I grew up in small town Ohio, so when I saw that "June" is a novel written about a 1950's Hollywood romance in rural Ohio, I felt like it HAD to be on my Summer reading list. Maybe you should add it to yours too...even if the month of June is officially over.
Miranda Beverly-Whittemore is a best selling author who, in this book, mixes up a cocktail of imagination with a dash of true-to-life places and people. The story really takes place in two parallel summers, one in the 1950s and the other in 2015. There's a saying that's something like, " Oh if these walls could talk" and I feel like that saying describes this book perfectly. It's the story of June and her granddaughter Cassie, a large inheritance, and a secret romance on the set of a film in St. Jude, Ohio. The house, Two Oaks, which Cassie inherits from her grandmother, is a character of its own, and we see its dreams- the ebb and flow of life within her walls. There are themes of regret, love, commitment, family, and sacrifice, to name just a few.
The story alternates between two summers, as previously mentioned. In the 1950's, we get to know Lindie, and it is through her eyes that we first understand June. June is Lindie's first love, and we watch as Lindie grapples with her feelings for June and what that means for her identity. We also meet Jack Montgomery, a famous movie star who comes to town to film, has a secret affair, and whose life impacts generations to come. In present day we get to know June through the eyes of her granddaughter, Cassie. We observe as Cassie comes to terms with her grandmother's death, her desire for family and belonging, and a mysteriously large inheritance.
The beginning of the book is slow going, as there are a lot of characters to introduce, and I struggled to keep them all straight. But about half way through it picks up the pace and the reader is hit with twist after twist - murder and forbidden love...
I loved her descriptions, and her imagery and metaphors are beautiful and very well written. For me this book was special because I grew up in Auglaize county where this story takes place, and even though she made up the town of St. Jude, I immediately recognized it as being based on St. Mary's, Ohio. My parents went to Memorial Highschool, which is mentioned in the book. The author's great grandfather was named Lemon Gray Neely, and he was St. Mary's' first millionaire. He donated the land for Memorial Highschool and built the house which inspired Two Oaks' description in "June." I felt like I was at home while reading parts of this book, and I loved that. My mom and sister are reading it next. Which brings me to my next point...why I am reluctant to recommend it.
It does contain some language and descriptive sexual content, which makes me embarrassed to recommend it. Lindie's character, which I think could be accurately described as transgender, might make some people uneasy, but the author does a really good job of revealing her feelings as the character is experiencing it and figuring it out for herself. It's not explicit or crude, but more of a hinting here and there until the end. On the one hand, I felt like I knew the characters well, warts and all, but on the other hand some parts of the story just didn't feel realistic or relatable to me. I mean, how often is it that you know someone who randomly inherits millions of dollars and a mansion?
Sex aside, I enjoyed the book, but it's hard to know if I would have enjoyed it to a lesser degree if it had been set somewhere else. I WISH WISH WISH she'd included more in her acknowledgments about which details were real and what was made up. I am sooo curious!!
I'm case you're curious too, here is a picture of the real Lemon Gray Neely's house, the true Two Oaks. :) (Thanks, Google!) Small town life isn't for everyone, but it has it's perks and I think we really get to see that in June's life. If you're up for it, I say you should give this book a read.
I received a complimentary copy of the book from bloggingforbooks.com in exchange for writing this honest review.
Happy reading!
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