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Secrets of Catalpa Hall
Melody Moon has returned to her roots with fame and riches in hopes of finding Gideon, the young man with the strange birthmark on his face. Thoughts of him have haunted her for twenty years, yet no one knows what happened to him. After purchasing Catalpa Hall, their childhood sanctuary, Melody makes an unusual discovery: carved in the wood below the old stage in the hall is her name, Gideon’s name, and the current year.
Melody and Gideon were once known as the “Double Uglies,” dubbed as such by Melody’s reprehensible older brother, Dean. The cruel nickname later earned Melody fame as an author of children’s books, but only Gideon knows the nickname had actually precipitated dreadfully more—her brother’s drowning long ago. It’s a loss that’s turned Gideon into the recluse he’s
become.
What exactly did happen at the secluded pond behind Catalpa Hall when Melody and Gideon were so young and just trying to get by in the backwoods culture…and who else may have witnessed it? Someone with sinister motives is involved, and is desperately attempting to tear Gideon and Melody apart. Gideon’s love for the enchanting young woman he’d been forced to abandon two decades ago may force him to leave her again, for he feels certain Melody could never understand the truth. At least--his perception of the truth.
Melody and Gideon were once known as the “Double Uglies,” dubbed as such by Melody’s reprehensible older brother, Dean. The cruel nickname later earned Melody fame as an author of children’s books, but only Gideon knows the nickname had actually precipitated dreadfully more—her brother’s drowning long ago. It’s a loss that’s turned Gideon into the recluse he’s
become.
What exactly did happen at the secluded pond behind Catalpa Hall when Melody and Gideon were so young and just trying to get by in the backwoods culture…and who else may have witnessed it? Someone with sinister motives is involved, and is desperately attempting to tear Gideon and Melody apart. Gideon’s love for the enchanting young woman he’d been forced to abandon two decades ago may force him to leave her again, for he feels certain Melody could never understand the truth. At least--his perception of the truth.
- GenresMystery
317 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 23, 2012
3 people are currently reading
23 people want to read
About the author
Lori Lapekes
8 books4 followersBorn in the small town of Wayland, Michigan, Lori has been writing since she was about 10 years old. Raised in the country with goofy siblings, a few strange neighbors, and many animals, Lori has cemented her own “quirkiness” through a series of unusual factory jobs and a two-year stint in art school. Presently she works as a graphic artist, while at long last realizing her true dream of becoming a published author of off-beat, Midwestern novels. Acknowledging that most people who hear voices in their heads are called schizophrenic, she knows that when these voices are put to paper and assigned names, the creator of these characters are then labeled…writers! Lori believes her novels will especially resonate with people in “fly-over” country. Lori grew up and spent most of her life in the small town of Wayland, Michigan. She now lives in Grand Rapid, Michigan, with her ball-obsessed German shepherd, Maddy, a three footed cat named Tippy, and the formerly Mr. Starvin’ Marvin the marvelous kitty.
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Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews
August 1, 2013
This was actually a good story to read when you are sick and stuck at home with a sick hubby and toddler. It required no thinking, all I had to do was read and follow the storyline. And being called upon right in the middle of a chapter isn’t a deal breaker in any way. It wasn’t a Great whodunit mystery; okay, it was predictable but the ‘Beauty and the Beast’ spin to it kept me entertained. I am partial to ‘Beauty and the Beast’ but not exactly the fairy tale or the Disney version but rather the miniseries which I loved back in the 90s (oops, showing my age here)
The book opens with an interesting picture of Gideon creeping down a secret stairway and as a recluse. Gideon is just like the Beast – a huge purplish birthmark which marked him as ‘ugly’, shunned society in general but has his own small circle family and friends who loved him dearly, and is basically a gentle giant with a burdensome secret. As he found the love of his life again, he will need to find the courage to face his past but will he be able to keep her by his side?
