Nothing big happens in Ashley Ream’s novel, The Peculiar Gift of July. On the other hand, every little thing is big in a small island community. If you’re from a small town, you’ll understand. That’s the beauty of Ream’s book.
Ebey’s End is an island as far north and west of the Northwest end of the U.S. as possible. There are only a few thousand full-time residents, and Anita Odom knows them all. She’s forty-four, the town grocer. Her father, Mack, ran the Island Grocery until he had a stroke. Now, she lives above the store, and he lives in her trailer. But, Anita’s life, and the life of so many residents is about to change thanks to one phone call from the Washington State Dept. of Children, Youth and Families.
Anita’s cousin on her mother’s side, Catherine, died in a car accident, leaving behind a daughter Anita didn’t know she had. July Harris is fourteen, and she’s still in shock. She has an uncanny gift of “knowing” what people need to have. She had warned her mother not to drive the day she was killed. Her mother listened, but was killed crossing the street, and July thinks she’s to blame. It takes a number of sleepless nights before Anita discovers this. As an only child, Anita was not around kids much, and wasn’t equipped to handle a teenage daughter. But, together, and with a little help, the two bumble toward an awkward relationship.
When July starts to work in the Island Grocery, she just seems to know what customers need, while Anita has always kept her own counsel about her customers. But, July’s small actions stir up the town and relationships. Although she’s not responsible for a marriage falling apart, she does change people’s lives, from the island Pastor to his son, to a fellow student and the owner of the town bakery. While she stirs up the present, she also stirs up stories of the past. And, the town might gossip, but the residents know how to hold on to their own people.
The Peculiar Gift of July has several meanings. Yes, July has a “gift”, but she’s also a gift to Ebey’s End. This is a quiet book, however, there’s also humor in Mack’s two goofy German shepherds. This is a book about a small town and relationships. Nothing appears to happen, but the story is so much bigger than that. If you’re looking for a big quiet book, this is it. Highly recommended.
Ashley Ream’s website is https://ahream.com/
The Peculiar Gift of July by Ashley Ream. Dutton, 2025. 416p.
FTC Full Disclosure – Library book
