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Looking for Me
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Looking for Me
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Looking for Me
Audiobook12 hours

Looking for Me

Written by Beth Hoffman

Narrated by Jenna Lamia

Rating: 4 out of 5 stars

4/5

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Currently unavailable

Currently unavailable

About this audiobook

Winner of the 2014 Ohioana Book Award for fiction. 

The latest New York Times bestseller by the beloved author of Saving CeeCee Honeycutt

Beth Hoffman's bestselling debut, Saving CeeCee Honeycutt, won admirers and acclaim with its heartwarming story and cast of unforgettably quirky characters. Now her flair for evocative settings and richly drawn Southern personalities shines again in her compelling second novel, Looking for Me.

Teddi Overman found her life's passion in turning other people's castoffs into beautifully restored antiques. Leaving her hardscrabble Kentucky childhood behind, Teddi opens her own store in Charleston. She builds a life as unexpected and quirky as her many customers, but nothing alleviates the haunting uncertainty she's felt since her brother Josh mysteriously disappeared. When signs emerge that Josh might still be alive, Teddi returns to Kentucky, embarking on a journey that could help her come to terms with her shattered family-and find herself.

LanguageEnglish
Release dateMay 28, 2013
ISBN9781101620144
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Looking for Me

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Reviews for Looking for Me

Rating: 4.022522452702702 out of 5 stars
4/5

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  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Looking for Me definitely falls into the category of women’s fiction – with the smart, sassy, female main character/narrator, Teddi, whom every reader would love to have as a best friend; Teddi’s own best friend, Olivia (a rare book dealer); a supporting cast of colleagues and family; and, of course, cozy descriptions of food (Yes, pie makes an appearance.*) antiques, and other home furnishings – but the author’s sense of humor, fondness for her quirky, socially awkward characters, and opting for realism over sentimentality more often than not, makes it an outstanding example of the women’s fiction genre. If it weren’t for the girlish cover, more men might read and enjoy it – if not for the antiquing and Teddi’s efforts to become the owner of her own shop – then for the descriptions of the farms, birds, wildlife, and woods of rural Kentucky where Teddi’s family lived.The story told in the first person by Teddi revolves around her brother Josh and the mystery of what happened to him. It jumps backwards and forwards in time from Teddi’s childhood years in the 1960s with an unhappy mother, a loving but taciturn father, and a younger brother who was far more in tune with the natural world than with his peers, to Teddi’s current life in Charleston, South Carolina. At present, Teddi has lived in Charleston for many years. She drives home for visits, waiting for her mother to agree to come to Charleston for a visit, never feeling the closeness she wishes they could have as mother and daughter. The absence of Josh lies unspoken of between them, along with the years of past misunderstandings.More at Bay State Reader's Advisory.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Teddi always loved restoring furniture; even when she was a young girl, she'd sell her designs by the side of the road. She knew she wanted to leave her family's farm and start her own shop, though her mother wanted her to have the steady job and benefits of a secretary. Teddi didn't worry about the future of the farm, because her younger brother Josh was so in tune with nature, she knew the land was in good hands. But Josh disappears not long after Teddi sets out to make her dreams come true, and over time, everyone gives up hope that he's still alive. Everyone except Teddi, even though she has no proof, nothing to go on. This story is full of hope, moments of kindness, and a description of nature that will make you want to read the entire thing sitting outside, the breeze turning the pages for you.
  • Rating: 3 out of 5 stars
    3/5
