The Quilter's Homecoming (Elm Creek Quilts Series #10) Book

A Roaring Twenties tale of boom and bust unfolds as young bride Elizabeth Bergstrom Nelson sets off with her husband, Henry, from her family home of Elm Creek Manor in Pennsylvania to start a new life in the unfamiliar terrain of southern California.

I have always been a fan of Jennifer Chiaverini's writing, and The Quilter's Homecoming did not disappoint. There were so many things to love about this story: First, the quilt thread that connected the three families, Nelsons, Jorgensons, and Diaz-Barclay; second, the dual storyline placed in different time periods that gave the background of the Diaz-Barclay family and the Rancho Triunfo and the present day happenings of the Jorgensons, Nelsons, and Barclays; finally, the focus on the lies, deceptions, and second chances that plagued all 3 families. Although these were interwoven throughout the plot, it change back in forth during time periods was incorporated well to give necessary background information.

Rose Diaz Barclay and Elizabeth Nelson were both women of strength. Neither found their life what they expected it to be but made the best out of what they were given and developed a friendship that would help them both particularly with the quilt connection. Lars Jorgenson, Henry Nelson, and John Barclay all hid secrets that led to the problems that beset their lives. Both Lars and Henry only resolved their problems through faith and with the help of their wives. John Barclay was so bitter and angry that his problems only led him to become lost forever. The setting of Southern California during the 1920's was well researched and the descriptions and happenings of the time period were evident in Chiaverini's writing. The theme of forgiveness, dependence on faith, and second chances were obvious in the plot. Although this is the last book (#10) in the Elm Creek series I did not have any problem reading it as a standalone. I now look forward to reading the rest from beginning to learn more of the Elm Creek story.

FAVORITE QUOTES: "Bitterness and hatred can kill you as surely as cancer does."

"She had chosen a path when she chose her husband, as all brides did. It had probably seemed as smooth and as sunny as any she could have walked along. But no young wife knows what sort of man her husband will become. She only knows what he is at the moment she marries him and trusts that he will not fail her, that his love will always be true, no matter what hardships they encounter.

"When someone desperately needs your help, you don't stand around and ponder what they'll do once you help them, or philosophize about whether they deserve your help. You simply help them."