Family Tree by Susan Wiggs

◊ FAMILY TREE by Susan Wiggs

◊ Narrator: Christina Traister

◊ Audible Audio Edition

◊ Listening Length: 12 hours and 18 minutes

◊ Program Type: Audiobook

◊ Genre: Romance, Fiction, Literature

◊ Version: Unabridged

◊ Publisher: HarperAudio

◊ Audible.com Release Date: August 9, 2016

◊ Language: English

◊ ASIN: BO1G49TOHA

SYNOPSIS:

From the #1 New York Times bestselling author comes a powerful, emotionally complex story of love, loss, the pain of the past—and the promise of the future.

Sometimes the greatest dream starts with the smallest element. A single cell, joining with another. And then dividing. And just like that, the world changes. Annie Harlow knows how lucky she is. The producer of a popular television cooking show, she loves her handsome husband and the beautiful Los Angeles home they share. And now, she’s pregnant with their first child. But in an instant, her life is shattered. And when Annie awakes from a yearlong coma, she discovers that time isn’t the only thing she’s lost.

Grieving and wounded, Annie retreats to her old family home in Switchback, Vermont, a maple farm generations old. There, surrounded by her free-spirited brother, their divorced mother, and four young nieces and nephews, Annie slowly emerges into a world she left behind years ago: the town where she grew up, the people she knew before, the high-school boyfriend turned judge. And with the discovery of a cookbook her grandmother wrote in the distant past, Annie unearths an age-old mystery that might prove the salvation of the family farm.

Family Tree is the story of one woman’s triumph over betrayal, and how she eventually comes to terms with her past. It is the story of joys unrealized and opportunities regained. Complex, clear-eyed and big-hearted, funny, sad, and wise, it is a novel to cherish and to remember.

This, to me, is a story about losing yourself on the way to your dreams only to realize you really didn’t know what your dreams were.

Author Susan Wiggs has created characters that feel like friends (and a few enemies). The characters are realistic and well-developed. They have strengths and weaknesses readers/listeners can relate to.

Narrator Christina Traister does a wonderful job making each character sound unique. Her accents and mannerisms enhance the story bringing out the highs and lows of the characters’ emotions.

The story moves at a steady pace with a smooth flow between the past and present for a look at where the characters were and where they are now. The settings, especially the Vermont locations, come alive through vivid descriptions.

The author blends humor with heartbreak, loyalty with betrayal, family and friendship for a well-balanced story. Wiggs weaves tidbits of food advice throughout the story for a rich flavor.

FAMILY TREE will delight and entertain and maybe just encourage you to pursue your dreams.

Family Tree by Susan Wiggs, Narrated by Christina Traister, HarperAudio, @2016, ASIN: BO1G49TOHA, Unabridged, Audible Audio Edition, Run Time: 12 Hours and 18 Minutes

FTC Full Disclosure – A copy of this audio book was sent to me by the publisher in hopes I would review it. However, receiving the complimentary copy did not influence my review. The thoughts are completely my own and given honestly and freely.

Thanks so much for stopping by. Have you ever considered what it would be like to awake from a coma after months or years?