Back Home Again (Tales from Grace Chapel Inn, Book 1) [Paperback]

Melody Carlson (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: October 15, 2006

Once you visit the charming village of Acorn Hill, you'll never want to leave. Here, the three Howard sisters rekindle old memories, rediscover the bonds of sisterhood, revel in the blessings of friendship, and meet many fascinating guests along the way. The sleepy town of Acorn Hill is in for a surprise when the three Howard sisters reunite after the death of their father. Each has inherited a share of his worn-down Victorian house, and they dream of turning the family home into a bed-and-breakfast. But these three women are as different as siblings can be - can they survive living together, let alone going into business together? It looks like their dream may be headed for disaster! Only by learning to work together, trusting in God, and accepting a little help from their friends can the three sisters see Grace Chapel Inn open its doors.

Editorial Reviews

From the Back Cover

The sleepy town of Acorn Hill is in for a surprise when the three Howard sisters reunite after the death of their father. Each has inherited a share of his worn-down Victorian house, and they dream of turning the family home into a bed-and-breakfast.

But these three women are as different as siblings can be-can they survive living together, let alone going into business together? It looks like their dream may be headed for disaster!

Only by learning to work together, trusting in God, and accepting a little help from their friends can the three sisters see Grace Chapel Inn open it doors.

About the Author

Melody Carlson has published more than ninety books, with sales totaling more than two million copies. Her writing awards include the ECPA Gold Medallion and the RITA Award. She is the author of The Diary of a Teenage Girl series, Finding Alice, Crystal Lies, and The Whispering Pines series.

Carlson lives in central Oregon with her husband, where they enjoy spending time in the beautiful Cascade Mountains.

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Product Details

• Paperback: 308 pages
• Publisher: Ideals Publications; Retail edition (October 15, 2006)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0824947002
• ISBN-13: 978-0824947002
• Product Dimensions: 8 x 5.1 x 0.8 inches
• Shipping Weight: 14.1 ounces (View shipping rates and policies)
• Average Customer Review: 4.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (12 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #384,760 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Melody Carlson has written around 200 books for teens, women and children. That's a lot of books, but mostly she considers herself a "storyteller." Her books range from serious issues like schizophrenia (Finding Alice) to lighter topics like house-flipping (A Mile in My Flip-Flops) but most of the inspiration behind her fiction comes right out of real life. Her young adult novels (Diary of a Teenage Girl, TrueColors etc.) appeal to teenage girls around the world. Her annual Christmas novellas become more popular each year. She's won a number of awards (including the Rita and Gold Medallion) and some of her books have been optioned for film/TV. Carlson has two grown sons and makes her home in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and yellow Lab dog. To find out more about Melody Carlson, visit her website at http://www.melodycarlson.com/

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

32 of 33 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars When you want something light and soothing, June 5, 2007

By 

FaithfulReader.com (New York, New York) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Back Home Again (Tales from Grace Chapel Inn, Book 1) (Paperback)

Newly available in paperback, and the first in a series by multiple authors, BACK HOME AGAIN delivers just what its cover promises --- a nice, faith-filled escapist read. Veteran author Melody Carlson (who has written more than 90 books) pens book one in the Tales from Grace Chapel Inn.

The saga of three aging sisters begins as they succumb to the Christian fiction cliché: turning their family's old Victorian house into a bed and breakfast. Yes, you've seen this in so many other Christian novels, but Carlson is a competent author and crafts a relatively smooth story around this worn plot idea. The house is in need of paint and a new roof, and hasn't been kept up for many decades. Alice, the protagonist, notes, "Of course, she knew the house was run down, but it was a friendly sort of wornness, like a pair of old slippers that had been properly broken in, or so it seemed to her." The three Howard sisters converge upon the rambling Victorian after their father's death, and their inheritance proves to be a turning point for their future.

Alice is an even-tempered nurse looking into retirement, Louise a feminine "fuddy-duddy" musician who teaches piano, and Jane a free spirit and new divorcee who is artistically inclined and enjoys cooking a good meal. Some mild tension ensues as they squabble over paint chips, wallpaper samples and the direction of the B&B, but Alice the peacekeeper smoothes everything over without a lot of trouble. More remodeling glitches lie ahead, but faith and family lend resilience to the women, and readers will never feel more than a mild concern that the eventual outcome will be just fine.

The setting is Acorn Hill, Pennsylvania, a quiet town whose most avant-garde business is Nine Lives Bookstore where Viola Reed, the owner, is quick to criticize the customer's taste in books. (This reviewer, a former bookseller, would like to note that this seems bad for business.) Plainly named, The Coffee Shop provides opportunities for readers to meet other members of Acorn Hill, including Craig, the owner of a small florist business called Wild Things, and Hope, the proprietor of the coffee business.

Acorn Hill is one of those timeless small towns that eschew change, and when the sisters begin their renovations some mild tension ensues. Several of the church board movers and shakers of Grace Chapel next door are upset that the former parsonage is about to become a business, and some of the townsfolk are up in arms that the color of the house is changing from peach to the original hues. "...There are plenty of folks in this town who like things just fine the way they are," notes Alice's walking companion, Vera. But the plucky Alice replies, "Sometimes change is good."

Aunt Ethel provides some light conflict when she can't control her tongue, but the family fracas never really progresses to anything heavy. Forgiveness and apologies are abundant and never long in coming when needed. Faith is woven throughout the lives of the sisters, whether Alice is attending a church board meeting and navigating the diverse personalities there, or creating the motto for the B&B, "A place where God is at home."

Some wordiness and repetition of words slow down the pacing, and there's not much depth to the story or the characters. But this is a pleasant, restful read that won't tax you; a nice escape from reality that promises nothing more upsetting than remodeling troubles or a few mildly troublesome relatives. Pick up this story on a cold winter's afternoon along with a cup of hot chocolate, or on a day at the beach when you want something light and soothing. If you enjoy BACK HOME AGAIN, look for book two in the series, RECIPES AND WOODEN SPOONS, by Judy Baer.

--- Reviewed by Cindy Crosby

7 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good Clean Book, November 21, 2008

By 

C Ginny "C Ginny" (Georgia) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Back Home Again (Tales from Grace Chapel Inn, Book 1) (Paperback)

If you liked the Midford Series you'll love this series of books. You'll meet three sisters who have decided to have a Bed and Breakfast in their family home after their father, who was a pastor, died. You'll meet people in the small town and you'll meet the different customers that come to the Inn. Highly recommended reading if you like "feel good" books.

5 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars I'd love to live here!, June 17, 2009

By 

Janet E. Senatore (San Angelo, TX) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: Back Home Again (Tales from Grace Chapel Inn, Book 1) (Paperback)

I am fortunate enough to live in a town that has the entire series in the public library. I'm now up to book 12, and have loved every one. I also like to cook, which makes the added recipe at the end all the more enjoyable. Who says books can't be light and entertaining? Does everything have to be educational these days?