The Crowning Glory of Calla Lily Ponder - by Rebecca Wells (Paperback)

About the Book

The author of the bestselling "Divine Secrets of the Ya-Ya Sisterhood" debuts an entirely new cast of characters in this stand-alone novel about the pull of first love, the power of life, and the human heart's vast capacity for healing.

Book Synopsis

"Charming and luminous . . . . A perfect summer indulgence that'll have you peeking out your window on a muggy night in search of the Moon Lady, who'll wrap her nurturing arms around you from afar." -- Austin American-Statesman

A tale of family and friendship, tragedy and triumph, loss and love, The Crowning Glory of Calla Lily Ponder features the warmth, humor, soul, and wonder that have made Rebecca Wells one of today's most cherished writers, and gives us an unforgettable new heroine to treasure.

In the small river town of La Luna, Calla Lily bursts into being, a force of nature as luminous as the flower she is named for. Under the loving light of the Moon Lady, the feminine force that will guide and protect her throughout her life, Calla Lily enjoys a blissful childhood--until it is cut short by forces beyond her control. On the banks of the La Luna River, her mother, M'Dear, a woman of rapture and love, teaches Calla compassion, and passes on to her the art of healing through the humble womanly art of "fixing hair." At her mother's side, Calla further learns that this same touch of hands on the human body can quiet her own soul. It is also on the banks of the La Luna River that Calla encounters sweet, innocent first love, with a boy named Tuck.

But when Tuck leaves Calla with a broken heart, she transforms hurt into inspiration and heads for the wild and colorful city of New Orleans to study cosmetology at L'Académie de Beauté de Crescent. In that big river city, Calla finds her destiny--and comes to understand fully the power of her "healing hands" to change lives and soothe pain, including her own. Years later, when Tuck reappears, he presents her with an offer that is colored by the memories of lost love. But who knows how Calla Lily, a "daughter of the Moon Lady," will respond?

For longtime Ya-Ya fans, as well as the lucky ones discovering Wells for the first time, The Crowning Glory of Calla Lily Ponder will capture your heart.

From the Back Cover

In the small river town of La Luna, Louisiana, Calla Lily Ponder bursts into being, a force of nature as luminous as the flower she is named for. Under the loving light of the Moon Lady, the feminine force that will guide and protect her throughout her life, Calla enjoys a blissful childhood--until it is tragically cut short. From her mother, Calla learns compassion and healing through the humble womanly art of "fixing hair." On the banks of the La Luna River, she discovers a sweet, succulent first love that is as enticing as the music, food, and dancing of her Louisiana home. When heartbreak hits, Calla leaves the familiarity of her hometown and heads downriver to the untamed city of New Orleans, where her destiny further unfolds.

The Crowning Glory of Calla Lily Ponder is the story of a pink-collar heroine whose willingness to remain vulnerable in the face of adversity opens our own hearts to the possibility of love growing from sorrow.

Review Quotes

"The Crowning Glory of Calla Lily Ponder will remind you of your first love and power of friendship. As the saying goes, 'You'll laugh, you'll cry.' But, really, you will." -- Real Simple

"When readers are invited into novelist Rebecca Wells' Louisiana, they follow as if led by the Pied Piper. Who can resist those moonlit nights, those swimming holes, that delicious cochon de lait, the dreamy little Louisiana towns, the women who are larger than life? Wells weaves that magic spell again." -- New Orleans Times-Picayune

"Fans of Rebecca Wells' tales of the 'Ya-Ya Sisterhood' will find themselves just as enchanted with this story full of Southern charm and lessons in life. . . . With wisdom and insight, Wells guides Calla on her path of self-discovery." -- Daytona Beach News-Journal

"A novel full of miracles, with characters more colorful than a Crayola 64-crayon box. It's just the right dose of Southern charm." -- Seattle Times

"It's hard not to fall in love with the people in this magical place, where love is as plentiful as the dancing, gumbo and ice-cold Cokes. . . . A perfect beach read about mothers and friends and sisters." -- Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

"Many readers will recognize that all the characters . . . are creations of a literary goddess in her own right. . . . Down-to-earth and comforting . . . [A] good-hearted, wishful-thinking book." -- Washington Post

"Charming and luminous . . . A perfect summer indulgence that'll have you peeking out your window on a muggy night in search of the Moon Lady, who'll wrap her nurturing arms around you from afar." -- Austin American-Statesman

"Wide-eyed, big-hearted Calla has more faith than all the ya-yas put together. . . . As ever, the author's strength lies in her ability to articulate the profound relationship between women." -- Miami Herald

"Rebecca Wells spins a sweet Southern yarn about an aspiring beautician who overcomes tragedy to find love." -- Parade

"[A] heaping helping of sugar . . . [for] when you're feeling nostalgic for a sugarcoated past." -- USA Today

"Calla Lily Ponder is every bit as affable as her name suggests. . . . Expect high demand from loyal Ya-Yas fans, who have eagerly awaited a new work from Wells." -- Booklist

"Told in Wells' signature style . . . Rich in anecdote and atmosphere . . . This is easily a three-hanky read. . . . the lessons of hope and promises of healing will be a balm to many." -- Bellingham Herald

"Fiction junkies packing for vacation can without hesitation place The Crowning Glory of Calla Lily Ponder into the juicy reading pile. There's period drama, there's romance, and there's a lot of fabulous hair all wrapped in a vibrantly Southern package." -- North Kitsap Herald

"Another exuberant tale of Louisiana women . . . who can resist those moonlit nights, those swimming holes, that delicious cochon de lait, the dreamy little Louisiana towns, the women who are larger than life? Wells weaves that magic spell again." -- New Orleans Times-Picayune

"All readers will embrace the themes of second chances." -- Library Journal

"Rebecca Wells has done it again. . . . A new book full of Southern charm and unique characters . . . impossible to put down. . . . Wells delivers characters that are distinct and realistic." -- Houston Chronicle

"Wells's larger-than-life characters are custom made for summer reading." -- The Independent Weekly

"The latest novel by Rebecca Wells, the belle of Southern fiction. . . . is a satisfying coming-of-age tale in a place where the moon glows and the lemonade flows." -- Columbus Dispatch

"Wells knows how to paint a picture of small-town life and the wide world beyond that pulls at the heartstrings. Ya-Ya fans are likely to go gaga over The Crowning Glory of Calla Lily Ponder." -- Deseret News

"Pure Southern comfort, and [Wells] continues the tradition." -- New York Daily News

"Rebecca Wells is a master of . . . women's fiction. . . . The novel teaches us that even the worst decisions can be rescued and that approaching the world with love will heal any brokenness in our hearts." -- Winnipeg Free Press

"Wells delights in small-town life. . . . She makes the enchantment of daily life seem as plain as daylight." -- Richmond Times-Dispatch

"[Wells'] descriptions are so lush and lyrical it feels like you could step through the pages into the hot, humid landscape so shaped by the Mississippi River." -- Denver Post