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Linda’s Book Obsession Reviews “When I Last Saw You” by Bette Lee Crosby, 2021
Wow! Bette Lee Crosby, the author of “When I Last Saw You” has written a captivating, intriguing and heart-felt story. It is hard to believe that Bette Lee Crosby actually bases this on a true family situation. I love the way that Bette Lee Crosby vividly describes the characters, the events, the landscape, and the plot. There are two timelines in the story, West Virginia in 1901 and Georgia in 1968. The author describes her colorful and dramatic characters as complex, and complicated. In both timelines, there are secrets.
Margaret Rose McCutcheon, in 1968, is in mourning for her deceased husband. She realizes that she doesn’t have a beneficiary if anything happens to her. Then she has a recollection of once having a family. After going through her late husband’s papers, she hires a detective that had once worked for him to locate her family.
Eliza Hobbs, in West Virginia in 1901 has many children, and her husband disappears often. He seems to appear, and then there is another baby to take care of. During this time, women have very little rights, and Eliza is left to her own resources in raising her family and trying to keep them safe. Her husband, Martin is an abusive man who sends a token amount of money for Eliza to take care of the family. It is amazing how the author combines and connects the stories and the timelines.
Bette Lee Crosby is a master storyteller and an amazing author who has written a memorable, thought-provoking, emotional novel that shows us that sometimes you have to find your past to move on to your future. I would highly recommend this amazing novel! Happy reading!
Linda's Book Obsession: 