Hi y’all,
My name is Lydia Coble and I’ve got a story to share with you. I should confide that my life has taken an unexpected turn recently. My husband betrayed me but I didn’t realize his deception until after he died. I was, as you can imagine, devastated to discover that the one person I loved and trusted more than anyone in this world could do such a thing. If it hadn’t been for my best friends I’m not sure I could have survived. But I did and I even managed to create a new–and very different–life for myself. But I’m getting ahead of myself. I need to start at the beginning and it all began at The Sanctuary.
P.S. In addition to sharing my story with y’all, I would like to share my favorite place too: the South Carolina Lowcountry. Stay tuned for my insider’s tour of this magical place. Just click on ‘Publisher’s Post’ to read them or sign up for them to be delivered to your mailbox.
Read what reviewers are saying about this book…
The Sanctuary tells the story of a few eventful months in the lives of four women who have been friends for decades. Family commitments and demanding careers caused them to drift apart for a time but an unforeseeable crisis brings them back together again. As events unfold they are forced to re-examine their lives, and question long held beliefs in the light of emerging facts. On the surface each one seems to have found fulfillment and achieved what she wanted, but all four are hiding secrets that threaten their happiness and those around them…There are numerous twists and turns in the plot and some very unexpected outcomes; the reader is as much in danger of jumping to conclusions as the characters…The book is set mainly in the author’s homeland, the South Carolina Lowcountry, and I enjoyed her descriptions of the scenery, flora and fauna that she knows so well… I recommend it…(3 out of 4 stars) -Online Book Club
“I was intrigued by the opening to the book describing the Gullah and the [SC] low country. The image of the girls secretly watching the [Gullah] ceremony is absolutely marvelous. It sounds like such a lovely place. I particularly enjoyed the descriptions of the natural surroundings on the Carolina coast and the wildlife. The nature writing is inspired. The Sanctuary is well-written and has good story-lines…When the women are laughing over the hilarious escapades of their youth, the author creates one of those magical moments that’s even more special as Liz’s daughter has a revelation and begins to see these middle-aged women, and her mother, as they are, inside, stripped of the wrinkles and years. I think the main story and characters are marvelous…” -Readers’ Favorite
In the tradition of the Sisterhood of the Traveling Pants series, Siddons spins a well-written and engaging tale of how true friendship must face and somehow survive tough times. Filled with rollicking vignettes, a wild road trip, well-drawn characters, and the intriguing backdrop of a South Carolina island and its mysterious Gullah residents, this entertaining novel is a worthy addition to women’s fiction. –US Review of Books
When Lydias husband dies, she is stunned to find out that he left her penniless, and in debt. But even worse, is the secret she must unravel with the help of her 3 childhood friends. I loved every minute of this book. When the girls went on their road trip, I enjoyed every tourist stop they did. In fact, I hit those same stops on one of my vacations. This gave my memories of it more value as I also saw it through their eyes, like being there again with them. I could feel the camaraderie of the four friends as if I were one too. It was so easy to relate to each of their personalities, no matter how different they were, and visualize each scene as I read it, whether it was Sonias secret, Julias fears, or even Lydia and Lizs arguments. I now feel that all these memories are mine too. I will be reading their continuing story for sure. -Bookplex