My Thoughts
Angela Marie Duncan grew up with her best friend Celeste Murphy, and Mandy’s great-granddaughter, in a house that was never a home in the broadest sense of the word.

Meadow Falls peanut farm is all Angela Marie has ever known, no college, no travel and no close family relationships as she is an only child whose parents were not ever affectionate towards her.

Having been raised by her father as his sole heir he started training her very young under the tutelage of his farm’s foreman.

Growing up Angela Marie longed for her parents to show her attention and love, she got very little of one and felt none of the other.

Now in her middle thirties she is the driving force taking care of everything from the ground up on their farm.

Having her father Harrison unexpectedly pass away leaving everything to her makes Angela Marie feel even more trapped by a life she did not choose to live.

As the story progresses her former caretaker, now 97-years-old, Mandy reveals family history that Angela Marie had never been privy to which helps her better understand both her Parents personalities.

Now with Celeste home to stay, her friend Devon Parker settling in as Angela’s new mechanic and his cousin Jesse starting long overdue renovations inside Meadow Falls, a house that has been kept the same for several generation and has always felt like a museum, Angela finally feels like the house is becoming a home.

One where she wants to stay and raise a family.

Mandy’s best friend Polly adds to the mix as do several other characters that are recent hires by Angela Marie, housekeeper Glenda and her carpenter husband Bennie.

A story about changing one’s personal perspective, family, forgiveness, love, loss, joy, sorrow and starting over as well as secrets that weren’t a surprise to me when they were revealed.

[EArc from Netgalley]

On every book read as soon as it is done and written up for review it is posted on Goodreads and Netgalley, once released then posted on Amazon, Barnes and Nobles as well.

The books that Carolyn Brown writes are always the perfect blend of sweet and meaningful. Every time I read one of her books, I feel valued and understood, and no matter how much I may cry while reading (which is often quite a lot) I walk away from it with lightness in my heart. I am irrevocably in love with this one!

This is the story of two childhood friends as close as sisters raised on a peanut farm in the Texas Panhandle where they have frigid winters, even snow. Angela was born on this property, her Mother died young. Angela, an only child, was raised to run things from preschool, her father was austere, devoid of emotion and loveless. Only Mandy gave her any love or attention. Celeste had married and moved away. When Angela’s father passes away rather suddenly Celeste comes back. There’s a plethora of characters to keep straight as Angela prods Mandy for stories and history of a family she hardly knows anything about. I needed a genealogy tree to keep them in order. Mandy was the most interesting and relatable. Angela struggled to make decisions and didn’t act like the new boss of the enterprise. Newly hired employees bring some spice for the townspeople who are hungry for rumors. Angela may not be prepared for answers about the past she’s digging into.
This story didn’t give me the warm and fuzzy feeling I usually get from reading this author. It was built on characters with painful upbringings which they carried far into adulthood. There are lessons about forgiveness, overcoming hurt, rejection and moving your life forward. The characters are all well portrayed, I just didn’t want to know them. Her descriptions of the area are always spot on for accuracy and are very realistic. It’s a fairly short book but, I had to reread or go back to figure out who’s who. I’ve read and loved many of the author’s stories, perhaps I was in the wrong frame of mind, this one just wasn’t for me.
Thanks to NetGalley for the digital advance reader copy of “Meadow Falls” by Carolyn Brown, Published by Montlake. These are all my own honest personal thoughts and opinions given voluntarily without compensation.

Meadow Falls has been in Angela’s family for generations. Due to the farm, illnesses and other issues she has never left. She gave up on college when her mother became ill and in the process knows every aspect of the peanut business except what her father does when he is attending meetings and away from the farm. Now he passes away unexpectedly and Angela is left running it all and as she does she begins to uncover family secrets that were meant to stay secret.
Carolyn Brown has a way of telling a story that makes you feel like you are reading about your next door neighbor. There is always the handsome cowboy that rides in, the family secrets and the finding oneself with a hope for the future. It is a quick read with a few easy twists and a sweet ending. Perfect weekend read to provide an escape for this crazy world we live in.
Thank you NetGalley and Sourcebooks Casablanca for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

Meadow Falls is about a woman learning about her family's past and, while doing so, allowing herself to be happy. Angela Marie had a tumultuous relationship with her father. The day he dies, she begins to feel free to be herself and finally begins living. She never knew the love of a mother or father, as neither could show her love. However, she has had Mandy, her caretaker, since she was a baby and Celeste, Mandy's great-granddaughter. Mandy knows the family history and secrets, and little by little, Angela Marie learns more about her family history and begins to wonder about the secrets her father kept. This book has mystery, love, friendship, and hope. I am an avid reader of Carolyn Brown's books, and Meadow Falls differs from her books. If you are new to this author, you will enjoy reading Meadow Falls. The book was a little slow. It did not take long for me to figure out the secret Angela Marie's father kept, but in the end, I am glad I read Meado Falls.

