reviewed from e-reader
Bette Lee Crosby has a beautiful way of writing. A wonderful story-teller, so imaginative and heart-warming. This story of personal loss and finding a future of life, memories, and happiness is amazing.
After her common-law partner leaves, Annie decides to take a few days off work for a restful holiday without a destination in mind. She finds herself in a small town at a most unusual bed and breakfast. There are only two guestrooms and rarely are both rooms let at once. Ophelia, the owner of the home is warmth and giving personified. It feels as though Annie may have been expected, but how could that be? Ophelia seems to know what Annie needs in life and that she is dealing with sorrow. The friendship between these two blossoms beautifully. Ophelia could be referred to as a Memory Keeper. Once Annie has seen the way Ophelia can receive memories from inanimate objects, though suspicious about the "how" of it, she very quickly learns that it is her gift, too.
Annie has some difficult decisions to make between her work and her former boyfriend Michael's suspicious advances to get back into her good book. Will she return to her former love? Has he really changed? It almost seems so, but time will tell. There are too many changes happening to know. A change of job, a change of location, a change of lifestyle, though some things never change and others lead to fulfillment. What can Annie do, without a job, expensive apartment rent that she used to split with Michael...until he left. Yet, if she listens to her heart she will easily find the answer; she has a soul mate in Ophelia. Her sheltering, peaceful memories may be just what Annie is waiting for!
Ophelia reminds me so much of my grandmother. When I hold or touch anything that was hers it brings me back through our wonderful times together. Now, maybe I understand, as Annie has begun to. I am consumed with this book. Annie is determined to recall the sound of a child's laughter she heard when holding onto the handlebars of a boy's bicycle that is in Ophelia's shed. As Ophelia explains, the memories choose when to come forward and how much to tell. Sounds strange, doesn't it? But I'm sure many people can retrieve good memories of their own past over time, whether they come in the blink of an eye and forgotten again, or over time a part of their lives. These are personal memories though. The memories Ophelia and Annie are finding are not just their own memories, but memories within items found and therefore glimpses of memories from the people who owned or were attached to the items in the past. Short bits of memory can make themselves known whenever Ophelia or Annie hold these items. But these are past memories of persons they have never known. These memories also choose what and when to be retrieved. Will all memories be good? That remains to be seen.
There are some surprises in store in the latter part of the story. While Annie has moved in and works with Ophelia in the apothecary shop, she is constantly drawn to the bicycle she found. She has now learned from the memories stored in the bicycle two of the boy's names and is seeking to locate this person. In a roundabout classic surprise occurrence. she doesn't meet him but she does become acquainted with his son. A magical tale and a shared blessing at having met, Ophelia herself is feeling very happy; when Christmas arrives it seems love is in the air as well as celebrations and who should happen to turn up for the holiday! On meeting Oliver's family Annie knows already that this is where she belongs. Oh, no, she will not abandon Ophelia, they are more likely to share her in my opinion. The elderly lady still has the will to live until her husband finally comes to bring her home into the light. He tells her the time is yet to come.
