The Girl Who Chased the Moon by Sarah Addison Allen

When Emily Benedict's mother passes away, she finds herself on the doorstep of an unknown grandfather, in Mullaby, NC. Emily is not sure what caused her mother's departure of the town where she grew up or the estrangement with her family that resulted. All Emily knows is that her mother has left her on her own and she now has a grandfather she didn't even know existed. So she is in awe when a "giant" opens the door and introduces himself as her grandfather Vance. And by giant, I mean giant, the man is ginormously tall, a little hunched because of his age, but otherwise, a gentle giant.

Julia Winterson is only in Mullaby temporarily. She spends most of her time baking deserts for the barbecue diner her father left her when he passed away. She offers these cakes as a way to satisfy the town’s sweet tooth but also in the hope of bringing back the love she fears she’s lost forever. In Julia, Emily may have found a link to her mother’s past. But it seems that she can't get any answers as to her mother from anyone. As she seeks for answers it seems that all she finds are more questions....

Did the wallpaper in her room really change to reflect how she was feeling? What exactly are those lights that dance in her backyard? Can a cake really bring back a lost love?

Sarah Addison Allen won me over from the moment that I read Garden Spells. So I definitely could not contain the anticipation when I first heard of The Girl Who Chased the Moon, and I am happy to say, I was not disappointed.

The town of Mullaby and its residents were wonderfully charming. I want to live there. I want to know these people. I want to get caught up in their magic. I loved all the relationships and different examples of love expressed throughout the story. The love of a mother for a daughter, of a man for a woman, of a child for her parent.

This story has a little bit of everything... romance, mystery, forbidden love and did I mention food... mouth-watering food, and on top of all that, sprinkle a hint of magic. It was utter perfection.

Ms. Allen's writing is stunning, enchanting, whimsical, magical... it is so detailed, so fresh, so charming - that it will leave you with a smile on your face and a skip to your step.

Once again, Sarah Addison Allen has ensnared me with her beautiful storytelling. For those of you who (like me) believe in magic - you just HAVE to read this book. I mean it, go get a copy of it right now. You will not be disappointed.

Take a moment to check out the book trailer (it's adorable):