Raising three granddaughters and learning that they never changed as adults was what Anna found out when she needed her granddaughters to take care of her.

Karla was the granddaughter who always made sure things were settled and in order, and Karla was the most unlikely to help but the one who did come to help Anna. Returning to her home town and sleeping in her childhood bed brought good and bad memories back for Karla. The bad ones included not really getting along with her grandmother, but they both found things out after all these years that had been mistakenly assumed and that had them holding unnecessary grudges.

As you are reading, you will think of your childhood and your mother and most likely have tears as I did. This book will make you think about your life and your relationships with your parents, your friends, your siblings, and any other people in your life.

The details and character descriptions are vivid. The main focus of the book was on Karla and Anna and how they re-discover each other as well as the re-discovering of themselves and things about other family members they never knew. The love they never had for each other as Anna raised Karla came to the surface with happiness but also with regret that all those years had been wasted.

I enjoyed the family connections and how nicely the story flowed along with situations that will make you think about your family relationships.

The book is perfect for this time of year with Thanksgiving around the corner. It is a book about being thankful for who we are and who helped us get where we are. Whether we realize it or not, we "are" our mother, father, grandmother, or grandfather and can't change that.

This book is a warm, cozy read about reliving family moments, making new family moments, starting anew with your life, and definitely is all the things your parents told you would be coming true some day….all the good things that is.

This quote will make you want to find out why it was so significant to the story: “Have a good life, sweetheart.” Find out who and why.

Don’t miss this book, and definitely don't miss the recipes included in the back of the book.

ENJOY!! 5/5

This book was given to me free of charge in exchange for an honest review. ( )

Summary

Karla, Heather and Grace are sisters who lost their parents in a car accident and were shuffled around between their father's family members until landing permanently at their grandmother Anna's home (mother's mother). The oldest, Karla, never really deals with her mother's death nor Anna's efforts to create a home for her and her sisters. She returns as an adult to help Anna set her affairs in order before she dies from congestive heart failure. Karla doesn't know, however, that Anna is determined to set things right between them and hopefully bring their family back together again.

What I Liked

Anna - she's strong, she's made mistakes, she's willing to admit them, she doesn't use her weaknesses as excuses, and she's determined to make amends with her granddaughter before she dies.

The Setting - Fall and Thanksgiving, Northern California...um, Bockoven had me at Fall and Thanksgiving really...it's shameful how easy I am :p

Food - Bockoven included recipes with this edition of Things Remembered and I have already added her applesauce cake to my Thanksgiving menu :)

Mark, the veterinarian - I'm just gonna be honest here...he reminded me of McDreamy from Grey's Anatomy. I could just see his eyes in my mind as I read his and Karla's dialogue...a sensitive soul, this Mark For heaven's sake...now I'm swooning...look what Bockoven has done to me ;)

I loved the way the sisters could dish it out to each other, honest and upfront, calling a spade a spade when necessary...but then they got over it. Their ties run deep.

What I Didn't Like

My smoochy-smoochy radar flared a little while reading Things Remembered, and I had to fight not to roll my eyes at first...but then, before I finished the book, I had to fight back tears in my eyes...I had to wipe my eyes quickly and look around to make sure nobody was watching :p... but that's the kind of book this is...sisters and their grandmother...their lives, past and present and how their combined histories shaped the women they are.

The ending was too perfect...and again, I don't usually like that sortof thing...but I liked it...Bockoven certainly ruined my street cred as a hard core, vampire, detective, serial killer, no romance sorta reader.

Overall Recommendations

This is an emotional story...one to curl up with with a cup of tea on a cool Fall day and enjoy just for what it is. No deep critical analysis needed here, just a relaxing read. ( )