Tobacco Sun - Lorna Hollifield

Synopsis:

The year is 1947. The war is over, Jackie Robinson has just integrated baseball, and Frank Sinatra breezes in over the fuzzy airwaves. A sense of relief is finally sweeping the nation...everywhere except Tobaccoville, North Carolina.

Beyond the rural fields that are pregnant with decades of secrets, a mysterious Hollywood pin-up is jailed for murder while her facially birth marked half-sister may hold the answers as to why.

The two girls, estranged for years, share a haunting past, a shell-shocked love interest, and maybe even a cruel destiny. Through mountains of lies, the truth that inevitably comes pouring out of the tobacco leaves will come to light. Will this light reveal the path to the siblings’ foreordained destruction, or their long-awaited deliverance? Will they realize they each hold the power to set the other free before it’s too late?

A story of heritage, hurt, and somehow, hope; Tobacco Sun keeps you on the edge of your seat while you find yourself rooting for redemption.

Review:

I wasn't sure what to expect from this book going in, for me it was a slow beginning where I struggled to get into the book and get excited for what was to come. After what felt like an eternity, I got completely sucked into the world of which the character live.

We follow 4 characters throughout the book, each of them with their own point of view and with their own something to bring to the table so to speak. We follow Jimmi-Lyn, whom I did feel sorry for when things were explained. Shes the older half sister to Sydra, although Jimmi-Lyn has a birthmark on her face and is sort of seen as flawed because of it, I felt so sorry for her and when it came to the treamtment of her from people who were supposed to love her just broke my heart. Sydra is the younger 'more beautiful' and talented half sister, she's an actress/model and behind bars, there were times I felt connected to her in the way I could feel her emotions and understand them but I never felt fully connected to any of the characters. There were times when I hated Sydra. just because of how narcissistic she was and I feel like she felt as though she was above everybody else because of her talent and looks which annoyed me. We also see Vanse, he's been to war but has been Jimmi - Lyn's friend since way before and you can feel their chemistry when you read about them spending time together. He's flawed and yet wonderful, he's supportive and strong but in touch with his emotions an its just beautiful. The final character we come into contact with is Dr Peter Garris who is evaluation Sydra, you can tell he is kind-hearted, I felt as though he really felt for Sydra and was always willing to stand up for what he believed in even when people above him with more power begun making threats.

The plot itself is great, very slow paced which I feel is done so that you have time to absorb all that is happening and is being explored. There are thing I never saw coming, I definitely loved how secret the twists were, maybe its down to the fact I cant join dots that I didn't catch on earlier but it was definitely a good shock when all unravelled. The depth in which the plot goes is perfect, its an equal mix of past and present which helps you as a reader full understand it all.

I enjoyed the book and it was a great plot and great characters, its mostly down to the pacing alone that it's a 4/5 for me, I tend to like gripping fast paced books but this book is great and gripping and truly something to read and enjoy.