The story is set in the early 1960s in a small town called Eden Hill, Kentucky. I loved the description of the town as it made me think of Mayberry. People were nice, women went to get their hair done at the local beauty shop and the men loved to go fishing. There was one gas station in town owned by Virgil T. Osgood. He is very hard working and is diligent about providing for his family. I loved how the author showed the struggle Virgil had with making sure his wife was happy. He didn't realize she was unhappy and when he found out, he really did a great job showing her how important she is to him. Do we sometimes take people for granted?
Sometimes small towns don't stay small and It looks like a new gas station is being built across the street from Virgil's. The gossip in the town has started as a new sign has been place at the land across from the only gas station in town. What gas company is coming to town? Will it put Virgil out if business? I really liked when a character said this; " give the customer what he desires and he will patronize your establishment." I especially liked Mavine who is Virgil's wife. She is a stay at home mom. I loved her sweet character and the way she cared for her family and their needs.
The story has several characters that add a great depth to the community. Who are the couple that has moved in on the land across from Virgil's gas station? Will they be welcomed? It is an emotional, funny and exciting book. I have to mention the Reverend Eugene Caudill . He is a breath of fresh air and his faith and dedication to the town is very evident. But with most churches there is always that one person who seems to have to point out all the things the Reverend should and should not be doing. Madeline Crutcher tells him, "You must convict the sinner of their sin." His reply is priceless. " Convicting sinners isn't my job. Preaching the gospel and serving the Lord is my job." I wonder how many of us are guilty of telling our pastor what he should be doing? Have we been guilty of judging others?
The story is well written and flows very smoothly. The town is small but they all seem to pull together when someone is in need. There is also an issue going on in town about race. It seems that some people have trouble accepting those with different colored skin. It's funny that in the sixties that was a big problem, yet today we are still no closer to accepting each other. I loved the story and felt like I was right there in the town visiting with neighbors, attending church and enjoying family meals. I would highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a great story of small town living with caring neighbors and faith that abounds throughout the town.
"People aren't meant to be fixed; people are meant to be loved."
I received a copy of this book from The BookClub Network and Tyndale Blogger Program for an honest review.
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