The Ladies of Covington Send Their Love: A Novel [Hardcover]

Joan Medlicott (Author)

Book Description

Publication Date: April 17, 2000

Neither Grace, nor Amelia, nor Hannah ever thought they would live out their final days in the dull, lonely comfort of a boarding house. Still, they have Olive Pruitt's boarding house to thank for bringing them together over three easily digestible meals a day. But there is nothing that says that women of a certain age can't expect the unexpected, and when an opportunity calls, the three ladies surprise themselves with their spunk and set off to create for themselves a place to call home

Editorial Reviews

From Publishers Weekly

The three widowed 60-something women who lend "golden girl" power to Medlicott's episodic debut would be very much at home in Jan Karon's Mitford. Amelia, Hannah and Grace all live in a Pennsylvania boardinghouse, unhappily confronting the insults and injuries involved in aging. When Amelia inherits a deteriorating farmhouse in Covington, N.C., the three decide to move in together, gearing up to rehabilitate both the farmhouse and their lives. Although their alternately neglectful and overprotective grown children are disgruntled at their mothers' unconventional new lifestyle, the women find the time to become themselves, enjoying a combination of companionship and independence. Between gardening, cooking and exploring photography, the spunky trio jointly weather many trials and adventures including flood, fire, a claim on their property and romance. Medlicott's penchant for detailing local sights as minutely as a tourist map, coupled with the slow-lane pace, may be too warm and cozy for those accustomed to more action, and events that are surprising to the characters may be mundane to more sophisticated readers. But Medlicott's idea is a winner: women in their twilight years finding alternatives to large group homes or living alone. Solving an all-too-common housing dilemma, the three ladies inspire by forming a community in which they thrive and find new careers and loves, all with dignity and autonomy. (Apr.)
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

From Library Journal

Like a Grandma Moses painting, this first novel is unrealistic but exudes a good bit of charm. A sixtyish widow inherits an old farmhouse in Covington, NC, and invites two friends to move in. Readers who weather the less believable parts of the story (e.g., the farmhouse restoration is quick, painless, and carefree) are rewarded later when they come to care about the ladies. Although so dominated by their husbands in the past that they hardly know what they want or what they are capable of doing, they learn and grow together. The real world does intrude in the form of a loved one with HIV, a threat to the title of their new home, and a grandson with an alcohol problem. The women grow in self-confidence until one publishes a book, one finds love, and one runs a physically demanding business. The ending is pure fantasy, but readers will enjoy the ride. Medlicott, a senior citizen herself, has self-published three prior works.
-Carol J. Bissett, New Braunfels P.L., TX
Copyright 2000 Reed Business Information, Inc.

See all Editorial Reviews

Product Details

• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: St Martins Press (April 17, 2000)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 031225329X
• ISBN-13: 978-0312253295
• Product Dimensions: 9.4 x 6 x 1.3 inches
• Shipping Weight: 1.4 pounds
• Average Customer Review: 4.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (56 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #665,175 in Books (See Top 100 in Books)

More About the Author

Joan Medlicott was born and raised on St. Thomas in the U.S. Virgin Islands. She lives with her husband in the mountains of North Carolina. Visit her website at www.joanmedlicott.com.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

29 of 30 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Ladies of Covington is a Wonderful Read!, April 7, 2000

By 

Cass Erickson (North Carolina) - See all my reviews

This review is from: The Ladies of Covington Send Their Love: A Novel (Hardcover)

I thoroughly enjoyed The Ladies of Covington Send their Love, which is the story of three women over 65 who are redefining their lives, starting careers, and falling in love. These women--Hannah, Grace, and Amelia--offer a dynamic vision of growing older. When Amelia inherits a rundown farmhouse in rural North Carolina, the women pool their resourses and move from a dismal boarding house to the tiny hamlet of Covington. Consequently, friendships are tested, survive, and grow stronger. As each woman is confronted with possibilities, she must review the habits and limiting beliefs of a lifetime. Joan Medlicott makes no attempt to mitigate the challenges the women face as they strive to make a home together. A comforting sense of extended family comes into play as their tolerance and ability to accept one another is tested--by loneliness, anger, jealousy, joy, and satisfaction. Ultimately, the support system they provide one another is to be envied. I thank Ms. Medlicott for introducing me to these three wonderful and wise older women, all of whom I fell in love with. I look forward to reading more by this exciting author!

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Enjoyed the ladies, July 23, 2001

By 

thesavvybamalady "swblkdiamond" (Prichard, Alabama USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)   

This review is from: The Ladies of Covington Send Their Love: A Novel (Hardcover)

We always tend to think that after a certain age, you have stopped living. Not so in this book. Here you have a group of ladies who after living in a dismal "old ladies" boarding house, that they CAN start over and improve their lot. I am looking forward to the sequel. Only thing I didn't like about this book is that one of the ladies kept going off and getting lost.(She did it twice)Other than that, I enjoyed reading that.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars The Ladies of Covington Send Their Love, July 21, 2000

By 

Laura Beyer "laurainnj" (Central New Jersey) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: The Ladies of Covington Send Their Love: A Novel (Hardcover)

When I started reading this book, I did not realize what a treat I was getting into. It is about three elderly women living in an ugly boarding house, sort of waiting until their time is up but not interacting very much. But suddenly one of them is left a run down house and some money down south. They decide to go down to see it and decide to use that money to fix up the house and literally start new and more useful and energetic lives.... they literally come alive again. It was most heartening and not boring at all. I cannot wait for the author to write another book since this one was her first. I recommend to all women especially those of us in "the best years of our lives".