Published by Tyndale on August 3, 2021
Genres: Fiction, General
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From two-time RITA Award-winning author Carla Laureano comes a story of romance, transformation, and the beauty of belonging.Los Angeles interior designer and former foster kid Kendall Green is in high demand, both for her impeccable eye and for her uncanny ability to uncover the provenance of any piece. But for all her success, skyrocketing costs have put her California home and her business in jeopardy. Then an unexpected inheritance provides a timely solution: a grandmother she never knew has left her a group of historic properties in a tiny Colorado town on the edge of ruin.
To young, untried mayor Gabriel Brandt, Jasper Lake is more than another small town--it's the place that saved his life. Now, seeing the town slowly wither and die, he's desperate to restore it to its former glory. Unfortunately, his vision is at odds with a local developer who wants to see the town razed and rebuilt as a summer resort. He's sure that he can enlist the granddaughter of one of its most prominent former citizens to his cause--until he meets Kendall and realizes that not only does she know nothing of her own history, she has no interest in reviving a place that once abandoned her.
In order to save his beloved town, Gabe must first help Kendall unravel the truth of her own provenance--and Kendall must learn that in order to embrace the future, sometimes you have to start with the past.
Provenance by Carla Laureano is a stand-alone book, and the back cover copy, along with my previous love of all books by Ms. Laureano, had me eagerly waiting my chance to read.
I absolutely loved Ms. Laureano’s Saturday Night Supper Club series, and because this is also a contemporary novel, I was expecting this story to feel similar to one of those. Sadly, in my mind, this story did not quite measure up to my expectations, and fell a bit flat for me.
In spite of my initial let-down, however, I ended up really enjoying this story. (even though I can’t call it my new Laureano favorite) One of my favorite aspects of reading Carla Laureano’s books is her tremendous attention to details, and phenomenal job at researching each and every aspect of a story. In the case of the aforementioned series, I was so completely immersed in the world of restaurants and cafes, it seemed as though she must have run a business just like that one personally!
Kendall, the main character, is an interior decorator, and specializes in the provenances of antique pieces. I would have loved to hear a bit more description about her job. I’m a details junkie, and in my humble opinion, those little types of details can really add a lot to the story. History on antiques is very intriguing to me, and the job description sounded challenging and very rewarding.
This is more of a character driven story. Kendall was adopted as a young child, and always felt completely abandoned by all of her biological family. Believing in her heart that her mother would return and get her someday, she held her foster parents at arm’s length.
A main detail driving this story is the fact that Kendall receives quite the inheritance from her grandmother, a lady that she has no connections to, and never even knew. When she goes to small-town Jasper Lake to claim this amazing inheritance, and discover the history behind it, she meets Gabe, the mayor, and they become fast friends.
I enjoyed reading along as Kendall researches the provenance behind her inheritance, and more importantly, her own. What really happened in her childhood? Her family? Why was she abandoned?
This is a story of finding one’s belonging and acceptance. The feelings are all to real, and I believe we can all relate to and understand Kendall in some way.