Review: Palmetto Moon by Kim Boykin

Palmetto Moon by Kim Boykin

Published: August 5, 2014

Publisher: Berkley Trade

Format: paperback via publisher

Rating: 4/5

Synopsis

June, 1947. Charleston is poised to celebrate the biggest wedding in high-society history, the joining of two of the oldest families in the city. Except the bride is nowhere to be found…

Unlike the rest of the debs she grew up with, Vada Hadley doesn’t see marrying Justin McLeod as a blessing—she sees it as a life sentence. So when she finds herself one day away from a wedding she doesn’t want, she’s left with no choice but to run away from the future her parents have so carefully planned for her.

In Round O, South Carolina, Vada finds independence in the unexpected friendships she forms at the boarding house where she stays and a quiet yet fulfilling courtship with the local diner owner, Frank Darling. For the first time in her life, she finally feels like she’s where she’s meant to be. But when her dear friend Darby hunts her down, needing help, Vada will have to confront the life she gave up—and decide where her heart truly belongs.

My Thoughts

This book had me from the very beginning. The cover caught my eye but the story drew me in and kept me captivated. The story takes place in the late 40’s which I love since this is a time period that isn’t used that much in the books I read.

The story is about Vada who is rich and who is supposed to marry Justin. Justin is the type of guy who only wants her as a show piece. He doesn’t want her to work or express her emotions much less her opinions on things. Right before she is to wed she gets the courage to leave her family and everything she has ever know in order to live her life as she wants. She wants a life of freedom and most importantly she wants real true love, not a marriage that’s more business than love. She ends up in Round O, a small town in hopes that no one will find her. Her first day she was there she meets the diner own Frank. Frank is instantly taken with her and falls for her at first sight. He knows this is the woman he is meant to be with a marriage. Their courtship is innocent but you can see these two souls were meant to be.

I honestly loved this book! I enjoyed reading the romance between Frank and Vada, it was so innocent and seeing how things were back in the day it kind of opened my eyes to things. The whole feel of the storyline felt really real. Frank is one of those guys I wish there were more of. He is a hopeless romantic and an old soul. He loves with his whole heart even though he was hurt and taken advantage of in the past. The fact that he would do anything for anyone just makes him so loveable. His backstory is one I didn’t see coming and it gave his character so much depth and it kind of broke my heart. While Vada is someone who is so much stronger than anyone would give her credit for. All she wants is a chance to live a life, one that she has a hand in. She wants to love and experience things for herself and not just be a woman who is seen and not heard. She is definitely a woman who is ahead of her time.

This read is like a breath of fresh air. It showed me a time of which I didn’t know that much about and it was awesome. I loved the innocence of the time and how things where back then. While it showed me how much things are different it also showed me how some things are the same. In the end we all want love. We all want that butterfly feeling in the pit of your stomach, loyality and earth-shattering love. Because in the end no matter how different we are love is the one common thing we all have the right to have.