Surprise Lily

From the author: Like the Lovells in this story, I grew up on a road where every farmhouse belonged to a Hawkins. While that hasn’t been true for many years, my great-grandparents’ home, the hub of this once all-family enclave, still houses the fift… — From the author: Like the Lovells in this story, I grew up on a road where every farmhouse belonged to a Hawkins. While that hasn’t been true for many years, my great-grandparents’ home, the hub of this once all-family enclave, still houses the fifth generation.

From Publishers Weekly: “This cozy multigenerational saga by the author of 27 Magic Words evocatively explores themes of growing up, mental health, and finding where one fits in a family. . . . Opening with brief chapters featuring glimpses of the Lovell women’s lives throughout the previous century, Moranville offers her contemporary Midwestern characters complex emotional backgrounds and a richly rendered setting.”

From BookPage: “Sharelle Byars Moranville, author of the critically acclaimed middle grade novel 27 Magic Words, pens a complicated family story set against an idyllic backdrop. . . . Equal parts heart-swelling and heartbreaking, Surprise Lily is a multigenerational family saga full of language that perfectly evokes the many wonders of the natural world.”

From the publisher: “For as long as Rose Lovell can remember, it’s always been just her and her grandma, together, working the family farm. The big hay bales, the garden, and Peanutbutter, a calf that Rose cares for—it’s her whole world."

When Rose’s absent mother, Iris, shows up unannounced, Rose is furious. But Iris hasn’t returned alone, and generations of family secrets begin to unravel.

In alternating chapters, Sharelle Byars Moranville captivatingly reveals the lives of previous generations of Lovell women, leading up to Rose and her fateful decision: to stay on the farm or to leave forever.”