I often think about the times in which my ancestors lived. One of the things I have enjoyed doing is reading books that reflect the various time periods that my family lived. Story themes that take into account the history of an area and the people who lived there make these stories come alive. It helps the reader get a sense of how their ancestors may have lived and what they may have endured.

“The Hometown Texas Girl” written by Sharon McAnear is an example of a story told of the experiences of a Texas family. This book is a trilogy – Corner of Blue is the first one and in Corner of Blue the main character is a young woman named Jemmabeth Forrester. Each of the women in her family had the ending “Beth”. That hit home to me as my family kept a naming patterns of names. For example, my mother was Betty Helen and I am Bettina Helene. I used all “M’s” when I names my children – Michael, Marcy & Mitchell.

As Sharon McAnear introduced her characters, she gave them a history. One of the grandmother’s was a survivor of the Titanic. One of the neighbors always related stories of his life. How many of us know someone like that! Family played a major part and the relationships that were developed. Jemmabeth’s relationships between a high school sweetheart vs a new man in her life had me wondering who she would end up with. Most books I seem to be able to see the path they are taking in the story lines, but in Touch of Silver, McAnear left me guessing and wanting more.

Another major storyline in the first of these trilogies was the friendship that developed between Jemmabeth and a nearby neighbor, a young African American girl about her age. Discussions regarding race relationships are handled in a respectful way and truly hit home with me. This friendship portrayed is like so many of us today without the racial boundaries of the past. The author has us reflect on the missed opportunities of having those same type friendships when we were younger because of the times in which we lived.

Jemmabeth’s grandmother reminds me so much of my own grandmother when she was living. Her grandmother did not drive, and during her senior years desired to take lessons. I recall the how the family struggled to care for my grandmother who in later years was dependent upon others to drive her to the market and run errands for her. I wished she had learned to drive so she could have had more independence.

I found Corner of Blue to be a very entertaining and a reflective read. Sharon writes about events that often mimic my own experiences. I look forward to reading the other two books in Sharon McAnear’s trilogy. Please read and share in the FORUM any similar experiences you have had with the characters in this book.

You can purchase Sharon McAnear's books on her website: