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North Georgia native Beth Pride is a writer in Lexington, Kentucky, where she lives on a Thoroughbred breeding farm with her husband and thirteen other studs. She is the mother of two fully-weaned children, whom she insists are not responsible for the twenty years it took her to publish her first novel. A rewarding career in education and marketing led Beth in 2021 to begin writing full-time. In 2022, she proudly published the nationally celebrated COMMON WEALTH OF KENTUCKY PROJECT with artist Kelly Brewer. Beth's debut novel BACK TO BLUE HOLLY released on January 2, 2025.
Reviewed by Nino Lobiladze for Readers' Favorite
Dottie Hogan hopes to start working at a gallery her Aunt Lois owns in Blue Holly, a small Appalachian town where she spent summers in her childhood. Dottie is almost broke after a painful divorce. She is not ready to take another blow: her aunt closes the gallery and moves to Belize to help Dottie's mother with her project. Lois offers Dottie the opportunity to reconstruct an old hardware store named the Red Arrow. If Dottie succeeds, the Red Arrow becomes hers. Dottie accepts the challenge, intending to remake the Red Arrow into a brewery. While some locals, including the handsome Crawford Woody, support Dottie's effort, she braces herself for the battle with the old-fashioned town disapproving of alcohol and any novelties. Fans of drama, romance, and women's fiction will enjoy Back to Blue Holly by Beth Pride.
Beth Pride's Back to Blue Holly is a stirring debut that touches readers deeply, motivating them to achieve their goals no matter what. Dottie's insecurities bring her closer to the reader. Beth uses Dottie to demonstrate that we can turn our insecurities into strengths. The author encourages us to try something new even if it seems scary. The renovation of the Red Arrow is a powerful metaphor for rebuilding Dottie's life. At first, the store looks horrible, but Dottie and her helpers gradually restore it despite obstacles and dangers. Beth portrays Dottie as a woman who can fiercely fight her adversaries, like Fannie Fraser, an old foe of Aunt Lois. Yet, Dottie has a gentle soul and a compassionate heart. Her search for inner clarity drives the riveting first-person narration. Beth crafts endearing secondary characters, like the larger-than-life Rosa Lee, and adds a thrilling touch of mystery and a beautiful romance to this character-driven novel with exciting twists and a satisfying ending.
