Review: Does Cinderella really prefer the palace to her home?
Rating: 4 out of 5
Date: 04 8, 2014
Julie Pearl Stiles was raised by her grandfather since her mother died when she was barely a toddler.  She never knew who her father was other than a name on her birth certificate.  Her grandfather, Otto Stiles owns and manages the Swap and Shop flea market where he and Julie lease out spaces to other sellers as well as selling anything of their own.  It sounds as if it would be a fun job, unless one is a twenty-something young lady who grew up in the flea market.Julie became interested in a news article in the local paper, about a tragedy that occurred 20+ years before when a little girl drowned in the lake.  Why the article held her attention, she didn’t know, but when her grandfather behaved strangely, she knew there was more than meets the eye.  And when Renata Pearl Channing, an obviously classy, wealthy woman, niece to a regular customer, showed up in the flea market, Julie’s curiosity was piqued.  After all, how many women of their generation would have Pearl as a middle name, one that Renata Channing admitted was a family name for her?Julie and her best friend, Sandy’s, boyfriend, Clifton, went out to explore the location where the resort had been located from where the little girl was thought drowned 25 years before.  The Pearl family had owned and operated Pearls Along the Lake.  With a mentally ill mother, a father who made the best of the situation, a restless teenager, and a toddler, it was a family that could no longer cope when the toddler disappeared in the lake.  Julie found a stray mother dog and was determined to rescue her and her pups until the new owner of the resort property was determined to run off the trespassers.  Micah Hobart was starting to demo the old resort to build a luxury vacation condo development.Julie, after a restless chain of events, left for several days to try to understand what to do with her life with a stuffed envelope from her grandfather that might help her – or might open many new questions.  And when Julie put together the pieces her grandfather gave her, she showed up at the door of Renata Channing, who might be – her big sister?  A troubled, wealthy woman with secrets who had mental health challenges of her own, wife of a very wealthy man who was usually “travelling for his job”.Would Julie’s faith, encouraged strongly by her grandfather, and her upbringing see her through the upcoming challenges?  Where was the better place to live – the flea market or the mansion – and who was Julie’s real family?Favorite Quotes:“Do you really think God has left it up to you to do what only He can do?”“Much as I’ve wished the exact same thing, I been praying hard about it, and I got the strongest feeling deep in my soul that the Lord has a higher purpose for what’s happened here.”This reader very much enjoyed this novel!  It was hard to put down, and I read it on my phone when not at home to use my tablet.  I would highly recommend this book to young adult and adult readers of any age who enjoy a Christian family drama, mystery, and romance.  It would be great to see a follow up to this novel!