Contemporary
A multigenerational tale of family secrets, betrayal, and redemption. Spanning continents and decades, it weaves fact and fiction to explore identity, resilience, and forgiveness.
Paperback
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Gryff Morgan, a church-going Kentucky family man, hides a dark secret. Living under an assumed identity to avoid extradition to Argentina, not even his twin sons, Travis and Chase, know their comfortable lives are built on the proceeds of drug smuggling. Only his wife, Gwenna Garland—a failed singer—knows the truth of his Welsh origins.
In South Wales, Huw and Rhys grow up believing their father died at sea before they were born. Their mother, Shirley, was left heartbroken, never revealing she was pregnant when tragedy drove him away.
Three decades later, during NATO peacekeeping in Sarajevo, a chance meeting between Chase and a British soldier sets events in motion, bringing the four brothers’ worlds together. Betrayal and an explosive love triangle lead to a journey from Kentucky to South Wales, where family matriarch Lowri still waits for her missing son.
As secrets unravel, Gryff and Gwenna’s daughter, Country music superstar Greer Garland, takes on the task of reuniting her fractured family. But can love and forgiveness heal decades of lies, or will the past prove too devastating to overcome?
Here's what readers have to say about this book....
Wow.! what can I say 😱 I finished the book in one day, and stayed up until 3.am to finish it... It's Epic and spellbinding..! I loved every minute of it. I particularly liked the jumping through the years... I was totally engrossed in the story, which I imagine was your intention Jo... of course I just couldn't put it down... Uncharacteristically for me, I was captivated from the start by all the male characters, usually, I find myself getting attached to the main female character in a book, but not this one... All the men are so deep and so interesting, I almost ignored the female characters, they are there and needed, but didn't give me any satisfaction in knowing them, apart from Justine.. Especially Bryn, he got to me from the start, and was so captivating... You have a brilliant talent and this is a really really really really good book, even might I say it, Great..! I will certainly re-read it again...You made my experience of reading this enthralling. For a short while, whilst I was lost within the story, I fell in love with Bryn, as the women all do, he has all those qualities that a woman yearns for in her man.. You made me hate people too. At times I was frustrated. I was intrigued throughout, you kept me wondering the whole way through how it would pan out... Most of all, you made me understand and even feel the love one must have for an identical twin. Their connection came through the story so well I felt it all.... I had hoped at the end that Scaff and Rosa would meet Lowri and tell her about Bryn's time with them, and meet his children, that would have been so satisfying... I really hoped that Shirley and Gwenna were twins also, due to their likeness and Bryn being so drawn to them both, somehow separated at birth.... This left me with unanswered hopes... But then, that could well be in the next book..? 🤔 I'll have to wait and see... Anyway, I was happy reading this book, then in despair, then euphoric, then totally scared, then so sad, then happy again, my emotions went through a wringer I can tell you... I found myself really not liking Shelby for what she said and did to Chase, that was probably intended too... I hope that Justine and Greer become a couple, as I was sad they were alone for so long, it seems they need their happy ending... And I'm so happy that Lowri lives such a long life, long enough to know what happened to her son and meet all his children... She can die happy now...😢 And at 3.00am I cried....when Greer made her speech it was just so wonderful 👍 thank you for this great story... 🫂
As soon as I started reading this book I found it hard to put it down, I was desperate to find out more. The characters in this novel are so well written I felt like I grew with them. I was so gutted when the book ended, I need more, I need a book 2. Brilliantly well written by Chinn, excellent debut novel.
A real page turner from the first page following the story of Gryff Morgan, a church-going Kentucky family man, hides a dark secret. Gryff is living under a assumed name whose life of his sons and wife are built on his drug smuggling days. In South Wales, Huw and Rhys grow up believing their father died at sea before they were born. three decades later secrets are revealed Loved reading about the different characters lives and how the revolved through the years. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
Not normally my genre of book but once I started reading it I found it hard to put down. A well written book with a number of story lines that flow smoothly. The characters are brought to life and their stories at times, very emotional. There are many characters in the book and the family trees at the front definitely help to keep track of who’s who. Best book I’ve read this year.
A gripping tale of family secrets I was sent and advance copy of “Under the Hickory Tree “, the first novel by the author Jo Chinn… There is a family tree shown at the beginning of the novel and I will mention the importance of this at the end of my review … The setting initially is in the Welsh Valleys where we are introduced to a young girl named Lowri whose life is suddenly changed forever by a series of family hardship and tragedy .. Lowri’s story then sets the scene for the other characters to intertwine and their stories unfold. A chance meeting decades later and in another country leads to family secrets , long buried being raised but also explained .. The tale is told over 2 Continents and a family ,who although fractured must pull together if they are all to find the answers they are seeking . Lowri is at the beginning of the novel and also at the end .. The author describes her so well you can almost picture her in your mind as she grows from a young girl to adulthood to become a family Matriarch.. I enjoyed this book and as I said there is the family tree that readers can refer to . If I have one criticism and it’s only a minor one , it would be that there are so many complex characters and I did have to check every so often who was who and what relationship .. anyone reading the book and perhaps leaving it for a while and then taking up the story would have to refresh their memory , but it doesn’t detract from a great story and for a debut novel its very well written .… A must for a holiday read or perhaps a library book club …
