Heirlooms is a dual timeline novel set on Whidbey Island, Washington.
In the past timeline, Navy widow Helen Devries lives alone in the house she bought with her husband and works as a nurse at the nearby Navy hospital. She befriends Choi Eunhee, a Korean woman who married one of Helen’s husband’s friends.
In the present, timeline Cassidy Quinn has inherited her grandmother’s property on Whidbey Island, but the house and property have fallen into disrepair. Worse, she needs to bring the garden back to life again and earn an income, or she will be forced to sell the property to pay the outstanding property taxes.
I found the past timeline more positive and uplifting than the modern timeline, which means I definitely enjoyed the past story most. (I know that’s a bit ambiguous, but want to avoid spoilers. If you read Heirlooms, you can tell me whether you agree or not).
The main reason I enjoyed the past story was because of the way it showed two cultures, American and Korean. I particularly enjoyed the friendship between Helen and Eunhee, and the way Eunhee was able to introduce Helen to Korean food and culture … and to God. That, to me, was the strength of the novel.
Heirlooms is an excellent example of a dual timeline novel.
Even though I preferred the past timeline, the present and past timelines are both compelling in their different ways.
Recommended for fans of dual timeline Christian fiction, and those who enjoy exploring other cultures through fiction.
Thanks to Tyndale House and NetGalley for providing a free ebook for review.
About Sandra Byrd
Bestselling author Sandra Byrd continues to earn both industry acclaim and high praise from readers everywhere. The author of more than fifty books, her work has received many awards, nominations, and accolades, including the Historical Novel Society’s Editor’s Choice award, two Christy Award nominations, Two Library Journal Best Book selections, and inclusion on Booklist’s Top Ten Inspirational Books of the Year list. Her traditionally published books include titles by Howard Books, a division of Simon and Schuster, Tyndale House Publishers, WaterBrook Press, an imprint of Penguin Random House, and Bethany House. She’s also an independent author.
Sandra has also published dozens of books for kids, tweens, and teens, and devotionals, including the bestselling The One Year Be-Tween You and God Devotions for Girls. She continued her work as a devotionalist with The One Year Home and Garden Devotions and The One Year Experiencing God’s Love Devotional, which was named by Called Magazine, the #1 magazine for Christian Women, as among their favorite, must-read books.
As an editor and an in-demand writing coach, Sandra is passionate about helping writers develop their talents and has mentored hundreds of writers at all stages of their writing careers.
Sandra loves walking, the beach, cooking and baking, photography, watching Escape to the Country, Fake or Fortune, and Chef’s Table, as well as spending time with family and friends – real and fictional!
Find Sandra Byrd online at:
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About Heirlooms
Answering a woman’s desperate call for help, young Navy widow Helen Devries opens her Whidbey Island home as a refuge to Choi Eunhee. As they bond over common losses and a delicate, potentially devastating secret, their friendship spans the remainder of their lives.
After losing her mother, Cassidy Quinn spent her childhood summers with her gran, Helen, at her farmhouse. Nourished by her grandmother’s love and encouragement, Cassidy discovers a passion that she hopes will bloom into a career. But after Helen passes, Cassidy learns that her home and garden have fallen into serious disrepair. Worse, a looming tax debt threatens her inheritance. Facing the loss of her legacy and in need of allies and ideas, Cassidy reaches out to Nick, her former love, despite the complicated emotions brought by having him back in her life.
Cassidy inherits not only the family home but a task, spoken with her grandmother’s final breaths: ask Grace Kim―Eunhee’s granddaughter―to help sort through the contents of the locked hope chest in the attic. As she and Grace dig into the past, they unearth their grandmothers’ long-held secret and more. Each startling revelation reshapes their understanding of their grandmothers and ultimately inspires the courage to take risks and make changes to own their lives.
Set in both modern-day and midcentury Whidbey Island, Washington, this dual-narrative story of four women―grandmothers and granddaughters―intertwines across generations to explore the secrets we keep, the love we pass down, and the heirlooms we inherit from a well-lived life.
You can find Heirlooms online at:
Amazon | BookBub | ChristianBook | Goodreads | Koorong
