The Sweet Gum Tree in Never Too Old For Y.A. & N.A. Books

Apr 25, 2012 Nance rated it really liked it

Shelves: nance-rr-2012-challenge, contemporary-romance, books-read-2012

Everybody who reads this emotionally-charged romance seems to really enjoy it, and I too, was no exception to that feeling. The Sweet Gum Tree follows southerner Alix French living in the Crowley Ridge area of Arkansas from the young age of eight until she is a grown woman. She’s a member of the respectable “French” family. Alix lives with her grandfather, Judge, her mother, Ellie, and two aunts, Darla and Jane, in the small town of Morganville. Her father, James, was not around because he had r Everybody who reads this emotionally-charged romance seems to really enjoy it, and I too, was no exception to that feeling. The Sweet Gum Tree follows southerner Alix French living in the Crowley Ridge area of Arkansas from the young age of eight until she is a grown woman. She’s a member of the respectable “French” family. Alix lives with her grandfather, Judge, her mother, Ellie, and two aunts, Darla and Jane, in the small town of Morganville. Her father, James, was not around because he had run off before she was even born. At a young age, she loved to follow her grandfather around, and on one particular day, she decides that she wants to accompany him to the local salvage yard for a fuel pump for the ’52 Chevy that he is restoring. The salvage yard’s owner, Frank Anderson, is a bitter and large man that is often drunk regularly spouting comments about how everyone thinks that they are better than he is. Alix strikes up a conversation while at the salvage yard with Nick, Frank’s 10-year-old son whom he often abuses both verbally and physically. After that initial meeting, there forever starts a bond of friendship that the two share. Alix and Nick become extremely close as friends, but as they emerge into adolescence, Alix’s feelings for Nick begin to grow in a whole different direction...she wants him to notice her as more than a friend - more like a woman. But, standing in the way, is Nick’s friendship with another girl, Lindsey Swanner. Lindsey, a quiet and shy young girl, has been protected by Nick for years, and Alix wonders just what kind of relationship the pair actually have...some jealousy is apparent from Alix. As the years pass, Alix and Nick do become involved romantically and experience ups and downs, but none is as devastating as when a misunderstanding causes Nick to leave town while Alix is harboring a life-altering secret from him. Will these two find themselves reuniting? What is the secret that Alix keeps from Nick? And, when they do finally come together in a chance meeting, will past altercations keep them apart? Oh, what a mesmerizing and beautiful romance...full of a powerful connection from two passionate people that reek of courage and tenderness. The two main characters were meant to be together, but there were so many obstacles that kept them apart...both characters were always trying to do the right thing. Just when you thought, “okay, this is it, there is a future for them together”, something else would drive a wedge right through that thought. This was a story of truelove, and through both pitfalls and blessings during their relationship, it just seemed to suggest that, “if it’s truly meant to be, it will happen”. Loved the character of Nick...from the age of 10 right up until he becomes a mature manly man. Putting all his looks aside (which seemed to be scorching hot), he was such a nice guy...always trying to do the right thing while looking out for a person even though the life that he had come from, the wrong side of town, was flowing through his veins. And, there was just something about Alix that made her seem like a caring and compassionate young woman – a person someone could just call friend. It never mattered to her what type of disfunctional family Nick had been born into. She loved him just the same. What a great book! So easy to get into, and you will find yourself rooting for this captivating couple!! ...more

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Mar 09, 2015 Allie rated it really liked it

Shelves: contemporary

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I'm not one for the long reviews with the pictures and everything but here we go anyway. I liked the book, I really did. I absolutely loved it when I first started it. The writing seemed fresh to me, at least compared to the new/young adult books I've been reading lately which are filled with cliche writing and bad grammar. Don't judge my grammar here too harshly; I'm at work at 3:30 in the morning writing this.

But I loved the point of view from her as a child. It's so fascinating and funny to ...more

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Sep 26, 2016 KikiTheKind rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Oh, Nick. You broke my heart, you sewed it back up, and I watched yours split wide open.

Beautiful story. Superb writing. Thank you for bringing Nick to life.

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Nov 11, 2013 Donna rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, romance, heartbreak

Every so often there's a book that reaches across space and time so that it embeds itself into you. It attaches to you so fiercely that days, weeks, months and probably years go by where every time you think of the book, you want to read it again. To live it again. To experience it again for the very first time.

That is exactly what the Sweet Gum Tree is for me. Written so well that I felt spellbound throughout the story - I lived the lives, felt the yearning, despair and redemption.

It's a book ...more

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Mar 11, 2011 Jaime Stricklin rated it it was amazing

Shelves: read-in-2011, favorites

It's been a very long time since a book has grabbed me to the point of reading until early morning hours, stopping to get just enough sleep to make it through the day, then picking it back up until it is completed. The last book I read like that was "Nineteen Minutes" by Jodi Picoult......that was months ago. So was the case with "The Sweet Gum Tree" by Katherine Allred. I just finished it. This was not some silly romance......it was an emotional journey. I will be thinking about this book for a ...more

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Oct 28, 2014 Sharon rated it liked it · review of another edition

Shelves: 2014-read, 2020-read

Typically I have a great dislike for plots that include misunderstandings. The last half of the book had quite a bit of misunderstandings that led to the main characters being apart longer than necessary, and they were a bit contrived (really characters - speak your mind!) - so I didn't like that. BUT, I will admit that I loved the story, AND, The Sweet Gum Tree kept me up way past my bedtime to read how things would turn out. All in all, it was a very entertaining read! ...more

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