A really good family drama with a great setting. It is told with a past and a current day storyline. I preferred the past story over the current day but overall it was a really good book.

I loved this book. I find so many novels recently use such terrible language or are laden with sex/innuendo. This book had everything a good read should: mystery, well-developed characters, and an intrguing story. Be warned, when you pick it up you may not put it down.

I would recommend this novel to anyone going on vacation! Its the perfect beach read. It has drama, tragedy, romance, and mystery all rolled into 400 pages. It didn't take long at all to read once you got into the story. Julie Holt receives guardianship of her best friend's son and ownership of a beach front property in Biloxi when she dies. Throughout the novel, with the help of her best friend Monica's relatives; including her grandmother and brother they uncover the awful truth about the Guidry family history and what happened in New Orleans all those years ago. It is the story of pure determination, and starting over when all those people lost everything in Hurricane Katrina.

Favorite Quotes:

"Come for the House of Hope is built on sand, bring wine, for the fabric of life is as weak as the wind" HAFIZ p 193

"Love comes in many shades-just don't throw it away because its not read hot. Sometimes all that's needed is glowing embers to start the fire" (a quote from Ray Von Williams, a crucial character in the novel-not that I entirely agree with this quote. Love may come in many shades, but sometimes people need that hot fire to move forward) p. 259

"Our lives are spent searching for what makes us whole-for the things that make surviving worthwhile". (my favorite quote) p. 402(less)