Melody Moon returned to her childhood home which was filled with many good memories but also some pretty awful ones. It’s been a very long time and whilst some things are vague, some are just as bright like Gideon. She came for healing for her daughter but also for herself. She hoped to confront the past and to move on. The past, however, had hid a lot more secrets than she ever knew.
I love alternative POVs in books. I just feel privileged in knowing both sides of the story but sometimes it also drive me nuts because so very often all they needed to do was to talk openly… yeah, all misunderstandings in life will be so easily settled if we all just sit down and talk openly. Whilst I like Gideon well enough, I actually found Melody to be quite annoying and weak. I got quite frustrated with her –she earned some ‘eye-roll’ moments. The characters I was actually fond of this book are actually the minor ones: Sandra, Melody’s friend, and the 3 crusty old poker buddies of Gideon. I reckon they are the gem in this story.
The romance is kind sweet and I was kept entertained enough at home not to feel cooped up so overall it is a good light read for a restful [though many timed interrupted] day.
Thank you, Astraea Press, for copy of the book in exchange of honest review.
The book opens with an interesting picture of Gideon creeping down a secret stairway and as a recluse. Gideon is just like the Beast – a huge purplish birthmark which marked him as ‘ugly’, shunned society in general but has his own small circle family and friends who loved him dearly, and is basically a gentle giant with a burdensome secret. As he found the love of his life again, he will need to find the courage to face his past but will he be able to keep her by his side?
Melody Moon returned to her childhood home which was filled with many good memories but also some pretty awful ones. It’s been a very long time and whilst some things are vague, some are just as bright like Gideon. She came for healing for her daughter but also for herself. She hoped to confront the past and to move on. The past, however, had hid a lot more secrets than she ever knew.
I love alternative POVs in books. I just feel privileged in knowing both sides of the story but sometimes it also drive me nuts because so very often all they needed to do was to talk openly… yeah, all misunderstandings in life will be so easily settled if we all just sit down and talk openly. Whilst I like Gideon well enough, I actually found Melody to be quite annoying and weak. I got quite frustrated with her –she earned some ‘eye-roll’ moments. The characters I was actually fond of this book are actually the minor ones: Sandra, Melody’s friend, and the 3 crusty old poker buddies of Gideon. I reckon they are the gem in this story.
The romance is kind sweet and I was kept entertained enough at home not to feel cooped up so overall it is a good light read for a restful [though many timed interrupted] day.
Thank you, Astraea Press, for copy of the book in exchange of honest review.
December 4, 2012
PDF free for honest review
Melody returns to her hometown with her eight year old daughter after she divorces her husband after the accident he caused that left Ruthie, her daughter, disfigured. She buys a place called Catalpa Hall, a place that holds many memories for her good and bad from her childhood. It was here that Melody and Gideon would hide out when Dean, Melody's older brother, and Jackson, his evil friend, would call them the "double uglies" and beat on Gideon. It was their "safe haven" and was where they formed a very special, close bond with each other. Melody isn't a "true" albino, but doesn't have pigment in her skin or hair, making her look almost ghostly and Gideon was born with a Port Wine Stain on his face. They feel safe and comfortable together because to each other they are not weird or ugly, they are similar. When Melody was little though, her brother Dean drowned in the pond by Catalpa Hall. It was shortly after that, that Gideon and his odd family left and never came back. Now as memories flood Melody's mind she can't help but wonder what happened to Gideon and where he is, but how can you find someone when you don't even know their last name? Soon, with a little luck, she finds Gideon and they start to reconnect and have a relationship. That is until he suddenly stops seeing her and won't tell her why. What secrets is Gideon hiding? Why won't he talk to Melody all of the sudden when they were getting along so well? Does it have something to do with the fact that Ruthie just had surgery to help "fix" her face? Does Gideon resent that Ruthie can maybe look "normal" again when he never could, so he doesn't want to see her? Or is it something much deeper than that?
