From the Bookshelf of The Indie Bookshelf…

The Sweet Gum Tree

Katherine Allred

Start date: February 15, 2013

Finish date: February 28, 2013

Discussion: Book Club

Discussion leader: Lindsay

Why we're reading this: Book Club 2/15 - 2/28
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Book Club

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🔥 UNSPOKEN HEARTS 🔥
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What Members Thought

Sep 16, 2009 Anne OK rated it it was amazing

Shelves: 2022-reads

This is one of the best romance books I've ever read. Set in the south and begins when the lead characters are children drawn together by tragedy. Great storyline with wonderful characters. This is a book I read over and over - it is that good! And my treasured copy will always have a special place on my keeper shelf.

Update on 4/22/2022

Another five years have flown by since I visited The Sweet Gum Tree and Nick Anderson and Alix French. Feeling a little down and sad, I knew I needed to visit ol ...more

47 likes · Like · see review

Feb 10, 2010 KarenH rated it it was amazing

Shelves: keep-the-kleenex-close-by, top-30ish-favorites, keepers, definitely-worth-your-while, sexy-with-a-capital-s-hero, paperback-5-stars-plus, the-real-keepers-in-paperback

This is the story of Alix French, a vivacious, outgoing girl who, at 8 years old, befriends a quiet 10-yr-old boy from the wrong side of town.

This is the story of Nick Anderson, the abused son of an alcoholic who allows a cute little girl in pigtails to tend to the welts on his back..happy to have his first real friend.

This is a story of betrayal & redemption...of the joys life brings and the sadness death leaves in its wake. It is a story of shattered dreams and finding strength to rebuild th ...more

20 likes · Like · see review

Nov 10, 2011 Jenny - TotallybookedBlog rated it it was amazing

I found this book to be a really emotional read and certainly did cry through this let me tell you.

You will love these characters. You will feel so invested in them especially as we follow them from childhood. How could you not. These are truly wonderful characters.

Yes, this is a love story, but it is so much more. It's a beautiful story that spans time within the lives of Alix and Nick. It is a story that is so well written you will feel that you are on the journey through life with these two. ...more

16 likes · Like · see review

Sep 25, 2012 Hazel Anne ~Javier Bernal~Kingsley Edge~Dex Foray~ rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: personal-favorites, couldnt-shake-it-off-my-system, want-to-possess-the-physical-copy, leave-me-alone-to-die-with-my-feels, not-stable-enough-to-talk-about-it

THIS!!!

Shit mother effer I am sitting here, ripped apart, so drained out and absolutely numb.
Whatta story!
Definitely worth losing sleep over that it deserves 10+++++ stars!!!!!
Full thoughts soon once I recover my equilibrium and until all the initial heartbreak wears off but in the meantime, I just really want to hide from everyone and continue:

...more

6 likes · Like · see review

Jun 21, 2012 Jennifer rated it it was amazing

Shelves: favorites, made-me-cry, book-boyfriend, angsty, romance, friends-to-lovers

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here.

2 likes · Like · see review

Apr 25, 2012 Nance rated it really liked it

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

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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Jan 13, 2013 Betsy rated it really liked it

Shelves: romance, contemporary-romance

This book is sweet just like the title says. I loved the tone of the book from page one. I wanted more though. The author glazes over a large chunk of time with narrative summary and I just wanted more. The story was wonderful and sad and wonderful! I read the whole book in one sitting, but because I wanted more I kind of felt jibed when it was all over. Why didn't she add more? The strongest part of the book for me, was the beginning when she set up Alix and Nick as children. The backstory gave ...more

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Jul 25, 2012 Ellen W-S rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

Shelves: unforgettable-read, highly-recommended, still-thinking-of-this-book, emotional-worth-every-tear, read-in-2016, best-of-2016

Fabulously Beautiful Read!

First love, joy, youth, desire, compassion, complications, violence, despair, loss, resilience, determination, vulnerability, laughter, tears, everlasting love....what a confluence of emotions beautifully written. A must-read.

1 like · Like · see review

Aug 06, 2012 Luisa rated it really liked it

Shelves: favorites, 2012-reads

4.5 stars, full review in my blog: http://wp.me/p2OWZy-2v ...more

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Oct 12, 2011 Martha rated it it was amazing · review of another edition

I did not want this book to end! This book has SOOOOO many emotions running through it, friendship, like, lust, love, hate, anger, sorrow, passion, loss, understanding…it’s CRAZY! It has such a wonder and beautiful story of Nick and Alix. I love how their story started at friendship and then progressed both up and down from there. Gosh what they had to go through and endure would cause most people to just run away and hide. I really didn’t like Lindsey from the beginning. I understand why Nick w ...more

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