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Porch Music
All sixteen-year-old Rose has is what she carries: a pillowcase of clothes, her boyfriend’s unborn child, and a heart full of shame. In the face of 1952’s strict moral code, Seminole matriarch Ma-Ki Ebbing embraces Rose. Ma-Ki, on the fringe of society, clings to her Native American traditions and secrets surrounding her husband’s murder while her adult children unravel from social injustice.
When Ma-Ki’s children were young, Burl Ebbing approached a wealthy, powerful man who had sexually abused his children. The villain shot Burl’s heart right out of him. Twenty years later, Ma-Ki fears that her children will avenge their father’s death and refuses to disclose the criminal’s identity. The Ebbing women band together, marching through a chorus of grit and grind to unite a family once rendered powerless by a people who invaded their land. Will the tragic death of one of her daughters cause Ma-Ki to identify the villain and embrace Rose’s newfound faith?
When Ma-Ki’s children were young, Burl Ebbing approached a wealthy, powerful man who had sexually abused his children. The villain shot Burl’s heart right out of him. Twenty years later, Ma-Ki fears that her children will avenge their father’s death and refuses to disclose the criminal’s identity. The Ebbing women band together, marching through a chorus of grit and grind to unite a family once rendered powerless by a people who invaded their land. Will the tragic death of one of her daughters cause Ma-Ki to identify the villain and embrace Rose’s newfound faith?
9 pages, Audible Audio
Published May 1, 2023
14 people are currently reading
2048 people want to read
About the author
Kathy Maresca
3 books90 followersA native Floridian, Kathy Maresca grew up with a grandmother of Seminole heritage. Kathy served in the Air Force, at the Academy cadet chapel and then at a special operations command. She edited for the University of Florida and taught English, journalism, and drama. Kathy later earned a master’s degree and became credentialed as a rehabilitation counselor, helping people who have cranial nerve disorders. Kathy has been a Guardian ad Litem and a volunteer for a prison fellowship ministry. She lives in North Carolina with her husband, Keith. They enjoy traveling and spending time with their dogs.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 51 reviews
February 15, 2023
I really wanted to like this book by my GR friend Kathy Maresca, but by the end, it was beyond me. A hillbilly tale from the Florida swamps in the early 1950s, told from multiple viewpoints from various family members and friends. There were some likeable characters with Christianity as a major theme. Too convoluted with too many storylines and characters to resonate with me. By the end, once baby Melody Rose is born, I just did not care much anymore. Sorry I did not like it more Kathy. 2.5 stars
October 5, 2022
An unforgettable cast of characters with distinct southern voices drive this multigenerational tale that seeps into your soul like the lyrics of a song you can’t get out of your head. In Kathy Maresca’s debut novel, Porch Music, the beguiling power and pull of first-person narrators tease you along, tugging at you, reeling you in one character at a time. Set in the early 1950s, this loveable but imperfect family made up of blended cultures, has its share of secrets and sorrows, and was inspired by the author’s grandmother and descendants of Seminole heritage.
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June 19, 2025Do you like a clean story that is also a challenging read? Porch Music is literary fiction, written in Southern Gothic style. You can find a family tree on my website, kathymaresca dot com, to give you a visual look at the family and how the characters are related.
Porch Music lived in me long before I wrote it. I wanted to write what I like to read, a complex novel about a family descended from the Seminole tribe. "Descended" is the key word. This family lives on the margin of society in the early 1950's. At this time Southern culture frowned on mixed-ancestry. The story of Ma-Ki Ebbing, the family's matriarch, is told through the voices of several characters as well as Ma-Ki's.
Like the family in the novel, my mother's family descended from Florida's Seminole Tribe. I remember very little about my great-grandmother's folkways, but my mother remembers much more and shared her knowledge with me.
When I was in high school, I made friends with members from the local tribe and had the opportunity to watch their beautiful dances. I wanted to create fiction encapsulating how mixed-ancestry can define a family and to capture a simpler time, back when people gathered on porches to play music. My debut novel is about justice rather than vengeance. About becoming whole instead of being half one thing and half another. Porch Music is about the power of friendship, family, and faith and how important it is to love one another in spite of our differences.
