A funny thing happened while I was reading The Twelfth Child. I became so engrossed in the story, I forgot to take notes for my review. I always keep pens and scraps of paper handy wherever I am when reading.
I was so into Bette’s story, I plum forgot my notes. So. smiling happily, I dove right back in and read the complete story again.
All of Bette’s books are laced with her southern prose, making me feel at home, looking for an old rocking chair to sit in while I read, with a glass of iced tea handy, the condensation dripping down the sides.
Come up on my porch, pull up a chair and get comfortable.
I have many things to say about The Twelfth Child and a really great giveaway too!
Abigail Anne Lannigan couldn’t marry a boy she didn’t love. She ran away to escape and it broke her heart, knowing her father would never forgive her.
Seventy years later, Abigail is in her twilight years but still going strong. A chance meeting with Destiny, the young lady who moved in across the street, is the beginning of a lasting friendship.
Destiny is young and determined to make it on her own. She just moved in, has little money and not much to start a home with. As her friendship deepens with Abigail, she accepts her gifts of unused furniture, but insists on working for it.
What started as just a helping hand here or there, becomes more nurturing as Abigail’s health begins to fail.
About this time, a young man named Elliott enters the picture. He claims to be a distant cousin from Abigail’s long lost family. He wastes no time in making life difficult for Destiny.
He knows the old woman has a million dollars stashed away and being a money hound, he figures Destiny is trying to steal it.
He accuses Destiny of absconding with the million dollars and she’s hard pressed to prove otherwise, hiring a dashing lawyer to defend her.
Only Abigail knows what really happened to the million dollars and she’s not in a position to tell.
One thing I always enjoy about Bette’s writing is her ability to take you into the past and flash you forward to the present in her stories without a glitch and as always, her characters are authentic, they live and breathe.
Abigail’s early years were fascinating and her brave young heart was still the same so many years later. Some of the things she said, the words she used had me cracking up. I just wanted to hug her. If I had a friend like Abigail I would be so lucky.
Destiny is happy-go-lucky. You could say she has a rosy personality, always seeing the best in people. She’s sweet and funny, a joy to be around.
I was scared for her when Elliott accused her of stealing Abigail’s money.
She is loyal, nurturing and honest. A tender soul facing a horrible accusation.
And every story needs a bad guy. Someone to loath. Elliott is just that guy. A real stinker.
Elliott is greedy, selfish, manipulative, and a big fake. I wanted so bad to give him a swift kick in the you know what, hard!
I always feel welcome and at home in Bette’s stories and become so attached to the characters that I share their emotions. I care what happens to them, laugh with them, cry with them, and fall in love with them.
Bette added just a little bit of the supernatural to this story, making it that much more fun.
5 Stars
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Winner of The National League of American Pen Women Award for Fiction
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About Bette Lee Crosby
Bette Lee Crosby’s work was first recognized in 2006, when she won the National League of American Pen Women Award for unpublished fiction with What Matters Most. Her novel, Cracks in the Sidewalk, received the 2009 Royal Palm Literary Award and then went on to win the 2011 FPA President’s Book Award Gold Medal. In 2011 Spare Change received the Reviewer’s Choice Awards and it garnered a second Royal Palm Literary Award. Her books have earned numerous five-star ratings with readers acclaiming them as heartwarming and captivating.
Most recently, Bette completed a memoir written for Lani Deauville, a woman the Guinness Book of Records lists as The World’s Longest Living Quadriplegic.
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Bette is giving away one signed copy of The Twelfth Child (US Only)
And one e-book (International)
***When entering, please specify if entering for the signed copy or ebook and answer this question:***
“Have you ever had a friend you were so close to you would call them family?
This is a Tag Team Event hosted by myself and Sherry at fundinmental. You can visit Sherry’s blog for another chance to win and see what she thinks about The Twelfth Child HERE.
Giveaway ends September, Friday the 13th!
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AMAZON TOP 100
SPARE CHANGE and THE TWELFTH CHILD are both in the top 100 HISTORICAL MYSTERIES
CRACKS IN THE SIDEWALK is in the top 100 FAMILY SAGA
You can find all of Bettes books HERE.
Winner of Five Literary Awards,BookBundlz Finalist, Voted Goodreads Best Unknown Fiction, FPA President’s Book Award Silver Medal
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Winner of a Royal Palm Literary Award for Women’s Fiction
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Winner of the Royal Palm Literary Award and FPA President’s Book Award Gold Medal
Reviewing Soon
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Reviewing Soon
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Reviewing Soon
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And keep an eye out for her newest release coming soon!
Reading as soon as I get my hungry hands on it!!
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Thanks so much for visiting fuonlyknew and Good Luck!
For all of my giveaways go HERE.
