I am always interested in a book featuring strong, self-sufficient females, and the Butler women certainly fit the mold! The synopsis claims to be The Mothers meets An American Marriage, which hits the nail on the head!

Althea, Viola and Lillian are no strangers to adversity. Their mother passed away when the girls were very young, leaving Althea, the oldest, to play the role of both mother and big sister to Viola, Lillian and their brother Joe. Their father, a traveling pastor, was rarely around to help, leaving the family reliant on Althea, charity and church donations.

Fast forward to adulthood when Althea, the rock for so long, and her husband are on trial facing criminal charges due to questionable decisions regarding their restaurant business. The tides turn and now Althea must rely on her Viola and Lillian to step in and help with her twin teenage daughters. The Butler sisters are forced to work out their deeply rooted issues and figure out how to move forward under the unfavorable circumstances.

This book was about relationships and family. It is told from the perspectives of Althea, Viola and Lillian. These women find strength from a time of struggle, and they help pick each other up when the others are down. Anissa Gray did a great job of painting the picture of the Butler family, and I found myself lost in the pages.

Verdict: Read it! (4/5 stars)
Length: 304 pages
When: You’re in the mood for a book about strong women dealing with adversity.
Quote: “Sometimes life can pull a lot out of you…Just squeeze you dry. And if you don’t have a way to get back whatever’s good and precious to you, it’s like losing your soul.”
Also read: Where the Crawdads Sing by Delia Owens (B2C review) and Before We Were Yours by Lisa Wingate (B2C review)

Buy The Care and Feeding of Ravenously Hungry Girls by Anissa Gray