Porch Music lived in me long before I wrote it. I wanted to write what I like to read, a complex novel about a family descended from the Seminole tribe. "Descended" is the key word. This family lives on the margin of society in the early 1950's. At this time Southern culture frowned on mixed-ancestry. The story of Ma-Ki Ebbing, the family's matriarch, is told through the voices of several characters as well as Ma-Ki's.
Like the family in the novel, my mother's family descended from Florida's Seminole Tribe. I remember very little about my great-grandmother's folkways, but my mother remembers much more and shared her knowledge with me.
When I was in high school, I made friends with members from the local tribe and had the opportunity to watch their beautiful dances. I wanted to create fiction encapsulating how mixed-ancestry can define a family and to capture a simpler time, back when people gathered on porches to play music. My debut novel is about justice rather than vengeance. About becoming whole instead of being half one thing and half another. Porch Music is about the power of friendship, family, and faith and how important it is to love one another in spite of our differences.
October 11, 2022
Porch Music is a multi-narrated tale that weaves through the joys and sorrows of the Ebbing family. As the point of view shifts from one character to another, you get an authentic view of rural North Florida in the 1950s through the eyes of the "young-uns" and adults, all of whom are dealing with their own struggles to mature, learn, and let go. Faith plays heavily throughout, and each character discovers hope and love as they journey toward personal resolutions while coming together more strongly as a family. A beautiful story that will stay with you long after you've put the book down.
November 12, 2022
I loved this book and I loved the family. They were extremely strong and had endured many hardships. Each family member had a story to tell. Each story held your interest more than the story before. I learned a lot about the Seminole way of life and the treatment they received from others. Seeing Rose grow from a frightened, lonely girl to a sweet, strong woman and mother was beautiful.
Throughout this book you see a view of rural north Florida through the eyes of the children, adults and even the sweet dog. The author has an endearing writing style that makes you feel that you are in the room with them as they encounter their daily hardships of life. If you are looking for a book that is well written and provides a little history along with an entertaining look into the lives of each member of the Ebbing family, I highly recommend you curling up with Porch Music and move in with them for awhile.
Kathy Maresca, I am now looking forward to reading your next book.
Throughout this book you see a view of rural north Florida through the eyes of the children, adults and even the sweet dog. The author has an endearing writing style that makes you feel that you are in the room with them as they encounter their daily hardships of life. If you are looking for a book that is well written and provides a little history along with an entertaining look into the lives of each member of the Ebbing family, I highly recommend you curling up with Porch Music and move in with them for awhile.
Kathy Maresca, I am now looking forward to reading your next book.
January 17, 2023
I just finished my first read of the year and it did not disappoint! You need to add Porch Music to your tbr pile 😊 Kathy Maresca did a wonderful job bringing her characters to life with this multi narrated story. I loved Ma-Ki! She’s the strong matriarch holding the Ebbing family together with her love and strength. Secrets, sorrow and redemption weave this book into a wonderful read!
December 23, 2022
I was recently blessed with an unexpected day off (a day of reading!) and devoured Porch Music from cover to cover. Once I picked it up, I didn’t want to put it down. It is absolutely immersive and full of rich culture, faith in our amazing God, raw emotions, shame (forced on the characters by the cruelty of others) healed by Christ’s unconditional love. The unbreakable bonds of family, even amidst strained relationships, is beautiful and inspiring. Sprinkled with a bit of humor in just the right places, this book is stunning! Kathy Maresca’s debut novel is a must read, and I cannot wait for her next book to release!
November 3, 2022
This was such an endearing "coming of age" book. My favorite book has always been "Where the Crawdad's Sing" and this book is right up there with that book. It's set in the early 1950's, when times were simpler and people had deep family roots. Each character told their story from their own perspective. It is a beautiful book with loving blended families, some of whom carry hurts from the past. It is a story of truths coming to light from secrets that were held for too long a time. These characters and the Old South of the 50's will stay with me a long time. I can't wait to read the prequel to this story.
