I am excited to bring you my review for When I Last Saw You by Bette Lee Crosby on Book Tour for Suzy Approved Book Tours

Release Date: May 4, 2021

About The Book:

Georgia, 1968 – Margaret Rose McCutcheon has just buried her husband and must now name a beneficiary for their estate in case of her demise. She is hard-pressed to do so because there is no one. No children. No family. At least none to speak of. At one time, she had two sisters and six brothers, but the lot of them were scattered to the four winds, with no one knowing where the others went. In the hope of finding at least one of her siblings, Margaret hires a detective and sets off on a journey to uncover the truth of why the family broke apart as it did. 

West Virginia, 1901 – When Eliza Hobbs gives birth to her sixth child, her husband is not there to welcome his daughter into the world. No surprise, because Martin is seldom there. He works in Charleston and returns to Coal Creek only when he has a mind to. Yes, he sends money on occasion, but seldom enough to make ends meet. Although Eliza believes each new child a blessing, he sees them as yet another responsibility on his already overloaded shoulders. When he discovers another child is on the way, he demands she get rid of it. he stops returning home and there is no more money. 

Left with the children, a mountainside patch of land, and a house in sorry need of repair, Eliza seeks help and turns to someone powerful enough to hold sway over Martin and force him into providing for his family. Pushed to the brink, Martin does something unforgivable and the family is forever torn apart.

Now, after all these years, will Margaret be the one to find the pieces of her broken family?

Miss W’s Review:

When I Last Saw You by Bette Lee Crosby is a poignant and heartwarming story with endearing characters that I instantly fell in love with. I was so surprised to find out that the novel was based on a true story!

I was captured instantly by the first chapter until the very last chapter. There were a few surprises that I honestly didn’t see coming. Bette Lee Crosby is an incredible story teller.

My heart was broken in parts of this family drama. I absolutely loved Eliza’s characters who was complex, flawed, intuitive and well fleshed out.

The family dynamics , secrets, friendships and romance tell of a perfectly imperfect family.

The story is told in two timelines, both in the past.

I cannot recommend this book enough!

About the Author:

Bette Lee Crosby is the USA Today bestselling author of twenty-four novels, including The Twelfth Child and the Wyattsville series. She has been the recipient of the Reader’s Favorite Gold Medal, Reviewer’s Choice Award, FPA President’s Book Award and International Book Award, among many others. Her 2016 novel, Baby Girl, was named Best Chick Lit of the Year by Huffington Post. Her 2018 novel The Summer of New Beginnings, took First Place in the Royal Palm Literary Award for Women’s Fiction and was a runner-up for book of the year. Her novel, Emily, Gone is the winner of three literary Gold Medals, and the Benjamin Franklin Award. Her newest release When I Last Saw You is a historical saga based on a true story.

Crosby is a wife, mama, grandma and dog lover who specializes in heartwarming family fiction. She credits her mom for giving her such a love of Southern storytelling and laughingly admits to being a night owl and a workaholic. Her guilty pleasures are iced latte, chocolate, and late-night chats with fans and friends on Facebook.

Until the next chapter,

Wilfrieda