A Sparkle of Silver by Liz Johnson

I first discovered Liz Johnson through her Red Door Inn series and fell in love with the charm and characters she brought to life in P.E.I.

A Sparkle of Silver has a very different feel than Johnson's earlier series, here characters are plunged into a double mystery of a decades old lost treasure and the true identity of main character Millie's great-grandfather following a summer marked by a romantic triangle.

Honestly, after having loved Red Door Inn so much, I struggled, at first, to engage with A Sparkle of Silver.  The mystery and intrigue were well  written but not the charm I originally hoped for and possibly expected thanks to some preconceived hopes. 

Then came George. George softened the characters around him, even those reading a journal decades later, and brought the charm and context that hooked me emotionally. Every story needs one of those characters.

Of course, Grandma Joy and Millie's relationship was also  brilliant. As someone who grew up with lots of grandparents and adopted grandparents, the way Johnson portrays the relationship complete with ups and downs of dementia from Millie's perspective was touching. Her worries over caring for the woman who raised her, her concerns over increased needs, and wondering which "version" of grandma she would encounter felt so real. Now, Grandma Joy did seem to have quite a few lucid days during this story for a dementia patient but the extent of her condition wasn't overly explained so I'll give a little artistic and medical license for how beautifully Johnson crafted their relationship and the messages she imparted through it. I loved how in a lucid moment Grandma Joy lays out her continued worth despite no longer having constant, ready access to her memories. So touching when the elderly and those who are loosing their memories are often undervalued.

The Chateau  was  definitely the star as far as setting  goes. I didn't get the same "locked in" feeling when it came to geography as I have with other books. While The Chateau was alluring enough to make me want to go on a few old house tours myself, the rest of the story felt as though it could be happening in any small town across North America in the summer. Not a bad thing but hard to place within the "Georgia Coast"  as the series title implies.

As far as  the plot itself, Johnson has woven sweet romance into a backdrop of gentle mystery (for instance one death feels very glanced over)  providing a easy and entertaining read.

4 out of 5 stars.

I received this book as part of the Revell Reads tour in exchange for my honest opinion.