August 14, 2023
Are you tired of the same old thing? Read "Porch Music". Kathy Maresca has a master hand with dialect that pulls the reader into a sensitive story of prejudice, family, love and faith set in the 1950's Florida well before it was discovered by northern retirees or Disney Land. The sleepy, marshy lowlands where the Seneca Clan, Whites and Blacks mingle and clash form the backdrop for one extended family and the gift of a baby conceived out of wedlock who draws them together and brings them to faith and family strength to face the past and the present.
April 26, 2023
Rose is a young girl, "in trouble", who finds herself without a home and feeling alone. Enter the Ebbing family. Life for Rose isn't the same again...
Porch Music is a tale of how family can be found when least expected, and when it's most needed. It's connections and relationships like the ones between Rose, the Ebbings and the Littles that show sometimes people, and their hearts, can surprise you.
Much of what Rose went through, I connected deeply with, and in turn connected with most of the story as well. Plenty of tears towards the end let me tell you...LOL.
Overall, I really enjoyed this journey. I did feel lost in the beginning with the constant character changes and different POVs, but after a few chapters it evened out and I quickly got lost in the story.
I would say this is for those who enjoy historical fiction, family drama and women's fiction. This has a good mix and made for a quick read. I sincerely appreciate the author and By the Book BNP for the review copy. All opinions expressed are my own.
Porch Music is a tale of how family can be found when least expected, and when it's most needed. It's connections and relationships like the ones between Rose, the Ebbings and the Littles that show sometimes people, and their hearts, can surprise you.
Much of what Rose went through, I connected deeply with, and in turn connected with most of the story as well. Plenty of tears towards the end let me tell you...LOL.
Overall, I really enjoyed this journey. I did feel lost in the beginning with the constant character changes and different POVs, but after a few chapters it evened out and I quickly got lost in the story.
I would say this is for those who enjoy historical fiction, family drama and women's fiction. This has a good mix and made for a quick read. I sincerely appreciate the author and By the Book BNP for the review copy. All opinions expressed are my own.
December 8, 2022
4.5 stars, rounded up. Porch Music is an ambitious and enjoyable first novel by Kathy Maresca, who manages to juggle multiple first-person perspectives from characters who ultimately and unapologetically overwhelm the plotline. And there is nothing wrong with that.
While the story is primarily about Seminole matriarch, Ma-Ki, who protects her husband's murderer for fear her children might avenge the death, some smaller subplots and threads weave the fabric of this Seminole family together in the 1950s. Enough so, the family members and their unwavering faith stay with the reader more than the overarching story.
Maresca flawlessly captures the region's dialect, adding a layer of authenticity to the novel and bringing her characters to life. But, ironically, this also created one of my quibbles with the book. Sometimes the dialect levels the first-person narratives too much, limiting a distinction that should exist with multiple first-person storytellers. So while their perspectives differ, their voices are not always distinct enough to rise above their shared dialect.
But this is a minor thing when considering the whole of the book. The characters, Buster and Janie, Rose and Ma-Ki, Maggie, and others, have a story to tell. Sure, it's a story about secrets and sometimes intolerance. But it's also a story of family, faith, and hope stitched together in an enjoyable debut.
While the story is primarily about Seminole matriarch, Ma-Ki, who protects her husband's murderer for fear her children might avenge the death, some smaller subplots and threads weave the fabric of this Seminole family together in the 1950s. Enough so, the family members and their unwavering faith stay with the reader more than the overarching story.
Maresca flawlessly captures the region's dialect, adding a layer of authenticity to the novel and bringing her characters to life. But, ironically, this also created one of my quibbles with the book. Sometimes the dialect levels the first-person narratives too much, limiting a distinction that should exist with multiple first-person storytellers. So while their perspectives differ, their voices are not always distinct enough to rise above their shared dialect.
But this is a minor thing when considering the whole of the book. The characters, Buster and Janie, Rose and Ma-Ki, Maggie, and others, have a story to tell. Sure, it's a story about secrets and sometimes intolerance. But it's also a story of family, faith, and hope stitched together in an enjoyable debut.
