The Quilter's Homecoming

The 10th book in the Elm Creek Quilts series tells the story of Sylvia Bergstrom's cousin Elizabeth in the early months of her marriage to Henry Nelson. It's 1925, and Henry has purchased a ranch in California where he and Elizabeth will make their new home. They spend their honeymoon on a cross-country journey, and learn upon their arrival that Henry has been swindled. Their relationship will be tested over the next several months as they work as hired hands on the land they thought they owned. A parallel story at the end of each chapter tells the history of several generations of the original landowner's family.

The historical novels in this series are usually my favorites, but I didn't like this one as much as the others. Elizabeth show more was introduced in The Christmas Quilt through Sylvia's memories of her much older cousin. In that book, readers see Elizabeth through the lens of Sylvia's hero worship. I looked forward to reading this book to find out what happened to the cousin Sylvia loved so much. However, the Elizabeth in this book isn't the Elizabeth on Sylvia's pedestal. She's a bit spoiled and a bit selfish at the beginning of the book. She's a Bergstrom, though, and she grows through her adversity. I liked her a lot more at the end of the book than I did at the beginning. show less

Elizabeth, the cousin (I think once removed-but the youngest child of a youngest brother of her parent) Sylvia adores; moves to California with her husband Henry. They meet mob people on the train, find that they have been sold a farm that doesn't really exist anymore--well the name has been changed and belongs to someone else, and end up working for the people who own the land they should have had. Another story line is told in flashbacks from Rosa's childhood until the twenties where the main story is set. She is helped by Elizabeth, but does not have a happy ending as Elizabeth does. With more of a plot and action than most of the author's books, I would highly recommend this book.

While The Quilter's Homecoming offers a welcome backstory to the Elm Tree Quilts books,
the plot is way too convoluted, repetitive, and depressing.

And, the final tragedy of Rosa - after enduring the unbearable extended and inexplicable deaths of her children followed by beatings by her insane husband - was too much tragedy.

Set mostly in 1925, with an eventually-intertwining story that begins in the late 1800's, this is the tale of Elizabeth Bergstrom Nelson, the cousin of a main character, Sylvia, in the present-day Elm Creek stories. Elizabeth and her new husband leave Elm Creek for a ranch in California, but circumstances aren't quite what they seem. Elizabeth becomes involved with Rosa, a descendant of the ranch's original Mexican owners, whose story is told in flashbacks.

Christina Moore has read all the Elm Creek audiobooks I've listened to so far, and does a fine job. Her rendering of Elizabeth's husband Henry seems appropriate, as he sounds as sarcastic and gloomy as the story implies he might be.

As with Chiaverini's other books, a number of quilts show more and their patterns play into the story. A "Chimneys and Cornerstones" pattern (that was also mentioned in Chiaverini's The Christmas Quilt) and a Double Wedding Ring design that are wedding gifts from Bergstrom women must be sold to make ends meet. Elizabeth eventually recovers the former, but the latter appears to be lost. Wanna bet it will reappear in a future Elm Creek tale? show less

I liked learning more about Elizabeth, who goes off to California, never to be heard of by Sylvia again. I was particularly interested in seeing Elizabeth and Henry during their first years of marriage. On top of moving to a new place and adjusting to married life, they had to cope with poverty and disappointment. As always, quilting plays a big part in the story being told. And I really admired Elizabeth's willingness to get in there and make things work. That's the kind of woman I aspire to be!

The quilter's homecoming by Jennifer Chiaverini
1920's newlywed Henry and Elizabeth Nelson leave PA for CA where they had purchased land to work. When they realize they've been swindled they are forced to work on the land.
The story starts out with their meeting when Elizabeth's family was at Elm Creek, the family house during the summer and Henry's family lived in the farm next door.
All the years of writing letters to one another-she does go out in the city with other men and she really wants Henry to propose to her.
Love all the talk of the quilt squares and what the colors and block names mean.
Book also follows others life's as they cross Henry and Elizabeth. Safari world sounds like an oasis in the desert but she learns the truth as show more she attempts to make money.
Loved the travel involved and how they see the new areas of the US through their eyes. Hated to hear of the scheme but she finds work and is not afraid to work at all.
Love the orchard and how the fruit is processed. She is able to trade from her wedding gifts for things they needed right away.
So much heartache and struggles to make a living at this time of the century but they persevere and drudge onward.
I received this book from National Library Service for my BARD (Braille Audio Reading Device). show less

I knew I read this before! From my notes: Beautiful, tearjerker story Elizabeth and Henry, newly married, make their way to their new California ranch, only to discover they'd been swindled and the ranch belongs to someone else. The Jorgensen's take pity on them and hire Henry for the ranch and Elizabeth to help with the house,,,,and let them live in an old cabin as part of the rent. The story meanders between the 1920's with Elizabeth and Henry, and the late 1800's with Rosa, whom Elizabeth befriends. Turns out that Rosa's husband John is in with the mob, and Rosa's old boyfriend Lars is still seeing her. In the end, Rosa and Lars flee from John, who gets imprisoned for racketeering. And 10 years later, Rosa's old farm just happens to show more be put up for sale to Henry and Elizabeth for pennies on the dollar. show less