I absolutely loved this book! The writing was amazing and so detailed, yet not too detailed that it felt over the top. The characters wowed me the most, they were so developed and thought out and brought to life by the author. I fell for Gideon right away and also the sweet Melody and her loving daughter Ruthie. I also couldn't help but dislike Dean and her side-kick Jackson as kids and I hated Jackson even more as the adult he grew in to. I felt like I was reading faster and faster just so I could see what would happen and how things would play out in this book of twisted webs. I truly felt for Melody, she is a single Mom doing the best she can and now she is in the middle of a mixed up drama scene between Gideon and Jackson, not knowing which way to go or who to lean on or believe. The only one she should and can count on is her precious little Ruthie. She seems to see the writing on the wall as they say better than anyone. This is a sweet, yet dramatic romance that you can't help but read through to the end in as few sittings as possible. It also makes a great point of, you never know who really may be watching you or what you are doing. Are you really doing things unseen or do you just hope you are?
5/5 Stars!
Melody returns to her hometown with her eight year old daughter after she divorces her husband after the accident he caused that left Ruthie, her daughter, disfigured. She buys a place called Catalpa Hall, a place that holds many memories for her good and bad from her childhood. It was here that Melody and Gideon would hide out when Dean, Melody's older brother, and Jackson, his evil friend, would call them the "double uglies" and beat on Gideon. It was their "safe haven" and was where they formed a very special, close bond with each other. Melody isn't a "true" albino, but doesn't have pigment in her skin or hair, making her look almost ghostly and Gideon was born with a Port Wine Stain on his face. They feel safe and comfortable together because to each other they are not weird or ugly, they are similar. When Melody was little though, her brother Dean drowned in the pond by Catalpa Hall. It was shortly after that, that Gideon and his odd family left and never came back. Now as memories flood Melody's mind she can't help but wonder what happened to Gideon and where he is, but how can you find someone when you don't even know their last name? Soon, with a little luck, she finds Gideon and they start to reconnect and have a relationship. That is until he suddenly stops seeing her and won't tell her why. What secrets is Gideon hiding? Why won't he talk to Melody all of the sudden when they were getting along so well? Does it have something to do with the fact that Ruthie just had surgery to help "fix" her face? Does Gideon resent that Ruthie can maybe look "normal" again when he never could, so he doesn't want to see her? Or is it something much deeper than that?
I absolutely loved this book! The writing was amazing and so detailed, yet not too detailed that it felt over the top. The characters wowed me the most, they were so developed and thought out and brought to life by the author. I fell for Gideon right away and also the sweet Melody and her loving daughter Ruthie. I also couldn't help but dislike Dean and her side-kick Jackson as kids and I hated Jackson even more as the adult he grew in to. I felt like I was reading faster and faster just so I could see what would happen and how things would play out in this book of twisted webs. I truly felt for Melody, she is a single Mom doing the best she can and now she is in the middle of a mixed up drama scene between Gideon and Jackson, not knowing which way to go or who to lean on or believe. The only one she should and can count on is her precious little Ruthie. She seems to see the writing on the wall as they say better than anyone. This is a sweet, yet dramatic romance that you can't help but read through to the end in as few sittings as possible. It also makes a great point of, you never know who really may be watching you or what you are doing. Are you really doing things unseen or do you just hope you are?
5/5 Stars!
July 23, 2013
This sweet romance had a bit of a gothic feel, which totally made me fall in love with it. Although I definitely did not have the childhood she had, I could definitely relate to Melody. I just wish that she learned the true motives of the rake she was involved with - the end felt just a tad unresolved.
July 17, 2012
I really enjoyed this book! I can't believe there haven't been any reviews on it yet. I found this book on my library website (Kindle edition). I usually check Goodreads before actually checking a book out to read, and I'm so glad I didn't over look it since it didn't have any reviews.
December 18, 2012
Not my ususal book. It was an interesting read however. The thing I really liked is that is clean. The romance was a little awkward but came together as you expect in the end.
October 21, 2013
Such a great read! Certainly is an easy read, but I did not mind at all. Lori is an amazing writer. I highly recommend all four of her books and can not wait to read more from her!
Displaying 1 - 6 of 6 reviews