October 29, 2023
Great debut novel! Strong protagonist(s), a believable synopsis and the details of hardships Native Americans endured, were relayed to the reader extremely well. This novel is based on real stories about experiences told from her grandmother and great grandmother. Some of it is also based on opportunities that she had with Native American Seminoles while in high school. The immense racism between Seminoles and White Americans is depicted in a way that the reader will experience a lot of different emotions. The author wrote in a way that the reader can see how experiences and hardships can shape a person’s entire life. I loved the way the family all sang together and once Rose got saved, the author brought more Christianity songs into the book. Many of the hymns that were sung in the book are Christian songs that are still sung today in churches. Great ending! Reading this book, the reader sees what bitterness, secrets and lies that have been held inside and onto for so long, finally end up bringing this family closer than ever.
Thank you Kathy Maresca for gifting me this book! All opinions here are my own.
Thank you Kathy Maresca for gifting me this book! All opinions here are my own.
November 19, 2023
I had to ruminate on this book for a couple of days before I could review it. My original thoughts when I started this book were not all that favorable, but never fear my attitude had completely changed by the end of book. I will say I wished I would have read this in text. The different povs were sometimes hard to follow in the audio. That being said after a minute the styles of the narrator became easier to recognize.
This is a story of faith and family from a family in the 1950s in the central Florida area. Many threads were woven together to create an amazing story. By the end of this book, I was crying. Many things were convicting.
I recommend this book to people struggling with being worthy of God’s forgiveness. Any Christians or any unbelievers alike who love Southern fiction will enjoy this book.
This is a story of faith and family from a family in the 1950s in the central Florida area. Many threads were woven together to create an amazing story. By the end of this book, I was crying. Many things were convicting.
I recommend this book to people struggling with being worthy of God’s forgiveness. Any Christians or any unbelievers alike who love Southern fiction will enjoy this book.
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December 26, 2023Although the large number of viewpoints was sometimes distracting and confusing, I enjoyed this unique story. I loved the setting and era and how authentic and honest it felt. It was a heartfelt journey and I recommend this book to readers who like literary inspirational fiction.
May 11, 2023
3.5 ⭐
A few weeks ago I was sent a copy of Porch Music and was surprised to find how much I have in common with the author. Turns out that not only did she used to live here in Pensacola, she also lived pretty close to where I'm from in Texas. It's a small world after all!
The familiarity didn't stop there though, as there were echoes of my childhood written into these pages; sticky southern nights spent watching the adults dance to the picking of banjos and guitars at our local music barn. Afternoons spent with cousins, running wild down dirt roads and learning to drive old trucks in the neighboring fields. The uncertainty and upheaval of moving to yet another new place and once again being the new kid in school. For me the book was very nostalgic, our stories separated by a few decades and at times, the Florida/Georgia line.
I found the writing to be atmospheric and, along with the integration of music and indigenous culture, very evocative of the slow, meandering spirit of Old Florida and the deep South.
Music takes on a character of its own in Porch Music and throughout the book you'll find nearly 50 folk-country, gospel and bluegrass standards, a soundtrack of the south, which I turned into a playlist, search Porch Music on Spotify.
I will say for me I found the Christianity and religious fervour to be a bit heavy handed at times, and would have loved to have even more of the Seminole culture and language woven into the story to balance it out. However I thought the inclusion of Kathy's family photos at the end of the book were a thoughtful and meaningful touch that helped put a face to the characters
A few weeks ago I was sent a copy of Porch Music and was surprised to find how much I have in common with the author. Turns out that not only did she used to live here in Pensacola, she also lived pretty close to where I'm from in Texas. It's a small world after all!
The familiarity didn't stop there though, as there were echoes of my childhood written into these pages; sticky southern nights spent watching the adults dance to the picking of banjos and guitars at our local music barn. Afternoons spent with cousins, running wild down dirt roads and learning to drive old trucks in the neighboring fields. The uncertainty and upheaval of moving to yet another new place and once again being the new kid in school. For me the book was very nostalgic, our stories separated by a few decades and at times, the Florida/Georgia line.
I found the writing to be atmospheric and, along with the integration of music and indigenous culture, very evocative of the slow, meandering spirit of Old Florida and the deep South.
Music takes on a character of its own in Porch Music and throughout the book you'll find nearly 50 folk-country, gospel and bluegrass standards, a soundtrack of the south, which I turned into a playlist, search Porch Music on Spotify.
