The Story of Sassy Sweetwater

The Story of Sassy Sweetwater
Vera Jane Cook
Musa Publishing
Lancaster, Ohio
ISBN: 978-1-61937-0272
e-book format
December 4, 2013
$ 5.99
320 pages

Sassy Sweetwater's mother told her that she was named after the nearby Sweetwater Creek, not her father.   As Sassy's mother, Violet McLaughlin has decided that it is time to return home with her daughter.  She left thirteen years ago as a pregnant seventeen-year-old.  Sassy has never met her family.
Life in Carter's Crossing, South Carolina during the year of 1962 has many secrets which Violet's family would prefer to keep hidden. The entire family has been a leading family in the community for generations enough to have their own versions of justice, morality, and obeying the laws.  1962 was before the Civil Rights changed society and the real law frequently varied depending on the color of your skin, the money within your family, and the influence of your status within the community or family.
To Sassy all this is new and a completely different world.  With her beautiful mother, Violet, and her bewitching dark looks, Sassy feels strange as a pimply redheaded teenager.  She doesn't completely understand life in this closed community.  The rules and values are strange to her not to mention that no one completely explains the past events and relationships to her. 
The Story of Sassy Sweetwater is a page-turner with the viewpoint of a curious teenager who doesn't feel that she belongs with this family.  Even though she is related to this family, the secrets from years ago have permanently changed people's lives are not easily or willingly revealed to her.
The Story of Sassy Sweetwater is unquestionably adult oriented.  The story involves many delicate family events that require mature readers. This is also what makes this story fascinating in talking about uncomfortable and unspeakable family events and how the individuals handled these situations without involving law enforcement and attempting to maintain their lives as uncomplicated or normal.
This particular novel would best be categorized as woman's fiction with some history and romance intermixed.   The story is well-written and organized by an author who obviously loves her believable characters whether protagonists or antagonists.          
Vera Jane Cook is an Award-winning author of ten novels.   Although born and raised in New York City, she was unquestionably influence by her beautiful Southern mother while living in the Upper East Side of Manhattan.
The Story of Sassy Sweetwater is a wonderful story of Sassy learning the secrets of her family and her own past.