Name: The Sweet In Between
Rating: 5 (2 reviews)
Author: Sheri Reynolds

About this book

Summary

Book Summary

#1 New York Times bestselling author Sheri Reynolds weaves an unforgettable and sumptuous tale of lost youth and the search for meaning and place in a small Virginia tidewater town.

With her father in prison, her mother dead, and her eighteenth birthday on the horizon, Kenny Lugo is desperate to belong to someone, something - anything. Her last best chance is her father's girlfriend, Aunt Glo, who has given Kenny a place to stay in her small home. But Glo is struggling herself. Addicted to painkillers and raising her runaway daughter's baby in addition to her own children, Glo's less-than-idyllic family is hardly the situation Kenny has longed for.

The murder of a college girl next door sends Kenny reeling. Already at loose ends, she becomes obsessed with the death of this young woman. But as Kenny searches for some element of truth in this girl's tragic death, she finds the meaning and redemption that has long escaped her own life - and from a most unimaginable source.

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Media Reviews

"Starred Review. Simple prose rich with subtext, convincing dialogue and a fascinating protagonist combine to produce a heartstring-plucker that's explicit, tender, sad and hopeful." - Publishers Weekly.

"Reynolds's finely realized characters bring to life the struggles of day-to-day existence in a lower-middle-class community, and powerful evocations of the natural world provide comforting balance to the often unstable human elements in this short but powerful novel." - Library Journal.

This information about The Sweet In Between was first featured in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.

Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.

Reader Reviews

Write your own review

BeachBoy

Fantastic Character Development
This is a great book for a rainy weekend or a vacation. Kenny and Aunt Glo are beautifully developed characters. The plot is probably unlike any that you've ever read. It has tragedy, poor life choices and redemption throughout. You will love this book.

Sandra

The Sweet In-Between
Great book. Wonderful metaphorical expressions. Methodical arrangement of emotions on many levels. Ideal book for book club discussions.

Deanna

The Sweet In-Between
Deftly and realistically told from the perspective of an underaged, Southern protagonist searching for a sense of belonging, The Sweet In-Between is reminiscent of Bastard Out of Carolina. Like Bone Boatwright, Kenny Luogo has had more than her share of misery at a very young age. Having lost her mother to cancer and her father to prison, Kenny questions her gender, familial ties, and future as she comes of age in a small Southern town. Hard circumstances haven't hardened her, but manifest themselves in the form of insecurity, weak sense of self, and fear of abandonment. Her difficulties, painful to read at times, are brilliantly tempered with resiliency and hope. Intense, touching, and beautifully written, this book is highly and enthusiastically recommended.

Elaine

I loved this book!!
This is "southern" writing at it's best. Such a wonderful, believable character study. I loved this book, it was inspiring, poignant, and ultimately triumphant. A story of loving our non-traditional families and most of all allowing ourselves to be loved by them. I hope there is a sequel. Ms. Reynolds please continue to write!

Eileen

Sheri Reynolds does not dissapoint
As a long time fan of this author I eagerly looked forward to reading "The Sweet In Between". The story and characters are endearing, and while this book does not have the depth of "The Rapture of Canaan", it is still a wonderful read. Anyone who has enjoyed Reynold's other books will enjoy this one as well. It, like all her books, paints a picture of adversity, struggle, and the peace that can come with acceptance. I love a book where you truly grow to care about the characters, and this is that kind of book.

Mary Beth

Another beautiful coming-of-age story
"The Rapture of Canaan" is one of my favorite books, so I couldn't wait to read Reynolds' latest, which is the story of 18-year-old Kenny Lugo. As in her previous novels, Reynolds handles tough issues--sexual abuse, poverty, etc.--with sensitivity. Kenny is an engaging character, and her personal journey to find meaning in tragedy and face her demons is unforgettable.

...10 more reader reviews

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Author Information

Biography

Sheri Reynolds

Sheri Reynolds teaches writing and literature at Old Dominion University. She is the author of the New York Times bestseller and Oprah Book Club pick The Rapture of Canaan, as well as two other critically acclaimed novels, Bitterroot Landing and A Gracious Plenty. For more information, visit her website.

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