When the past and present collide…

At the Corner of King Street by Mary Ellen Taylor

About this book: The author of The Union Street Bakery presents a new novel about a woman searching for a fresh start—while unable to forget the past…

Adele “Addie” Morgan grew up in a house filled with pain and loss. Determined to live life on her own terms, Addie moves to the country and finds a job at a vineyard where she discovers stability, happiness, and—best of all—love with the kind owner, Scott.

But an unexpected call abruptly pulls Addie out of her new and improved life. Her sister has just given birth and Addie’s Aunt Grace wants her to return home to help the family—even if it means confronting things she’s tried so hard to forget.

When Addie arrives, she quickly realizes that she hasn’t truly let go of her former life, at least not completely. After making a surprising connection with her sister’s baby—and her sister’s ex-husband, Zeb—Addie must choose between her picture-perfect future with Scott and the family roots she thought she’d left behind for good…

About the author: Mary Ellen Taylor is the author of several novels, including Sweet Expectations and The  Union Street Bakery. She lives in Virginia, where she spends her spare time baking, practicing yoga, and visiting historical sites. Connect with her online at MaryEllenTaylor.com.

Genre: Fiction/Contemporary/General

If this book were a movie, I would rate it: PG

Reminds me of… The Chardonnay Charade and The Merlot Murders (Wine Country Murders series by Ellen Crosby) for their Virginia wine-country settings.

This story matters because…it explores the roles and responsibilities of family.

My take: From the outset, At the Corner of King Street has a lot going for it: vivid, intriguing settings. A mix of past and present. A main character with a really big problem and a life-altering choice. A blending of drama, history, and ordinary life. And while I was at first drawn in, it soon became obvious that for a variety of reasons, this story wasn’t really doing it for me. I had a hard time relating to closed-off Addie, and her relationship with Scott, her “almost fiance,” never really clicked. The dialogue sometimes felt a bit forced, and although I usually enjoy dual, past-and-present narratives, this time the technique felt too disjointed. Additionally–and feel free to chalk this up to my personal views–I wasn’t crazy about the story line about witches; not because I can’t believe in them, but because I don’t care to see them glorified.

So, bummer–all in all, not a winner for me.

Also worth noting–this book is the first of a series, with the ending leaving the door wide open for more. Meaning that while the most  important plot threads are tied in a knot, many more (especially in the relationship arena) are left to develop in future novels in the series.

[Tweet “The first of a new series set in atmospheric Alexandria, past and present…”]

Thanks to Berkley Books for providing me a free copy to review. All opinions are mine.

After words: Berkley Books is giving away one copy of At the Corner of King Street to one of my blog’s readers. For your chance to win, continue here: a Rafflecopter giveaway