I am a great fan of Lawana Blackwell's other books, especially the the London & Gresham series. Carley and her relatives are more two-dimensional by comparison. I guess I was just unable to develop the same love for the characters in A Table by the Window. One reviewer compared them to those in the Mitford series, which is a far stretch. For those who have never read Ms. Blackwell's books, all other books by her are much better and definitely worth your time. For true fans, reading this one is worth your time, but it is not her best book by far.

I have to admit I have a soft spot in my heart for any book whose main character opens her own cafe or bookstore, as food & books are two are my favorite things in life! And, having worked in both restaurants & bookstores, the storylines bring back fond memories for me.

The characters in this book are just wonderful and remind me of Jan Karon's Mitford books. The mystery that adds the line of suspense throughout the book was done well. While the reader begins to know early on who is responsible for the "mystery" death(s), it only adds to the suspense at wondering when Carley, the main character, will begin to put the pieces together. And while it is much easier to make your characters either "good guys or bad guys", Ms. Blackwell gives all her characters depth & humanity, even the person responsible for the hit & run death that is the center of the mystery.

Carley's belief in God but many questions about why He allowed certain things to happen in her life will speak to many readers.

I would recommend this book highly!

Lawana Blackwell did a fantastic job of creating a contemporary story in quaint Mississippi. Her character development was superb with the complexities of Carley's and Brooke's characters. Carley Reed is a teacher in California, living the life she fixed for herself after her unstable mother, Linda dies. She focuses on her teaching trying to forget her rough upbringing until one day a P.I. arrives, saying her grandmother has died and left her quite a sizable heritance. After being fired from the prestigious school, Carley decides to travel to Mississippi, to the little town of Tallulah to see her grandmother's estate for herself. After meeting the local people and seeing the quaintness of the small town life, Carley decides to stay and open a cafe. Then comes Brooke, a high-school dropout whom Carley takes under her wing after learning about Brooke's almost identitical rough start in life as Carley, herself. To add to the suspense in the story, there is a unsolved hit and run of the local pastor's wife and the murderer could be closer to Carley than she realized. Then there is Carley's refusal to attend church with other believers because of the horrific ordeal she has gone through with a "believer". Will Carley turn her heart back to God and trust His believers? Will the murderer be found before Carley finds herself in an even worse situation than ever before? I loved this story very much and I am so looking forward to Lawana's next contemporary book.