The Prayer Box - (Carolina Heirlooms Novel) by Lisa Wingate (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

From the #1 New York Times author of Before We Were Yours.
When Iola Anne Poole, an old-timer on Hatteras Island, passes away in her bed at ninety-one, the struggling young mother in her rental cottage, Tandi Jo Reese, finds herself charged with the task of cleaning out Iola's rambling Victorian house.

Running from a messy, dangerous past, Tandi never expects to find more than a temporary hiding place within Iola's walls, but everything changes with the discovery of eighty-one carefully decorated prayer boxes, one for each year, spanning from Iola's youth to her last days. Hidden in the boxes is the story of a lifetime, written on random bits of paper--the hopes and wishes, fears and thoughts of an unassuming but complex woman passing through the seasons of an extraordinary, unsung life filled with journeys of faith, observations on love, and one final lesson that could change everything for Tandi.

From the Back Cover

These things I do, this melody of an ordinary day, keep the hours in order. . . . Strange to think of that. The song of an ordinary life. Mine would be in these letters to you.

When Iola Anne Poole, an old-timer on Hatteras Island, passes away in her bed at ninety-one, the struggling young mother in Iola's rental cottage, Tandi Jo Reese, finds herself charged with the task of cleaning out Iola's rambling Victorian house.

Running from a messy, dangerous past, Tandi never expects to find more than a temporary hiding place within Iola's walls, but everything changes with the discovery of eighty-one carefully decorated prayer boxes, one for each year, spanning from Iola's youth to her last days. Hidden in the boxes is the story of a lifetime, written on random bits of paper--the hopes and wishes, fears and thoughts of an unassuming but complex woman passing through the seasons of an extraordinary, unsung life filled with lessons in faith, observations on love, and one final lesson that could change everything.

Review Quotes

Readers will delight in this gorgeously written, true gem of a novel. Wingate has a way with phrasing that makes one stop and savor certain passages because they are incredibly meaningful--not only to the telling of the tale, but to the reader's own life. Realistic characters and a saga of life, love, and rebuilding make a gorgeous treat. [Top Pick]--Romantic Times Book Reviews

Relatable characters and vivid portrayals of events both current and historical create an enchanting, memorable pilgrimage into the fullness of faith and love.--Publishers Weekly

Running away from her past, single mother Tandi Jo Reese rents a cottage on Hatteras Island, but when her elderly landlady dies in her sleep, the task of cleaning out Iola Anne Poole's big house falls to Tandi Jo. Tandi comes across 81 decorated prayer boxes containing notes: pieces of a life well lived. In them, Tandi finds not only redemption but peace with her past. VERDICT Two-time Carol Award winner Wingate ("Blue Moon Bay") has written a moving and inspiring story with interesting female characters and a colorful Southern backdrop. A good option for fans of Nicholas Sparks and Mary Alice Monroe.--Library Journal

Wingate writes with a sensitivity and lyricism so effortless, weaving a community atmosphere with a comforting story of personal healing--ForeWord Reviews

With a careful eye to detail and a beautiful, lyrical style reminiscent of those of Mary Alice Monroe and Patti Callahan Henry, Wingate vividly sets Tandi's struggles in a once beautiful Victorian mansion now falling to ruin and guarded by a cranky cat in a small town recovering from the ravages of a hurricane. [Starred review]--Booklist