Now nearing seventy and settled in Covington, North Carolina, the ladies are very much unchanged. Hannah remains formidable and no-nonsense; Grace is the quintessential caregiver, and Amelia is well, Amelia - fluttery, vain, unable to assert herself but nonetheless endearing.
They've settled into a comfortable routine with each one's tasks suiting the individual's desires and interests. Hannah repairs, easily unsticks windows, and tends the garden. Grocery shopping falls to Grace who happily cooks, bakes, and sings off-key. Flowers and music are the bailiwick of Amelia who also finds contentment in dusting and cleaning. It's an easy, satisfying existence.
Yet, all is not as serene as the trio might wish because their beloved land onCove Road is threatened by development. Hannah attempts to spearhead an effort to stop the interlopers, but neighbors don't rally behind her. Instead, some look upon her with jaundiced eye, view her as a newcomer, a foreigner who doesn't know the difference between "dinner" and "supper."
Evidencing her independence, Grace opens a tearoom. Her partner is Bob, a man for whom she has come to care. Both discover that running a tea room is not a piece of cake.
Grace also makes a new friend, Miss Lurina, a woman who "used to walk behind Pa's plow settin' potatoes." She is now a spinster octogenarian, seen guarding her cabin porch with a shotgun. No one is more surprised than Grace when Miss Lurina starts spending time with "Old Man." Who could have foreseen that the two would decide to be "married up"? Selecting a wedding gown, let alone planning the ceremony stretches Grace's imagination and patience.
When Amelia, an incurable romantic, is involved in a minor two-car accident, she finds the driver of the other car, Lance Lundquist, to be handsome, "larger than life." Claiming to be a retired architect, he soon becomes her ardent suitor.
However, Lance is secretive, prone to weeks long unexplained absences. Amelia believes he will tell her about himself when she has won his trust, while Hannah and Grace are wary of him. They see him as manipulative and possessive.
These scenarios are played out against evocative descriptions of North Carolina's verdant countryside. Ms. Medlicott's appreciation of nature is made evident by her thoughtful word paintings. For those who enjoy a leisurely paced tale with no more violence than an annual invasion of ladybugs, "The Gardens of Covington" is certainly their cup of tea which, by the way, the ladies often enjoy on their shaded veranda.
Precious, gentle Amelia, who carries burn scars on her neck from an automobile accident that claimed the life of her husband, finds herself swept up in an unexpected romance. My heart ached for her while she was under the spell of this charming yet demanding man, and at the same time I wanted to scream at her to WAKE UP! I found myself hoping that she would keep a firm hold on the independence that she had so recently found.
Grace, who makes cookies and mothers everyone, continues her loving relationship with her friend Bob and together they open the Cottage Tearoom on Elk Road. I was enchanted with the idea of their Cottage Tearoom, but it would prove to be quite an undertaking and too much hard work for the two of them. The awesome wedding reception for Bob's son and his new bride, planned and presented by Grace's son and his partner, was an event that kept Covington talking for months. WAY TO GO, GUYS!
Then there is our strong and steady Hannah, the boldest of the ladies. It was Hannah who became embroiled in attempting to save their valley from developers who would strip the land without regard for anything except profit. I cheered for her indomitable spirit as she persisted with her plans for stopping them before they wrecked her beautiful valley. Help for Hannah's cause finally came from an unexpected source.
Wow! I loved this book, and so will everyone else who got to know Amelia, Hannah and Grace in the Ladies of Covington Send Their Love. Please, please let there be a sequel to this book!