by Judy Christie
Trumpet and Vine series, Book 1
Christian Fiction / Contemporary
Available September 2013
Zondervan
352 pages
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About the Book
Camille Gardner is trapped in the middle when a unique Southern town collides with the “outside world” and big oil.
A talented negotiator, Camille Gardner agrees to take on one last field
assignment for her uncle before she settles down to pursue her real
passion—working at an art gallery. But she’d rather be anywhere than
Samford, Louisiana, the small southern town where she once spent the
worst weeks of her life.
To fulfill the obligation she feels to her uncle, Camille needs to
entice a group of rural landowners to sell their mineral rights—and
allow use of their precious water for the drilling of natural gas.
Instead, she finds herself drawn to the local folk art created by those
same landowners and attracted to Marsh Cameron, the attorney
representing the landowners.
The charming residents and the traditions of this small community leave
Camille conflicted about her family obligations—and her own plans for
the future. Perhaps she needs to give Samford a second chance.
My Thoughts
While I've heard of Judy Christie before, Sweet Olive is the first of her books that I've read. I can assure you that it won't be the last. Camille arrives in Samford, Louisiana at the insistence of her uncle, who also happens to be her boss. Her job is to negotiate with a group of residents who are refusing to grant mineral rights to the gas and oil company that Camille represents. Camille assumes this will be a quick and straightforward job, but once she meets this unique group of residents, she realizes this will not be the usual job.
Sweet Olive is full of the sweet, southern, small town charm that I just love. Small towns often make the perfect setting, and Samford, Louisiana is no exception. There are plenty of unique townspeople, local politics, and jealousy that you wouldn't believe. And when Camille gets plopped down in the middle of it all, she begins to see what she's been missing—friends, faith, love.
Camille is the perfect "leading lady." I love that she had a career in a male-dominated industry. And boy is she feisty! She definitely knows what she wants and goes after it. I loved watching her heart change throughout the book as she made friends with various characters. Marsh was a great guy as well. I wasn't sure how their relationship was going to develop since they were on opposing sides of this intense case, but it was great to see their friendship grow naturally—despite their differences. I absolutely loved all of the artists in the community. Reading about their art and their simple lifestyle made me curious to know more. I'm super excited to read more about this community in the rest of this series ... and I'd really like to visit in real life!
Sweet Olive is a great read. I'm glad I took the time to read it and look forward to more from Judy Christie! [4.5 stars]
I received a free copy of this book from Zondervan in exchange for my fair and honest review.
About the Author
Judy Christie writes fiction with a Louisiana flavor. She is the author
of the Green series of novels, including Gone to Green. A fan of
primitive antiques and porch swings, she blogs from her green kitchen
couch at www.judychristie.com. She and her husband live in northern
Louisiana.
Judy Christie Online
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