I will say for me I found the Christianity and religious fervour to be a bit heavy handed at times, and would have loved to have even more of the Seminole culture and language woven into the story to balance it out. However I thought the inclusion of Kathy's family photos at the end of the book were a thoughtful and meaningful touch that helped put a face to the characters
May 29, 2024
A book that takes you to another time and place that you wouldn't otherwise have thought of visiting. Florida in the 1950s. A half-Seminole Indian family, with lots of hurt and secrets going away back. The vernacular, the metaphors, the descriptions of the way the characters move and talk all bring them to life and suddenly you find yourself caring about what happens to them and feeling their pain. Kathy Maresca is a gifted author with a unique way of spinning a gripping tale.
Currently reading
December 27, 2023DNF
November 4, 2022
Porch Music shows how secrets in a family can tear it apart, while music is a constant that manifests joy. Kathy Maresca vividly demonstrates how kindness and tolerance do not belong exclusively to one faith. Having kindness shown to a character helped to solidify her path. Character development is strong and pulls you into the story. The dialect helps to visualize the characters of Seminole descent. Many artifacts and values of the Seminole culture are presented throughout the book which educated me. Family, love, religion, tragedy and redemption are all in this book with exquisite detail. Porch Music is a must read to learn how this family begins the healing process.
April 6, 2023
4⭐️. I received this book from By The Book VBP in exchange for reading and reviewing it. I honestly didn't know what to expect from an unfamiliar author but the blurb sounded interesting.
Initially, the multiple POV was a little confusing, but as I read it cleared up. Kathy even did a great job of making each character's speech style stand out (for instance, I knew without checking if it was a Rose section due to adding "a" before verbs and if it was a Janie section because of her fondness for saying "Great day in Green Cove").
There are a few different plotlines, but ultimately they seem to work well together. There were no glaring loose ends left that I noticed, so that was another positive. I had no real previous knowledge of Seminole culture. Porch Music did a nice job of introducing the culture to an unfamiliar reader.
Initially, the multiple POV was a little confusing, but as I read it cleared up. Kathy even did a great job of making each character's speech style stand out (for instance, I knew without checking if it was a Rose section due to adding "a" before verbs and if it was a Janie section because of her fondness for saying "Great day in Green Cove").
There are a few different plotlines, but ultimately they seem to work well together. There were no glaring loose ends left that I noticed, so that was another positive. I had no real previous knowledge of Seminole culture. Porch Music did a nice job of introducing the culture to an unfamiliar reader.
December 26, 2023
4.25 stars - listened via Audible audiobook - Read in October 2023. I won this audiobooks from Kav’s Best Reads on Wordpress.
I have to admit that the pretty cover pulled me in initially. The content was somewhat different than I was used to and I was intrigued. I wanted to listen to an audio version and I’m glad that I did because the narrators did a really good job.
As a Canadian, I don’t know much about Native American tribes in contrast to our First Nations’ people. This was educational for me as well as a good story. This story featured people of the Seminole Tribe.
I did have some trouble keeping everyone straight for a while — who they were related to or connected to, etc. The family tree from the author’s website helps.
My favourite characters are Rose and Ma-Ki. Rose’s love for Jesus is inspirational. Ma-Ki’s compassion for hurting and displaced people is heartwarming. The pastor and his wife were also so dear.
Many characters in this novel have so much hurt and baggage. It’s hard to see people treated poorly because of race, position, economic status, etc. It was such a direct contrast to the love and giving nature of Rose and Ma-Ki, who also dealt with a lot of pain and challenges in their pasts. The challenge is to take our circumstances and grow from them. Learn from the challenges and don’t let them yank you down. Rise above and spread love and grace to others. Family is not just about blood.
I appreciate the message of faith, love, grace, forgiveness, and the power of God. It is woven in throughout the story. The story brings the fake walks and claims into the light. The true heart for Jesus shines.
There are a couple of spots toward the end where tears welled up. They are powerful moments.
This was a really good debut novel for the author and it had a touching ending.
I have to admit that the pretty cover pulled me in initially. The content was somewhat different than I was used to and I was intrigued. I wanted to listen to an audio version and I’m glad that I did because the narrators did a really good job.
