2018 Book Review #16: Looking For Me

What a wonderful story.

I first discovered this author because my sister Hope recommended her first novel to me.  You can read the review here.

I actually liked this 2nd novel better!

STORY SUMMARY

Theodora Grace Overman was born and raised on a farm in rural Kentucky.  She lived with her Mama, Daddy, and younger brother Josh, who is a huge nature lover.  Theodora is known as simply Teddi.  She loves working with old furniture and ever since she discovered and dragged home an old broken-down chair when she was just a little girl in elementary school, she knew this was what she wanted to do when she grew up. She has a real passion for old furniture as much as her brother Josh has a passion for wild-life and nature.

Mama's best friend is Stella and Stella has always looked out for Teddi.

When Teddi graduates from high school, Daddy gives her an old car and tells her it is her pass to freedom.  She sets off for Charleston, hoping to land a job in an antique store.  She does! Mr Palmer hires her to help out Albert a man who does beautiful restoration work.  He teaches Teddi some of what he knows and she seems to have a natural gift for restoring furniture as well.

Teddi begins to build a life for herself in Charleston and has a best friend named Olivia who is also single.  Soon she is able, through a series of events, some of which are sad and leave her with a sense of loss, to purchase her own furniture shop. She hires Inez to be her office manager and Albert stays on to help restore the antiques she finds. 

Teddi finds love in a very surprising way....Sam Poteet is a wonderful man who happens to be a lawyer and whose mother has often stolen items from various shops in Charleston, Teddi's included!!  One day, she actually meets Sam in person and they begin to build a relationship.

Even though things are going well in Teddi's life, she still has the haunting mystery of her brother Josh's disappearance.  Her Daddy has since died, and soon her Mama dies of a stroke.  Ranger Jim, the forest ranger who has always promised Teddi that if he ever gets any news or clues about Josh, he will let her know, has some news now for her, all these years later.  Teddi is now 36 years old and is still convinced her brother is living in the wilderness of the Red River Gorge.  Some signs do begin to emerge that Josh is still alive......will Teddi and Josh be reunited??

Teddi must take a personal, almost spiritual journey to find her self among her shattered family...and in so doing, she must learn to let some things go and decide what things to keep.

MY THOUGHTS

At first I had trouble with the whole back and forth from the present (1990-1993) to the past when she was a young girl in the 1960s/1970s.  There are also many characters.  But the plot is wonderful and the themes of mother-daughter relationships, loss, grief, depression, fortitude and inner strength really move this story along.

There are funny moments as well as very sad ones.

It is a heart warming story, full of southern charm. 

I love that Sam comes along and brings some romantic love to Teddi's life...she really deserved that.

I had a love-hate relationship with her Mama and in many ways, the emotional relationship that was portrayed between them, reminded me of my own relationship with my mother when I was younger.

There were several quotes I really loved from this book.  Here are a couple of my very faves:

"Sometimes it's not what we hold on to that shapes our lives---it's what we're willing to let go of" (pg 197 Looking for Me by Beth Hoffman, c.2013

"My mother used to say that each day was a gift and how we chose to unwrap it would determine our happiness." (Grammy speaking) (pg 322, Looking for Me by Beth Hoffman, c. 2013)

"Maybe that's what love does---smooths the hard edges of life, giving us a gentle place to land when we fall and lessening our bruises when we do" (pg 335, Looking for Me by Beth Hoffman, c. 2013)

This story is very well done but there were many editing mistakes!!  

In my opinion, this book is appropriate for ages 14 and older.

On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the highest, I rate this a 9.  It would have received a 10 if not for all the mistakes!