocie Brook is set to enjoy her hot lazy summer before she starts high school.  She has one prayer and that is that she gets to see her sister whom she hasn't seen since she was five.   Jocie has grown up without her since her mother up and left with her sister without saying a word to anyone.  Her loving father is an interim pastor of Mt. Pleasant Church praying to get the permanent pastorship and the vote for that is coming up.   But he has some obstacles in his way and he's just believing God will work it all out.  He has poured his love and God's love into Jocie and she has grown up being raised by him and her strict aunt.  Jocie knows she should just take her father's word for the past but there has always been that wish to know why her Mom and sister took off and left her and nobody seems to know or is willing to tell her.  Her two biggest prayers are for a dog and for her to see them again.  Both would take a miracle.   As she starts digging into her past, she stirs up things she might not want to know and that could affect not only her but her Dad's vote for the pastorship.

This was such a perfect summer read.  It is lovely story building and meandering through the lives of this family during the summer of 1964.  I love stories set in this time period and I thought the author captured small town living and attitudes of the time wonderfully.  Jocie is a fun, inquisitive, spiritual young girl who draws you into her world and her hopes.  All the characters are wonderful from Jocie to her Father with his strong faith in spite of all that has happened to her scripture quoting aunt to her father's quirky friend and co-worker Wes.  The secrets they all are hiding are woven together into a story of faith, love and family that I really enjoyed.  Looking forward to the second book continuing the story.

I gave this a 9/10.