I love all of Carolyn Brown books, this one is really good, read in two afternoons, highly recommend. you can't go wrong with a book by this author...

Loved reading the entertaining and engrossing story. When Angela Marie's father passes away, she inherits the peanut farm and wants to make changes, her best friend & Mandy's granddaughter, Celeste comes home; Angela hires new workers, Devon, a friend of Celeete's and Devon's cousin Jesse. Read the highly recommended, wonderfully written full of captivating characters, and a must read riveting story of forgiveness and new beginnings.

This novel hooked me in and I quickly got lost in this beatiful and emotional story where chose family, secrets and forgiveness play large roles.

As the story develops, multiple layers are revealed making the characters more complex and developed than they first appear.

Angela Marie has been groomed from very young years to take over Meadow Falls, a farm that’s been in her family for generations. Not given a choice to do something else she has reluctantly accepted her duty, but when her parents pass away the world opens up to her.

Getting help from her old nanny, and her old friend she is looking optimistically at the future - she'll continue doing peanut farming, but her way and with the help of people she loves and trusts.

Heartwarming and positive - a fantastic story yet again by Ms Brown!

Loved this book. Another good novel by Carolyn Brown. Filled with great characters and lots of old ' southernisms', (that are probably said in other parts of the country as well) that I have heard all my life, make their conversations realistic and fun. It's a little romance and a lot of a young lady taking control of her life as she breaks stale formal traditions to create a loving home. The cover gives a much better description than I can. It is fairly fast paced and a really nice read. Quite enjoyable. I was provided an advanced reader copy at my request and was under no obligation to provide a review. The opinions expressed are my own. Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book. Hope you read and enjpy!

Simply beautiful writing by Brown in this story of a recently bereaved daughter who uncovers secrets about her father’s past. as she struggles to come to terms with inheriting the responsibility of his peanut farm in Texas, she turns to Mandy the reliable housekeeper/ granny that has a story for every problem and memories to ensure the reader really knows Meadows Falls. I loved how Brown developed the characters and relationships each person had with the main character Angela Marie and the romance was an extra bonus

Carolyn Brown has done it again. What a story! Her writing, her characters, the settings are all hard to forget. I love to get to read her books early; thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC.

Whats not to love! Carolyn Brown does it again! Another heart felt story about 2 women on their own journey through life. They learn family secrets and find love along the way with the help of their granny of course.
Very fast and easy read. Carolyn Brown writes great books with so much detail that you actually feel like you’re in Texas on the farm, or sitting at the kitchen table gossiping an reminiscing with friends. I look forward to her books.

I really liked this book a lot and would give it 4.5 stars! The author pens lovely books and this is one of them - I enjoyed the location, characters, and the development of the story. The way the story weaves around the characters and their histories kept me engaged and wanting more. The story reminds us that everyone has things in their lives that shape them and make them the person they are - something that we sometimes forget. Many thanks to the author, publisher, and NetGalley for the ARC. All opinions are mine.

Meadow Falls is a heartwarming novel about friends, love and deceit. The characters are so well developed with layers of vulnerability. I couldn’t put it down. Each character grows within him/herself. This book shows the unraveling of the past to change the future. Thank you to NetGalley for an advanced copy of this book. I never miss the opportunity to read a Carolyn Brown novel.

Uplifting overcoming dysfunctional family sweet romance
Ms.Brown pens an inspirational romance that contains strong women dealing with injustices dealt to them as children and southern attitudes.
Inheriting a peanut farm, after the death of her father, one that she was forced to work hard at a young age in, Angela is thrown for a loop.
She starts to piece together her history with the help of their elderly housekeeper and uncovers secrets and finds family connections she was unaware of….and a good man to help her get through it all.
I requested and received a NetGalley arc and highly recommend for any romance lover. Ms. Brown is the consummate storyteller and this is another jewel in her crown

Meadow Falls is a beautiful story about learning to forgive so one’s life can be filled with light instead of darkness. It takes several generations of the Duncan family before that message takes root and grows. Carolyn Brown’s portrait of Mandy, the hired help nanny/surrogate mother to her granddaughter Celeste as well as the heir to a peanut farm should remind readers of an older relative whose stories should be remembered. There are family secrets to be revealed as Angela Marie Duncan and Celeste both adjust to their new life circumstances. I voluntarily reviewed an advance copy of this book from NetGalley. Most highly recommend.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

This book was a great read I enjoyed the story and these characters Carolyn writes beautiful books and I’ve read many of them!!