Book 31 Old and New


Old and New by Lucinda Race fulfilled the “Book Published in 2019” category of the PopSugar 2019 Reading Challenge. It is the first in the MacLellan Sisters series. The other novels are Borrowed and Blue. Ms. Race published all three this year, one in June and both of the last two in July. Rather impressive, huh?
The series centers on three sisters who swear off marriage. Each is a career woman with her own goals, independence, and serious family ties. When their grandmother passed away, she leaves them a wedding gown with some magical realism sewn into the seams. The legend states that if you wear the dress and look in the mirror, you will see the person you’ll marry. I don’t know if it would’ve worked if they had a brother, but it sure helped Jaime, the oldest of the sisters.
I loved the novel. Its themes spoke to me, family (siblings), true love, and remaining true to yourself even if you’re with a partner. I have two sisters. We are as different as night and day. As I read the book, I wished my sisters and I could have the relationship these women do. But that’s okay. We love; we just aren’t close.
I am also Scottish on my father’s side as the MacLellans were. That hit me right in the feels. I loved heritage being close to home and part of their every day. We have done nothing to celebrate our Scottish background. I feel like I missed out. Did I mention I’m from Vermont? Burlington area. It’s as if Ms. Race wrote the book for me!
It reminds me of my freshman English class at UCONN. We studied A River Runs Through It, an amazing novel. If you haven’t read it, go do it now. Seriously. Anyway, my prof says, “Just look at the cultural ties here. I mean, they are Scottish by way of Canada, living in Montana. Who around here is Scottish by way of Canada?” I raised my hand. The prof was shocked. I shrugged. Didn’t sound so rare to me and I totally ruined the point she was making. Oops.
My only criticism of the book, if I had any, was the lack of conflict. But this was not a story about huge conflict, family fighting, rescuing your true love. It was about a woman opening her heart to love and not settling for what is almost good. I loved that she didn’t settle, but I’d hoped for some trouble between Steve and Caleb and later between Jaime and Yvette. But like the last story I read, I was looking for something the author didn’t put in there. I hate those reviews that bash the author for “not writing the book I wanted.”  Ms. Race wrote the book she wanted, and I really enjoyed it.
 I give Old and New by Lucinda Race Five white heather blossoms.

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