He Should Have Told the Bees

Title: He Should Have Told The Bees

Author: Amanda Cox

Publisher: Revell

Genre: Christian Fiction, Contemporary

Source: Revell

My Review:

I love reading Amanda Cox's books. Why? Because they are deep, thought-provoking, and profound. They change you. He Should Have Told the Bees is difficult to review because I have no words.

 "...My name is Katya Amadeus Cimmaron. I hail from the planet Zirthwyth of the Vesper Galaxy." 

There are many layers to He Should Have Told the Bees. Like a ripe onion, the first layers sting but don't quite bring the tears. It's the later layers that get you. This story deals with grief from loss, loss of dreams, unstable family, found family, and so much more. There are secrets upon secrets, and the more you read, the more you learn. There are also little doses of humor mixed in, which keeps the book from being too heavy.

Our main characters are Beckett and Callie, who meet when they are both named in Beckett's father's trust. Beckett is grieving, and Callie sees it as an answer to all her problems. But things are not as they seem. You also have an excellent cast of supporting characters, from the precocious ten-year-old Fern (aka Katya), Isaac, Annette, Luke, Lindy, and the bees. This story would not be complete if you removed even one of them. While I wasn't as fascinated by all the details of the bees and their care, I still learned quite a bit. I was amazed at the profoundness the author conveyed from the bees, especially later in the story (this might not make sense, but once you read the story, you will understand what I am trying to say).

Beckett and Callie both experience great character growth, as do Fern and Isaac. I really enjoyed this story and wasn't quite ready for the book to end.

Thank you to Revell and the author for the opportunity to read this book. I was not required to provide a positive review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

★★★★★/5

Synopsis (Goodreads): 

Beekeeper Beckett Walsh is living her dream, working alongside her father in their apiary, until his untimely death sends her world into a tailspin. She suddenly finds she must deal with a new part owner of the family business--one who is looking to sell the property. Beck cannot fathom why her father would put her into the position to lose everything they built together.

When Callie Peterson is named in the trust of a man she's never heard of, she's not sure what to do. Her fledgling business has just taken wing and her mother has reentered her life asking for help getting into rehab for her lifelong substance abuse issues, making Callie's financial situation rather . . . precarious. She's sure she has no right to someone else's farm, but the money from the sale could solve her problems and give her the stability she's always craved.

As these two women navigate their present conundrum, they will discover a complex and entangled past full of secrets--and the potential for a brighter future for both of them.