This night not only marked the end to the drought, but also the end to the long-held secret we’d kept hidden under the magnolias.
Magnolia, South Carolina, 1980
Austin Foster is barely a teenager when her mama dies giving birth to twins, leaving her to pick up the pieces while holding her six siblings together and doing her best to stop her daddy from retreating into his personal darkness.
Scratching out a living on the family’s tobacco farm is as tough as it gets. When a few random acts of kindness help to ease the Fosters’ hardships, Austin finds herself relying upon some of Magnolia’s most colorful citizens for friendship and more. But it’s next to impossible to hide the truth about the goings-on at Nolia Farms, and Austin’s desperate attempts to save face all but break her.
Just when it seems she might have something more waiting for her—with the son of a wealthy local family who she’s crushed on for years—her father makes a choice that will crack wide-open the family’s secrets and lead to a public reckoning. There are consequences for loving a boy like Vance Cumberland, but there is also freedom in the truth.
T. I. Lowe’s gritty yet tender and uplifting tale, Under the Magnolias, reminds us that a great story can break your heart . . . then heal it in the best possible way.
My Thoughts
T.I. Lowe always brings a story to the table that brings out the tears, heartbreak, and healing - from cover to cover. Throughout parts of Austin story, I felt a part of my own story being told. That led me to finish this book in one day because I wanted to know how her life developed into adulthood. The amount of responsibility was enough to break any young teenager, but Austin proved to be resilient and tough under the armor of God (even if she didn't realize it at the time).
I adored how each character in Austin's life held some sort of struggle, addiction, adversity, etc. yet together, they were a support system that couldn't be broken. It was a wonderful reminder that even if the things we're experiencing in life are unspoken, we have people in our lives who can see, understand, and support us. We just have to be willing to open our hearts in return.
I would have loved to see a bit more about her life in the future, but it was wrapped up nicely, leaving me with a heart full of love, happiness, and closure. It would also be great to have follow-up books from Austin's siblings. Their perspectives would be interesting to add to this tragic story. From a young age, I have always been reminded that God works in mysterious ways -- and T.I. Lowe did a phenomenal job of weaving this throughout the story.
Along with several other of her books, this earned a permanent place on my bookshelf!
About the Author
T. I. Lowe is an ordinary country girl who loves to tell extraordinary stories and is the author of nearly twenty published novels, including her debut, Lulu's Café, a number one bestseller. She lives with her husband and family in coastal South Carolina. Find her at tilowe.com or on Facebook (T.I.Lowe), Instagram (tilowe), and Twitter (@TiLowe).
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