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A friend of mine gave me this series, and I kept it for a while before finally deciding to read it. Based on the cover's brief description, I didn't expect to like it very much. Needless to say (from my 5-star rating), I was mistaken. This book was wonderful. I'm so glad I read it, and am now looking forward to reading the rest.

Evelyn's husband has passed away, leaving her only $10,000 in life insurance, barely enough to cover the funeral. She's afraid of losing everything when she gets an idea: why not take in boarders? She lives in a beautiful home with 3 empty bedrooms, so she decides this is the answer to her problem. Almost immediately, the house is full as we are introduced to a lively group of women: Mae, an aging hippie; Tessa, a judgmental know-it-all; and Audra, a young unwed mother with a 5 year old daughter, Summer.

This book was a joy to read. At first, I read to find out how all the women would get along together. They are all from very different backgrounds, and things are not always smooth between them. There are major arguments and many hurt feelings along the way. I was interested in the group dynamics and in Evelyn's newfound role as head of the house. Somewhere along the way, I became more interested in each woman as an individual as well. They each go through many changes that keep the plot interesting.

The authors have created living, breathing characters that are so easy to relate to. Evelyn learns to live on her own for the first time, Mae finds the close family she's never had, Tessa embarks on a journey that creates a profound difference in her attitude, and Audra gains a possible romance and learns to be a better mother. All these changes are possible because of Peerbaugh Place, and the support from a circle of sisters. ( )

A wonderful warm read about friendship. Altho' it falls under the Christian Fiction genre, it is not at all "preachy", with life's lessons subtley incorporated into the story.
Some parts of the story are preditcable, but that doesn't seem to affect the book in anyway. Loved it!!! ( )