The Orchard House

Chiavoroli (Tea Chest) delights with this homage to Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women, featuring a time-slip narrative of two women connected across centuries. In 1995, 13-year-old foster child Taylor is adopted by the family of her best friend, Victoria Bennett. Both are aspiring writers, and pursue their calling at the Jo March Writing Camp at Orchard House. But a competitiveness among the two also takes root. Several years later, Taylor walks in on her boyfriend and Victoria kissing and, in a fit of rage, she packs up and hits the road. In 1863, Louisa May Alcott asks her friend Johanna Suhre to come to Orchard House and care for her parents while she travels to Europe. Devout Johanna believes God has led her to the Alcotts and falls in love with their neighbor, Nathan Bancroft, but her happily ever after disintegrates soon after their wedding, as Nathan’s drunken abusiveness comes out. Jumping to 2019, Victoria implores the now bestselling author Taylor to come home to reconcile with their ill mother. In the process, she and Victoria stumble onto Johanna’s poetry, which may hold lessons for their own lives. Chiavoroli easily slips between narratives and includes many subtle literary references that will please close readers. Fans of Alcott who also enjoy inspirationals will love this. (Feb.)