As a Canadian, I don’t know much about Native American tribes in contrast to our First Nations’ people. This was educational for me as well as a good story. This story featured people of the Seminole Tribe.
I did have some trouble keeping everyone straight for a while — who they were related to or connected to, etc. The family tree from the author’s website helps.
My favourite characters are Rose and Ma-Ki. Rose’s love for Jesus is inspirational. Ma-Ki’s compassion for hurting and displaced people is heartwarming. The pastor and his wife were also so dear.
Many characters in this novel have so much hurt and baggage. It’s hard to see people treated poorly because of race, position, economic status, etc. It was such a direct contrast to the love and giving nature of Rose and Ma-Ki, who also dealt with a lot of pain and challenges in their pasts. The challenge is to take our circumstances and grow from them. Learn from the challenges and don’t let them yank you down. Rise above and spread love and grace to others. Family is not just about blood.
I appreciate the message of faith, love, grace, forgiveness, and the power of God. It is woven in throughout the story. The story brings the fake walks and claims into the light. The true heart for Jesus shines.
There are a couple of spots toward the end where tears welled up. They are powerful moments.
This was a really good debut novel for the author and it had a touching ending.
October 4, 2022
Porch Music takes us back to the early 1950's in Northeast Florida and a time of a simpler life, one where families and communities came together on their front porches to sing and visit. Ma-Ki Ebbing is a wise and caring woman, born of the Seminole Tribe of Florida heritage. Prejudice of her heritage made her life hard at times and that of her children, as we read the story from the viewpoint of different characters, in their own dialect. Rose is a young sixteen girl whose mother kicked her out because she is pregnant. Ma takes her in and takes care of her. Ma's son Percy is the father of Rose's baby. Preacher Jeremiah Little and his wife Daisy come into Rose's life and show her God's love that fills her with a "peace like a river," gradually touching other members of the Ebbing family, healing those hurts. Rich in Seminole history and traditions, this is a story that will touch your heart and stay with you for a while.
I received a copy from the author for the purpose of an honest review. All thoughts are mine only.
I received a copy from the author for the purpose of an honest review. All thoughts are mine only.
October 4, 2022
A breathtaking, lyrical novel, Porch Music is a portrait of a family with a rich heritage and heartbreaking secret.
Maresca’s writing is lovely and poetic. Using striking descriptions, brilliant metaphors, and authentic dialogue, she seamlessly transports the reader to another place and time—to another family’s front porch in 1950s Florida.
Just as her character, Seminole Matriarch Ma-Ki Ebbing, seamlessly weaves a basket in a scene with her granddaughter, Maresca expertly weaves description, dialogue, music, and the small moments that build families to create a strong and beautiful story.
An ode to music, outcasts, heritage, family, and faith, Porch Music is an absorbing, evocative novel that you won’t be able to put down until the last exquisitely written note
Maresca’s writing is lovely and poetic. Using striking descriptions, brilliant metaphors, and authentic dialogue, she seamlessly transports the reader to another place and time—to another family’s front porch in 1950s Florida.
Just as her character, Seminole Matriarch Ma-Ki Ebbing, seamlessly weaves a basket in a scene with her granddaughter, Maresca expertly weaves description, dialogue, music, and the small moments that build families to create a strong and beautiful story.
An ode to music, outcasts, heritage, family, and faith, Porch Music is an absorbing, evocative novel that you won’t be able to put down until the last exquisitely written note
September 1, 2023
A really interesting fiction, that took place in Florida. A rich depiction of the poor and the prejudices that occurred towards the Seminoles. Recommended for readers that like historical fiction from the early 1950’s. The book has won a bunch of awards and the writing of the dialect is very fascinating.
