Family Trees - (Meyers Orchard Novel) by Kerstin March (Paperback)

About the Book

"Sensible and self-reliant, Shelby Meyers knows exactly what she wants. She'll never again depend on her errant mother, Jackie, who abandoned Shelby when she was a baby. All Shelby needs is her beautiful, windswept Lake Superior, her loving grandparents, and the apple orchard she helps run--until a new love, Ryan Chambers, opens her heart to a wider world. But just as Shelby is looking toward an exciting future, Jackie returns--determined to make up for the past and 'help' her daughter get everything she never could. Shelby finds herself at odds with Ryan and with his wealthy family's expectations. Now, through wrenching change and sudden loss, Shelby must find a way to see herself, and her mother, in a new light--and risk the kind of freedom that brings its own rewards" --

Book Synopsis

In this moving and insightful debut novel set along the breathtaking shores of the Great Lakes, a young woman must decide which dreams are worth fighting for, and which roots to keep firmly in place...

Sensible and self-reliant, Shelby Meyers knows exactly what she wants. She'll never again depend on her errant mother, Jackie, who abandoned Shelby when she was a baby-and is forever searching for an elusive, glittering life. All Shelby needs is her beautiful, windswept Lake Superior, her loving grandparents, and the treasured-but-struggling family apple orchard she helps run-until a new love, Ryan Chambers, opens her heart to chance, and her eyes to a wider world than she ever imagined.

But just as Shelby is looking toward an exciting future, Jackie unexpectedly returns-determined to make up for the past and "help" her daughter get everything she never could. Her confidence shaken, Shelby finds herself at odds with Ryan, and with his wealthy family's overbearing expectations. Now, through wrenching change and sudden loss, Shelby must find a way to see herself, and her mother, in a new light, forge an all-too-fragile understanding-and risk the kind of freedom that brings its own unexpected, enduring rewards...

Review Quotes

"March's debut novel visits the charming, idyllic town of Bayfield, Wisc., nestled on the shore of Lake Superior. March's setting is lovingly drawn." - Publishers Weekly

"A wonderful debut novel with adorable, but struggling characters. March is a stellar new author, and her research of the Bayfield area really shines." - RT Book Reviews

"Unfolding against this impressive setting, the narrative features Shelby Meyers...March is skillful not only at rendering her setting, but also at raising questions in the reader's mind about Shelby's fate and withholding answers for many chapters." - Minneapolis Star Tribune

"March writes lyrically about the orchard and Lake Superior. Fans of intelligent contemporary romance will enjoy this story of love, forgiveness, and growing into adulthood." - St. Paul Pioneer Press

"Packed with thrills and chills of living next to Lake Superior, a body of water that 'rarely gives up its dead, ' every detail is crafted to a perfectly created world that is utterly believable. [March] has accomplished what every writing professor professes, 'to invent characters readers really care about.'" - Bayfield County Journal

"Family Trees is a beautifully written book, focusing primarily on the secrets that threaten to shake foundations to its very core. It's about learning to trust and live again, even after the rug has been pulled out from under you. Most of us have skeletons that lurk in our closet. Kerstin March opens those closet doors, allowing everyone a peek into the things that we'd rather keep buried, the hidden truths never meant to see the light of day." - Chick Lit Central

"Kerstin March writes a captivating story of love, heartbreak and triumph." - Laura Sobiech, author of Fly a Little Higher

"A charming, romantic story of life after loss, filled with lush descriptions of Lake Superior's magical beauty." - Kristina Riggle, author of the Whole Golden World

"A sweet, heartening story, Family Trees explores love, loyalty, and the growing pains inherent in building a life for oneself." - Lindsey Palmer, author of If We Lived Here

"Beautifully written romantic story! The characters are likeable and flawed, the romance is sweet, and the setting is delicious. I love how the author wrote in vibrant detail about the Great Lakes and the Meyers apple orchard. March captures the intense devotion and respect that locals feel for Lake Superior perfectly." - Jennifer Lynn Alvarez, author of "The Guardian Herd Series"

About the Author

After graduating from St. Olaf College, Kerstin March built a career around writing. During her start as a small town newspaper reporter, and as a public relations professional later on, she always enjoyed bringing out the personal side of news stories. Kerstin lives in Minnesota with her husband and their three children. When her family isn't scrambling with work, school, and errands, they can often be found up north, braving ice-cold swims, fish boils, and bear scares on Lake Superior's shore. Family Trees is her first novel. For more information, please visit www.kerstinmarch.com.