Alligator Lake

Description

As a pregnant teenager, Avery Pritchett found refuge in Colorado, but now, ten years later, her brother’s wedding-and some burning questions-bring her back home to her small Southern town. But will introducing her mixed- race daughter to her independent-minded grandmother bring solace or sorrow? Will confronting her class-conscious mother allow for new beginnings or confirm old resentments? And how can she ask forgiveness of her youthful lover who has been denied his child all these years? As the summer progresses, Avery’s return provokes shocking discoveries-of choices made, and secrets kept-and of deceptions that lie closer than she suspects.“A lyrical, gorgeous novel about fractured family, racial tensions, and the way the past flows right up through the present. Bryant’s eloquent tale may be Southern at heart, but it’s universal in its powerful message.” –Caroline Leavitt, New York Times bestselling author of Pictures of You

“Poignant and redemptive, Alligator Lake immerses us in the murky waters of a shifting southern current, where the push and pull of racial boundaries redefine love, loyalty, and heart wrenching pride. Lynne Bryant writes beautifully about the challenges and choices that divide a family in a predominantly segregated Mississippi town, yet delivers us the promise that hope and forgiveness can be found where we least expect them.” –Eileen Clymer Schwab, author of Promise Bridge and Shadow of a Quarter Moon

“Lynne Bryant’s Alligator Lake is a gutsy examination of southern race relations. Bryant is provocative and unflinching as she reveals her characters’ private hopes and fears. Her abiding love for Mississippi shines through as she wrestles with its troubled history. Ultimately, Alligator Lake is a commentary on the redemptive power of love and friendship.” –Natalie Baszile, author of Queen Sugar
“Set in a picturesque Mississippi town, Alligator Lake is a powerful and compassionate portrait of love, secrets, prejudice, and redemption in the intertwined histories of four generations of southern women. Bryant deftly weaves a tale steeped in the atmosphere, charm and complex racial relationships of an evolving South. Alligator Lake is a compelling and memorable read.” –Lynn Sheene, author of The Last Time I Saw Paris Lynne Bryant grew up in Columbus, Mississippi, and has lived for many years in Colorado Springs, Colorado, where she teaches nursing at the University of Colorado.US