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February 20, 2023MWSA Review
With the same precision and care that Ma-Ki Ebbing took to create her sawtooth quilt, Kathy Maresca has weaved a story stitched with strength and resiliency. Sixteen-year-old and pregnant Rose, banished from her family home, finds acceptance with Ma who knows the stain of prejudice and hypocrisy only too well. Set in northern Florida during the early fifties in a place where “progress moves backwards instead of forwards,” reflections on Seminole spirituality, Christian faith, and a woman’s strength are the threads that hold the pieces together. Four more characters patch in their own intricate first-person voices to the tapestry. Sharing inner thoughts and experience, each one invites the reader to understand how events impact behavior. Vivid images bring place and time into clear view. And then there’s the music: folk songs, traditional hymns, and even “America the Beautiful” sung at just the right moment, like the appropriate tune that appears out of nowhere to match a mood. A riveting ending promises to unlock truths held captive in long-kept secrets. Ma’s Seminole wisdom adds touches of color that linger like gems in any great work of art: “We live in a white world, better to have them fit in than to teach them things that set them apart.” “Ain’t every Christian bad. But if somebody’s pure evil, you can count on one thing. He’ll call himself a Christian.”
Review by Janette Stone (February 2023)
With the same precision and care that Ma-Ki Ebbing took to create her sawtooth quilt, Kathy Maresca has weaved a story stitched with strength and resiliency. Sixteen-year-old and pregnant Rose, banished from her family home, finds acceptance with Ma who knows the stain of prejudice and hypocrisy only too well. Set in northern Florida during the early fifties in a place where “progress moves backwards instead of forwards,” reflections on Seminole spirituality, Christian faith, and a woman’s strength are the threads that hold the pieces together. Four more characters patch in their own intricate first-person voices to the tapestry. Sharing inner thoughts and experience, each one invites the reader to understand how events impact behavior. Vivid images bring place and time into clear view. And then there’s the music: folk songs, traditional hymns, and even “America the Beautiful” sung at just the right moment, like the appropriate tune that appears out of nowhere to match a mood. A riveting ending promises to unlock truths held captive in long-kept secrets. Ma’s Seminole wisdom adds touches of color that linger like gems in any great work of art: “We live in a white world, better to have them fit in than to teach them things that set them apart.” “Ain’t every Christian bad. But if somebody’s pure evil, you can count on one thing. He’ll call himself a Christian.”
Review by Janette Stone (February 2023)
September 22, 2023
This book grew on me as I progressed. I found it a think book. The author did not lay everything out in the open and explain. I liked that more as I figured things out. Some things were still left hazy (for me; I may have missed some clues.)
But it is also the type of book where the characters will stick with you for a while after you finish reading. A bit haunting and plenty sad. But also a great showing of God at work.
But it is also the type of book where the characters will stick with you for a while after you finish reading. A bit haunting and plenty sad. But also a great showing of God at work.
October 5, 2022
There's something about being happy that makes us think about how sad things used to be.
Porch music is filled with music -- both happy and sad. Families and friends gather together on the porch to make music together in times both good and bad. Set in the early 1950's of the Old South, this book does not shy away from the sins of that era. Kathy Maresca's fictional family is in part of Seminole descent and there were often "good, churchgoing" people who did not treat them with the love of Christ. There are sinners in this book -- murderers, adulterers, child molesters. Many are in bondage to sin. There is only one way to be released from that prison. What I loved about this book was the healing grace of Jesus and the freedom that was given to those who were truly His. There are multiple POVs and many of them lift up prayers to God showing us just what their needs are and helping us to get to know them in a more intimate way. Highly recommended!
A big thank you and best wishes to Kathy Maresca for sharing her manuscript before publication. All opinions are my own.
Porch music is filled with music -- both happy and sad. Families and friends gather together on the porch to make music together in times both good and bad. Set in the early 1950's of the Old South, this book does not shy away from the sins of that era. Kathy Maresca's fictional family is in part of Seminole descent and there were often "good, churchgoing" people who did not treat them with the love of Christ. There are sinners in this book -- murderers, adulterers, child molesters. Many are in bondage to sin. There is only one way to be released from that prison. What I loved about this book was the healing grace of Jesus and the freedom that was given to those who were truly His. There are multiple POVs and many of them lift up prayers to God showing us just what their needs are and helping us to get to know them in a more intimate way. Highly recommended!
A big thank you and best wishes to Kathy Maresca for sharing her manuscript before publication. All opinions are my own.
January 6, 2023
Told from multiple viewpoints, Porch Music follows a part Seminole family and their struggles to rise above the injustices they faced.
This is not my typical read, but the story was interesting and builds to a stunning conclusion.
Porch Music shows how secrets can damage a family and how Jesus can redeem it.
