Whispering Pines by Kimberly Diede
The first of a series set in Minnesota, this one moves between Minneapolis and the lake country, with a small detour to Fiji. As the novel opens single mom Renee Clements is let go from her twenty-year career with a company. Stunned, she decides to take the time to spend it with family. When she lets her children know that evening, they decide to take the rest of December into the new year to spend with each other, doing things they enjoy. From Christmas with extended family, renewed contact with her late husband's family, to a trip to an exotic locale, they reconnect with each other and Renee reconnects with her parents and siblings. When her father takes the opportunity to give our envelopes to every family member from Renee's aunt Celia, who died earlier that year, each takes the time to plan when to open the envelopes, which contain personal letters from Celia and information on their individual inheritances.
Celia has inherited the lake resort that she spent summers in as a child, which has sat unused for a few years, with minimal maintenance. As she determines what to do with this property that needs so much work, she also finds that her family is more than happy to chip in and do the work necessary. Renee's college freshman daughter, is dealing with a man she dated who's become too controlling for her, and doesn't seem to be taking no for an answer. Renee's teen son worries about his advanced team sports opportunity and whether he will be torn away from that and his friends.
There is a lot going on, and we get glimpses of what other gifts aunt Celia has made that will be expanded upon in later books in the Celia's Gifts series.
I really enjoyed the central idea of the book that had Renee rethinking her life and how she wants to spend it. The community that she finds herself part of, with both family and friends is also a great message about the importance of human connections. I would definitely be interested in reading more in this series.
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