This is a novel about a peanut farming family in Texas. Angela Marie has grown up on the farm and has inherited all of the farm's responsibilities earlier than she expected. She leans on her grandmother Mandy for wisdom and advice, opens her heart to her family's history, and finds her own path in maintaining the family legacy.

This is a lovely - and fairly formulaic - romance. It’s not going to win any awards for originality but it will warm your heart with a love story

This story starts with a woman, Angela Marie, who has spent her whole life feeling unloved. She takes control of her life and sees love where she had it all along. Finding family, not necessarily bound by blood, but by the years of time spent together.

I had a difficult time getting into this novel, perhaps for the perfect storm of reasons. I found myself resentful of the lead character, only because she appeared to be a spoiled rich girl. This proves untrue in her character development, as the reader will discover. My personal life took its own twists and turns, making reading difficult to focus on.

The writing is very professional and consistent. It also follows the typical romance novel formula. Carolyn Brown does a beautiful job of capturing small town life and the chemistry between the characters.

The content is mature in themes at times, I recommend this novel for older teens and adults.

For most of her life Angela Marie has helped her father on their farm.
When her father dies she is left to look after the farm and needs help.
A story about a dysfunctional family and long hidden secrets, with some interesting characters.
Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for my e-copy in exchange for an honest review.

MAEDOW FALLS
by Carolyn Brown
Release Date January 9, 2024

Angela Marie has only known the peanut farm that she was raised on. Her father had her out working with him at a very young age. It wasn’t that he wanted to be with his daughter because he treated her more like a hired hand. But she was his only heir, and he had to make sure that she knew the business from the ground up.
Angela‘s mother died at a very young age and thank goodness for her nanny Mandy she still had someone to love her .She was more of a mother than she was a nanny. And her daughter and Angela Marie were best friends.

This book really has a lot going on. It’s about friendship it’s about family loyalty and I absolutely loved it and I wish I could give it more than five stars. Thank you Caroline for your trust in me and allowing me to read this. ARC And thank you NetGalley

I like Carolyn Brown's novels and this one is heartwarming and well plotted.
Recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

After her father's death, Angela Marie gets the chance to review her life and decide how she wants it to look going forward. She is helped on her journey by Mandy, her former nanny, and Celeste, Mandy's great-granddaughter and Angela Marie's bet friend. Mandy knows the answers to questions that Angela Marie is finally ready to ask, and she tells those through a series of stories. I loved going on this journey with them.

Thank you to the publsiher, to Net Galley and to the author for the opportunity. Carolyn Brown is a Net Galley author I always enjoy reading. This is a lovely sweet story of starting over, family secrets that haunt us and accepting new people in our lives after trauma. It is told from a family peanut farm which is endearing and enjoyable to read about.

While I greatly tire of every main character in books these days receiving inheritance this one is done with reverance for the family history and the land . A enjoyable read as always by this fine author.

When your father unexpectedly drops down dead from a heart attack, there are lots of unresolved issues. Ignored and used as labour on the family peanut farm.
The only stability was the housekeeper Mandy and her great granddaughter Celeste.
Can changes be made and find peace of mind for Angela Marie? Follow the changes at Meadow Falls.

Meadow Falls main themes are finding peace and forgiveness with who you are, how you were raised, and the life that others created for you. Amanda Marie was born and raised on the Texas peanut farm that has been in her family for generations and it she is expected to uphold the legacy whether she likes it or not. She is thirty-five years old, both of her cold, unloving parents are gone and buried, when she begins her unexpected journey of self-discovery. The only "family" she has left are her nanny, Mandy, and Mandy's great-granddaughter Celeste who is more sister than friend.

Angela Marie's journey of healing, finding peace, and forgiveness begins when Mandy starts sharing stories (and secrets) about Meadow Falls, her parents, and family history. When Celeste's military veteran best friend Devon arrives looking for work, Amanda Marie learns that maybe, just maybe, she IS lovable and can have a future of her own making.

Through her journey of self-discovery, Angela Marie learns to make Meadow Farms her home, her dream, her legacy.

This is the second book by Carolyn Brown that I have read and enjoyed. A nice easy to read romance with nice characters, although it was easy to guess where the story was going still a good read
Thanks to Netgalley for letting me read this ARC

My first book by this author and I enjoyed it very much!
I finished this book in one afternoon. It was soooooo good!
I loved the small town feel since I'm from one myself. Where everyone knows everything and everyone.
Memories can sometimes return to haunt you when it's least expected.
For Angela Marie this is exactly what happens.
I really loved the character of Mandy. She's so wise and full of wisdom. Why I admired her. I hope I get to live until I'm 97. But I hope I'm in good health.
I think that the Lord puts us in places we need to be at that particular moment in our lives so that we can heal or help someone else like Mandy.
I thought Angela Marie was lucky to inherit something like that. My dad would never let me have Mom's house.
The family history was my favorite thing. I learned along with Angela.
I also like the theme of forgiveness, learning to deal with one's past and overcome it was what made me keep turning the pages of this novel.
5 stars for a well written story that made me laugh and cry at the same time.
In my opinion too, this book will make you hold your breath when certain things are exposed. I'm like " Oh my!"
All in all a very good book. I highly recommend it.
My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive. All opinions expressed are my own.

Love Carolyn Brown but at first I wasn’t sure I was going to like Meadow Falls but boy was I wrong. I really enjoyed it after I got into it. I loved all the characters especially Mandy. I highly recommend it to lovers of romance and general fiction. No murder lol

Angela inherits meadow falls from her father. She never wanted to stay there but her nanny was getting older and needed a caretaker. She takes on the farm and hires a veteran who turns out to be more than a herd and

Thanks to Netgalley and Montlake for the chance to read this book.

This was a short and sweet story about love, trust, respect, and what truly makes a family.
Angela Marie has lived her whole life on the family peanut farm, always doing what was expected of her. Her parents never showed her love or even much affection. Luckily, she was showered in love by her nanny Mandy, and her great-granddaughter Celeste was like a sister to Angela Marie.
After her father's unexpected death, she begins to learn to spread her wings and make choices of her own. This unearths some family secrets but also heals so many wounds.

This was a really enjoyable book and makes me want to read through the authors extensive backlist.

Interesting, fully developed characters make this book come alive. I particularly enjoyed the voices that intruded into Angela Marie's head. Celeste and Angela Marie's close relationship with Mandy and Polly also added depth and authenticity to this book.

Carolyn Brown’ books are so sweet and fun to binge on; back to back every book that I have had read so far by the author has been a banger for me, and this one too was no different. Can’t wait enough for it it be out so that I can host a reading marathon for this in our book club!

Meadow Falls is a heartwarming novel by Carolyn Brown about family, friends, love and forgiveness. The characters and setting are well developed. Carolyn Brown's books are among my favorites and perfect palate cleansers after I've read too many mystery novels.
Thank you to NetGalley and Montlake for my review copy of this book, all opinions are my own.

I read a pre-publication copy of this heartwarming novel by Carolyn Brown. The story of family, love and redemption kept my attention throughout; the characters were fully fleshed out and engaging. The plot flowed smoothly and at a satisfying pace.

What a sweet love story! I loved Mandy’s tidbits of advice and encouragement. I’m so glad that she provided love and sunshine to Angela Marie when her own parents failed to do so. I’ve never met the author but I imagine she’s a little, maybe a lot, like Mandy.

I received an advanced readers copy of this book through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.