The Guilt of a Sparrow

Jess B.
Moore
Genre: 
New Adult

Magnolia Porter has spent her life attempting to go unnoticed.  As a young girl, the less she was noticed by her delinquent older brother, the less she was abused.  After her brother’s death, the less she was noticed around her small town, the less people talked about her family and the less shame her mother felt.  When Maggie catches the eye of the handsome MacKenna boys, she becomes the focus of the town’s gossip spotlight.  Fun and flirty Dominic brings her into his family circle which puts her up close and personal with her lifelong crush, Cotton. Can Maggie be true to her heart while avoiding disappointing her Mama?

From the very beginning, Jess Moore brings the town of Fox River, North Carolina, alive with beautiful and powerful descriptions. Unusually hefty psychological issues take this story from being a sweet, small-town romance to something with more weight.  Maggie’s co-dependent relationship with her mother and Cotton’s anger issues bring a tension that goes beyond what is normally found in a romance novel. Watching Maggie struggle then blossom in her friendship with Dominic is inspiring and occupies most of the book which makes him the unintended hero of this story.  Cotton, on the other hand, doesn’t fully address his anger and possessiveness issues which makes the reader wonder if perhaps Maggie didn’t trade one co-dependent relationship for another as the story closes without a true sense that Maggie and Cotton will resolve their issues and enjoy a happily ever after.  The Guilt of a Sparrow is sure to leave the reader with a lasting impression as they consider what happens after the last page is read.

Elissa Blabac