The Scent of Lilacs (The Heart of Hollyhill Book #1)

Jocie Brooke has never wanted for love, despite the fact that she hardly remembers her mother. Jocie's father, preacher David Brooke, has done his best to be both father and mother to his daughter. Even Jocie's spinster Great-aunt Love, who's slowly going senile, cares for Jocie in her own stern way. But in their small town of Hollyhill, Kentucky, painful secrets lie just beneath the surface, and inquisitive spirits discover surprising truths. There's a reason why Aunt Love hides behind black dresses and a stoic countenance. And David takes his morning walks not just for quiet solitude, but to wrestle with the past.

Full of stories of lost loves and the trials of small-town living, this heartwarming novel explores the journey of faith and family.

From the Back Cover

In the humid summer of 1964, a family's secrets come to life

On the surface, Hollyhill, Kentucky, seems to be well insulated from the turbulent world beyond its quiet streets. Life-changing events rarely happen here, and when they do, they are few and far between. But for Jocie Brooke and her family, they happen all at once.

Jocie's father, David, is a pillar of the community. But deep inside, he silently struggles with his broken marriage and the challenge of raising a teenage daughter on his own. Then there's Aunt Love, who's trying to forget her hurtful past by hiding behind black dresses and a stern façade. Even Wes, the newspaper pressman, avoids any inquiries about the road he's traveled.

But for Jocie, there are questions that need answers. As she digs into her family's past, she finds a whirlwind of discoveries, and everything begins to change. In the end, will Jocie find the answers everyone so desperately needs, or will her questions lead to truths that were better left uncovered?