A review copy was provided by the author, a positive review was not required.
This is not my typical read, but the story was interesting and builds to a stunning conclusion.
Porch Music shows how secrets can damage a family and how Jesus can redeem it.
A review copy was provided by the author, a positive review was not required.
February 1, 2023
Wonderful story!
May 3, 2023
Rose, a sixteen-year-old girl, carries only a pillowcase of clothes, her boyfriend's unborn child, and a heavy burden of shame. However, despite the strict moral code of 1952, Ma-Ki Ebbing, a Seminole matriarch who lives on the outskirts of society, takes Rose under her wing. Ma-Ki holds onto her Native American traditions and keeps secrets about her husband's murder while her adult children suffer from social injustice.
When Ma-Ki's children were young, Burl Ebbing confronted a wealthy and powerful man who had sexually abused his children. The man shot Burl, killing him. Twenty years later, Ma-Ki is afraid that her children will seek revenge, so she refuses to reveal the identity of the perpetrator. The Ebbing women come together, facing a difficult struggle to reunite a family that was once powerless after their land was taken over by outsiders. The tragic death of one of Ma-Ki's daughters raises the question of whether Ma-Ki will reveal the identity of the murderer and accept Rose's newfound faith.
In general, I found this book enjoyable. Although I initially struggled with the frequent shifts in characters and points of view, I eventually adjusted and became fully engrossed in the narrative. This would be a good choice for readers who appreciate historical fiction, family conflicts, and women-centered stories. The combination of these elements created a fast-paced and engaging read.
When Ma-Ki's children were young, Burl Ebbing confronted a wealthy and powerful man who had sexually abused his children. The man shot Burl, killing him. Twenty years later, Ma-Ki is afraid that her children will seek revenge, so she refuses to reveal the identity of the perpetrator. The Ebbing women come together, facing a difficult struggle to reunite a family that was once powerless after their land was taken over by outsiders. The tragic death of one of Ma-Ki's daughters raises the question of whether Ma-Ki will reveal the identity of the murderer and accept Rose's newfound faith.
In general, I found this book enjoyable. Although I initially struggled with the frequent shifts in characters and points of view, I eventually adjusted and became fully engrossed in the narrative. This would be a good choice for readers who appreciate historical fiction, family conflicts, and women-centered stories. The combination of these elements created a fast-paced and engaging read.
June 24, 2023
Porch Music is the story of a part-Seminole, part-White family in 1950s Florida, including Ma-Ki, the proud, practical matriarch; her damaged daughter Maggie; naïve, shamed Rose, pregnant and unmarried at 16; and cousins Janie and Buster whose narration offers a sweet, childish perspective on their family as they themselves move through adolescence and struggle to define their relationship.
Two violent acts haunt the family, but are very much an undercurrent, rippling the surface of their lives but never the outspoken focus. As families do, they simply carry on, trying to make the best of their circumstances in most cases or, in the case of Maggie, giving up on a normal life and embracing chaos.
Porch Music reads like a simple family story, yet interwoven throughout are racism, injustice, the tension between Christians and Native Americans, and the stark divide between God-spouting Christians and true Christians.
The characters are colorful, memorable and, most of all, authentic. Their voices are distinct, and each is lovely in its cadence.
Like the formal and spontaneous musical collaborations that take place throughout the novel, usually on a porch, this story pulses with life. The age-old themes it explores -- shame, forgiveness, love and family – are all depicted with enormous tenderness.
Two violent acts haunt the family, but are very much an undercurrent, rippling the surface of their lives but never the outspoken focus. As families do, they simply carry on, trying to make the best of their circumstances in most cases or, in the case of Maggie, giving up on a normal life and embracing chaos.
Porch Music reads like a simple family story, yet interwoven throughout are racism, injustice, the tension between Christians and Native Americans, and the stark divide between God-spouting Christians and true Christians.
The characters are colorful, memorable and, most of all, authentic. Their voices are distinct, and each is lovely in its cadence.
Like the formal and spontaneous musical collaborations that take place throughout the novel, usually on a porch, this story pulses with life. The age-old themes it explores -- shame, forgiveness, love and family – are all depicted with enormous tenderness.
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