Review: Lilies in Moonlight by Allison Pittman

My rating: 4.5 stars!

It's the 1920's, and Lily Margolis is what people call "that kind of girl." With her bobbed hair and forward ways, she fits the term "flapper" to a tee. Translation for us in the 21st century: She's a major flirt and party crasher. ;) 

It's Lily's forward and modern ways that land her in the Burnside's flowerbed with a hangover and a sprained ankle. Cullen Burnside disapproves and wants nothing to do with Lily, but his dementia-afflicted mother, Betty Ruth, takes an immediate liking to the modern girl and wants Lily to stay on until her ankle heals. Cullen goes along with the idea since Lily is an amusing distraction for the confused Betty Ruth, temporary though it may be. Cullen is all too aware, and painfully so, of how temporary and fragile Betty Ruth's mind and memories are.

Lilies in Moonlight is really a unique and surprising story. Initially I had trouble getting pulled in as Lily's flirtatious attitude didn't amuse me at all; however after several chapters the plot really got going and I suddenly found myself quite hooked!

At times it reminded me ever so slightly of Beauty and the Beast... Cullen's scarred face and the way people look (or don't look) at him is heart-breaking, you just can't help but feel sorry for him. Then there's his mother: she can't see his scars through her clouded mind, doesn't even realize he went to war. Though Cullen is 30 years old and is running his late fathers giant corporation, his mother still sees him as a young boy, late to school or perhaps with homework that needs finishing.

Lily doesn't let the scars affect the way she sees Cullen, but she's just a temporary guest, soon to be gone; it's what the circumstances demand. If Cullen didn't want her to leave, it wouldn't matter, and even if Lily herself didn't want to leave, it still wouldn't matter. It's not up to either one of them...

This is really a gorgeous and complex story; there's so much more to it than what I've written, but I don't want to give too much away. I highly recommend Lilies in Moonlight, I very much enjoyed it and was sorry to see it end. This one is a keeper! It's the first book by Allison Pittman that I've read, and now I'm definitely interested in finding out what other books she has available.

So, bottom line: Lilies in Moonlight, check it out, you won't be sorry! 

My rating: 4.5 stars! 
(I received this book courtesy of Waterbrook Multonomah Publishing Group in exchange for an honest review. All opinions expressed are my own, a positive review was not required.) 

If you're interested in the book, here is an excerpt from chapter one: