Things Left Unspoken: A Novel

Written by Eva Marie Everson

Narrated by Ann Richardson

Jo-Lynn Hunter is at a crossroads in life when her great-aunt Stella insists that she return home to restore the old family house in sleepy Cottonwood, Georgia. Seeing the project as the perfect excuse for some therapeutic time away from her self-absorbed husband and his snobby Atlanta friends, Jo-Lynn longs to get her teeth into a noteworthy and satisfying project. But things are not what they seem, both in the house and within the complex history of her family. Was her great-grandfather the pillar of the community she thought he was? What is Aunt Stella hiding? And will Jo-Lynn's marriage survive the renovation? Jo-Lynn isn't sure she wants to know the truth—but sometimes the truth has a way of making itself known.



The past comes alive in this well-written and thoughtful novel full of secrets, drama, and family with a hint of Southern drawl.

• Language: English
• Publisher: Tantor Media, Inc
• Release date: Mar 19, 2019
• ISBN: 9781515906551

Eva Marie Everson

Eva Marie Everson is a multiple award-winning author and speaker, CEO of Word Weavers International, and director of the Florida Christian Writers Conference. A graduate of the Tzemach Institute, she also has a degree in biblical studies from Andersonville Seminary. Eva Marie and her husband make their home in Central Florida.

[debs4jc · Rating: 3 out of 5 stars]

The family secrets and drama kept me interested, though the story unfolded slowly. Jo-Lynn is going through a crisis in her marriage, and moves back to her home town when she is given the opportunity to renovate the old home of her great-aunt. As she shifts throught the contents of the house she begins to reaize there are some things hidden in her family's past. And apparently there are some people in town who don't want those secrets uncovered, because Jo-Lynn starts to notice some threatening goings on. Meanwhile, flashbacks to the past fill the reader in on some of what happened - though it takes a long time for all the pieces come together.
I listened to this book and found it a satisfying read. I felt like the narrator helped take me to the Southern setting with just the right amount of Southern accent given to the characters. This book didn't shy away from the darker aspects of history, which the main character had to confront and I liked how it made her think through her own lifestyle. I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys thoughtful historical fiction.

[novelnympho · Rating: 4 out of 5 stars]

This is a story of the renovation of a house, a home, and many hearts. The turns the book takes are not at all predictable and the ties to history and the changes in our generations and the way we view history and current world issues is awesome. My only complaint was that the end seemed to be tied to much in a "nice little bow" but it is a very good story despite this.

[dawnymae_1 · Rating: 5 out of 5 stars]

Jo Lynn Hunter is married and at a crossroads in her life. She made a pact with her husband that they would not have children, but she has been wanting one, as well as a change in her life. She is called to her Aunt's and browbeat into renovating the old victorian mansion in her family. The mansion holds many secrets that begin to come out as the renovating begins. Not only is the house being renovated, but Jo Lynn as well. Very well written, with many characters that each has a story or secret to tell, and all are interconnected. I lost sleep staying up to finish it!!