Heirlooms

Four women discover that family comes in many forms in this gorgeous saga from Byrd (Lady of a Thousand Treasures). In 1958, Helen Devries, the widow of a Navy lieutenant, receives an unexpected call from Choi Eunhee, who says her recently deceased husband had been good friends with Helen’s husband and that she’s fallen on hard times, facing prejudice surrounding the spread of the “Asian flu.” Helen impulsively invites Eunhee to move in with her and they become fast friends, sharing secrets, traditions, and dreams as they restore Helen’s farmhouse, plant a garden, and prepare for the arrival of Eunhee’s baby. When tragedy strikes, they lean on their Christian faith to help them endure. In the present day, Helen nears death and asks her granddaughter, Cassidy Quinn, to sort through her belongings with Grace Kim, Cassidy’s best friend and Eunhee’s granddaughter. They discover a chest in the attic containing clues to their grandmothers’ past, revealing secrets that have remained hidden for decades. Lush and vivid prose brings the setting to life (“The white-petaled daisies and their cousins, fainting gerberas, competed in the midsummer beauty pageant for the nearby bachelor’s buttons’ affections”), and Helen and Eunhee’s friendship will melt hearts. This is a gem. (July)