I don't like beer, but you don't have to be a beer lover to appreciate this book. While this book is set in the world of craft beer, the story revolves around a fractured family. This is a story of two sisters, Helen and Edith, who haven't spoken in years and one of their granddaughters, Diana. Their willingness to do whatever it takes to survive will tug at your heartstrings.
I read this for PopSugar's 2020 reading challenge prompt: A book with more than 20 letters in its title.

Sending to GoryDetails as part of the USA & Canada Wishlist Tag Game 2020 .

The book arrived safely in today's mail - thanks so much!

Later: I enjoyed the setup here very much, and the fact that so many key characters are older women - indeed, Edith is 64 when the book opens, and nearly 80 by the end, and still going strong! The divide between the sisters made a sort of sense at the time, harsh though it turned out to be; rigid, driven Helen, who seemed to be bound for a career as a brewer of craft beers, takes a sharp turn into commercial brewing and chooses her husband and her mission with that in mind. Given that she became dedicated to developing the utmost in bland, lower-alcohol beer for the mass market, I found myself disappointed in her - but the descriptions of her work ethic and her relationship with her husband were oddly reassuring, even though the path they chose didn't appeal to me.

Edith's path was one of getting along and being of use, not a bad thing but she did tend a bit towards doormat-hood - though as the story gets into gear she winds up drifting into some serious commercial success. And then drifts out again by not paying attention, but it seems to be the life she's OK with, much to the frustration of her granddaughter Diana, the youngest of the main characters. I didn't think I'd like her much, seeing her building a career as a burglar from her teens - but she was trying to rake in money to keep her grandmother's car running, in the face of a dwindling bank account. (And her grandmother's tendency to lend the just-barely-working car to irresponsible kin at the drop of a hat. There is such a thing as being too nice, IMO.)

The story wanders a good deal, with flashbacks to the youth of Helen and Edith, the key moment when Helen persuades their father to give his entire inheritance to her for her brewery business, and the pain that the schism has caused Edith over the years. Relationships come and go, tragedies ensue, brand-new opportunities arise, there's wildly unexpected success (coupled with a lot of hard work, a good choice of co-workers, and some help from a renegade from Helen's camp), and - just perhaps - a chance for the long-estranged sisters to meet again...

Guidelines for safely visiting and stocking Little Free Libraries during the COVID-19 pandemic, from the LFL site here.

I left this book in this handsome LFL (run by BCer FarmGirl_40) on this lovely warm day; hope someone enjoys it!

[See other recent releases in MA here.]

*** Released for the 2020 Royalty challenge. ***

*** Released for the 2020 Keep Them Moving challenge. ***