The Sweet Gum Tree by Katherine AllredMy rating: 5 of 5 stars
Book Description:
Sweet tea, corn bread, and soup beans—everyday fare for eight-year-old Alix French, the precocious darling of a respected southern family. But nothing was ordinary about the day she met ten-year-old Nick Anderson, a boy from the wrong side of town. Armed with only a tin of bee balm and steely determination, Alix treats the raw evidence of a recent beating that mars his back, an act that changes both of their lives forever.
Through childhood disasters and teenage woes they cling together as friendship turns to love. The future looks rosy until the fateful night when Frank Anderson, Nick's abusive father, is shot to death in his filthy trailer.
Suddenly, Nick is gone—leaving Alix alone, confused and pregnant. For the next fifteen years she wrestles with the pain of Nick's abandonment, a bad marriage, her family and friends. But finally, she's starting to get her life back together. Her divorce is almost final, her business is booming, and she's content if not happy—until the day she looks up and sees Nick standing across the counter. He's back…and he's not alone.
Once again Alix is plunged into turmoil and pain as Nick tries to win her love, something she resists with all her strength. Only one thing might break the protective wall she's built around her emotions—the truth about Frank Anderson's death. But when that truth comes out and those walls crumble, neither Alix nor Nick is prepared for the emotional explosion that could destroy as well as heal.
A long time ago this book was super popular. Every time I logged into Goodreads, I saw another friend reading this. Each and every one of them loved it. If there was anyone that didn’t love it, I just don’t remember that. But me, well…call me a rebel, but since it was so hot and EVERYONE was reading it…I avoided it. I’d seen so much about it that I was afraid that it wouldn’t live up to the hype. But, I did buy it. It was a wicked cheap price at the time, so I’ve been sitting on the fence on this book since 2012. Let that sink in. 2012. Last night, I was in a mood. You know those moods…you want to read, but you don’t know what you want to read. I went through two dozen books, reading blurbs, samples…nothing was sticking. Then I came across this. I read the blurb (didn’t do much for me, but I became curious). So I went to Amazon and decided to give the sample a shot. It captured my interest and held my attention.
I started this book before bed, and quite literally couldn’t put it down. I had trouble keeping my eyes open and when I decided to put it down for the night, as tired as I was, I couldn’t stop thinking about it. I stayed up a lot later than I should have. And as soon as I woke up the next morning, I was back reading until the last possible moment before I had to leave for work. I couldn’t put it down.
Honestly, I’m not sure what else to say about this book. It grabbed me and wouldn’t let go. I loved (almost) every moment of it. Nick and Alix took me on an emotional journey that was full of ups and downs but I loved seeing them and their relationship. I loved seeing their friendship start and grow as children, then watching as it turned into teenage love and then finally see them get their HEA at the end.
As much as I loved this book, I wouldn’t be me without having a few issues. I have to get it off my chest (and mind) so there will be spoilers, you’ve been warned.
Jenna…I’m sorry, but I hated her. What she did to Alix was horrible. I don’t care that Alix wasn’t in love with Hugh, and Hugh wasn’t in love with Alix. They were married and Jenna was Alix’s best friend. They’d been bffs since they were young kids. When Alix and Hugh got married, yes, they were kids, but they were also 18, adults. He had a choice. He MADE his choice to marry Alix and become a father to her baby. So Jenna sneaking around behind Alix’s back with her husband…unforgivable. I’m not talking about Hugh here…I hated him and he’s unredeemable and his actions all the way around were awful. He was a serial cheater and below contempt. What bothered me more than anything was that Jenna never cared what she was doing to her friend. I don’t care if they’re having problems and haven’t “been together” in a long time…THEY’RE MARRIED. She wasn’t just an affair, she was a mistress. I HATED that Alix forgave her so easily. No, that’s not a friend. Jenna got off too easily.
Another issue I had was the way Alix told Nick about their daughter. Well, not so much how as when. And by when, I meant so far into the book. It was in the 90+% of the book, and I literally sat there thinking that she just destroyed him, and it was so close to the end that I wasn’t sure there was going to be a HEA. Don’t get me wrong. Nick needed to know about his daughter. Not just that he’d had one, but that he didn’t even get the chance to know her. I can’t even say I was upset with how she lashed out at him because it was honest. She WAS angry. She was still hurt and because no one really let her grieve, she was still grieving. I mean, that had to cut deep, he saved someone else’s baby when he wasn’t there for his own, and wasn’t there when Alix lost her. I don’t blame her for how it happened, I just hated it being left until the very end of the book.
And that brings me to the end/HEA…it felt rushed. After Alix destroyed Nick with the news of his daughter, she went away for a while, time moved on, she went back, she made changes, she went to Nick, they talked, they got back together and all was hunky dory and skipped over until he proposed and then it ended. I guess I was hoping for more leading up to the proposal. I don’t normally care a whole lot about “show don’t tell” but with this one, I really did feel like I was just being told and not in a detailed way. It was glossed over.
Other than those couple of issues, I really did love this book. And I’m kicking myself for not reading it sooner. I really should have listened to all of my friends forever and a day ago and just read it. But I’m super glad I finally gave it a shot, it was so worth it!
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