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When Annie Reed finds herself without a job and realizes the danger of living in her crime-ridden neighborhood, she decides to leave Seattle and move to Magnolia Creek. "Annie was going to live in her grandmother's house on Smith Lane. Or rather, her house as Grandma Abby had left her house, property, and all of her belongings to Annie." Annie quickly acclimates to her quaint new home with its peaceful orchards and woods. "Annie stepped under the canopy of trees and felt that she had been transported to another time." She soon finds herself in the company of a welcome committee composed of her grandmother's friends. Winnie, Betty Lou, and Lillian are immediately drawn to their friend's granddaughter and assure Annie, "We've lived in this town all of our lives and there isn't much that goes on around here that we don't know about."
As life settles down for Annie in Magnolia Creek, she becomes close to Grandma Abby's friends and reunites with Becca, her friend from elementary school. Annie finds solace in her grandmother's gorgeous and bountiful gardens, and when she begins to share them with the elderly residents of the town's nursing home, Magnolia Lane, she realizes she has a new dream for her life. The senior ladies also have a dream—to find Annie a decent husband. When Tom Walsh enters the picture, fate places him in the sights of the ladies. But he has already set his sights on Annie.
This is a story of new beginnings. In Annie, the author creates a delightful character who decides to go back to the small town she loved as a kid when her life is upended in Seattle. Her courage in taking on her grandmother's large farmhouse and tending the property gives readers a strong female character who carves out a life for herself in Magnolia Creek. She easily begins to fit in with the residents, starts to go to church, and establishes herself as a loving friend to her grandmother's three friends. The novel takes a fun romantic bend when Tom Walsh arrives on the scene. An architect from Los Angeles, he too is a transplant from the big city to small-town America. She hires Tom to help her fulfill her newfound dream of opening a flower shop in Magnolia Creek.
Depue depicts the interaction between Tom and Annie in a delightful and realistic narrative. Her writing is clean and crisp, making readers feel as if they too have been "transported to another time." The first in a series, Depue's novel is an entertaining read with intriguing characters and a plot filled with surprises. The author brilliantly depicts the nuances of a small town with its slow way of life and intricate relationships. This first book sets up the scenario which follows Annie as she finds love when least expecting it. Tom and Annie's love is tested when Tom discovers something about his past that impacts both of their lives. Annie is faced with a decision that will change her life forever. The novel draws readers in with its well-written story of two people whose lives are changed in an instant. The characters and their heartwarming tale will stay with readers long after the book is finished and have them eager to read the next installment.