Nestled in the lush Blue Ridge
Mountains of Virginia, the town of Big Stone Gap has been home
for Ave Maria Mulligan Machesney and her family for generations.
She’s been married to her beloved Jack for nearly twenty
years, raised one child and buried another, and run a business
that binds her community together, all while holding her tight
circle of family and friends close.
But with her daughter, Etta, having
flown the nest to enchanting Italy, Ave Maria has reached a
turning point. When a friend’s postcard arrives with the
message “It’s time to live your life for you,”
Ave Maria realizes that it’s time to go in search of brand-new
dreams. But before she can put her foot on the path, her life
is turned upside down.
Ave Maria agrees to helm the town
musical, a hilarious reunion of local talent past and present.
A lifelong friendship collapses when a mysterious stranger comes
to town and reveals a long-buried secret. An unexpected health
crisis threatens her family. An old heartthrob reappears, challenging
her marriage and offering a way out of her troubles. An opportunistic
coal company comes to town and threatens to undermine the town’s
way of life and the mountain landscape Ave Maria has treasured
since she was a girl. Now she has no choice but to reinvent
her world, her life, and herself, whether she wants to or not.
Trigiani is at her best in this
exquisite page-turner. HOME TO BIG STONE GAP is an emotional
and unforgettable journey that reminds us that you can go home
again and again.
