I have a suspicion that the publicists missed the mark when promoting Laura Lee Smith’s Heart of Palm. I’m in no way qualified to make that statement (because really, I know nothing about how those publicists work) however I know what sort of books reach out from the shelves in a book shop and yell “Pick me! Pick me!”. Obviously something about Heart of Palm caught my attention (on Netgalley) but it was years ago, and each time I read the blurb again, I wondered what it was that had attracted me…

It presents as somewhat light-weight, possibly even straying into chick-lit territory. And that cover with the fancy script? File the book under mum-lit or family saga.

Now scrap all that I’ve implied. Continue reading →