    Teddy Overman hat das große Glück, sich in einer Arbeit verwirklichen zu können, die sie über alles liebt: Sie restauriert alte Möbel und es gelingt ihr auch mit Erfolg, diese in ihrem eigenen kleinen Geschäft zu verkaufen. Wie es trotz mancher Widrigkeiten dazu kam, wie ihr Leben überhaupt verlaufen ist, welchen Menschen sie begegnete, die ihr halfen und zur Seite standen - das wie auch die Geschichte ihrer Familie wird in diesem Roman von Teddy selbst erzählt. Es sind schöne wie auch schlimme Dinge von denen sie berichtet. Doch das Gute überwiegt mehr als deutlich, denn beinahe alle Seiten dieser Lektüre strahlen eine Liebe zum Leben, zu Menschen und Tieren aus, dass es einem ganz warm ums Herz wird ;-)
    Wie könnte das Leben schön sein, wenn es in der Realität nur ein bisschen mehr so wäre wie in diesem Buch ;-) Im Ernst: Diese Geschichte quillt über vor gutherzigen, rechtschaffenen und wahrhaften Personen - und die wenigen Bösen werden auch recht schnell ihrer gerechten Strafe zugeführt. Zugegeben, das klingt nun sehr nach rosarotem Kitsch und Wölkchen. Und irgendwie ist es das auch, aber trotzdem liest es sich meiner Meinung nach deutlich besser als das 'Zeug' von Hedwig Courths-Mahler oder Rosamunde Pilcher. Auf irgendeine Art und Weise gelingt es der Autorin, all ihren ProtagonistInnen soviel Liebenswertes und Aufrichtiges einzuhauchen, dass man sich mit ihnen freut und fürchtet. Für fünf Sterne ist es mir ein bisschen zu viel heile Welt (auch wenn das Böse oder Schlimme durchaus existiert), aber vier Sterne für eine herzerwärmende Wohlfühllektüre hat sich das Buch schon verdient :-)
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    With settings in Kentucky and Charleston, SC, this book piqued my interest from the start. Add the likable, multi-dimensional characters; the importance of the natural world to the plot; and a mysterious disappearance, and the result is a very enjoyable novel. The story is a bit predictable, so I deducted a star for that, but I do recommend this novel by the author of Saving Cee-Cee Honeycutt.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    This book was ok., a bit simplistic, a light read. It would be a good book for the beach or a holiday
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Life calls to people in different ways. Those who heed the call are destined to see disappointment in the eyes of those they love. Beth Hoffman has given enough depth to her characters that we can understand why they must follow the call. A well crafted story about love, respect and loss.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    One of things I love best about reading is starting a book and knowing in the first few pages that I am in very good hands. The sense of being carried into a story is priceless. Hoffman is a skillful storyteller; most of the time, I didn't know she was there, and when I did, it was because the descriptions were so vivid they stopped me in my tracks. There is tremendous feeling in these pages, too, but Hoffman's style is never forced and never saccharine. The prose is as elegant as the antiques the main character, Teddi, brings back to life in her Charleston shop.

    At its heart, Looking for Me is about how we perceive our families as we leave them, grow, and come back again. When Teddi moves away, she understands little of her family, but over the years comes to know many difficult and beautiful truths. One such truth is that people are rarely as they seem; they hide their mysteries to spare their loved ones, and themselves, pain. And we learn, as Teddi does, that love has many faces, and an open heart sees them all.

    A delightful, moving story.




  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Teddi Overman left rural Kentucky for Charleston where she now owns a business reflecting her passion for restoring old furniture. One day her brother Josh, who has a close affinity for nature, disappears from the family farm. Teddi hangs on to the belief that he is alive and will one day come home, but years later when her parents have both passed away she must face the challenge of what is to be done with the family farm.Hoffman tells a story of family and loss, love and the search for self - a nice story.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Good book, good characters, well written story of a Kentucky family told by a daughter who finds herself refinishing antiques. Mostly realistic with a slight fantasy tilt of an otherwoldly brother who disappears. Leaves the reader slightly off kilter
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Teddi Overman is a young woman raised on a farm in Kentucky, who sets off for Charleston to follow her dream of working with antique furniture. There are many different threads to her story: her childhood with her always tired and grumpy mother, her loving but rather silent father, her younger brother Josh who seemed almost otherworldly in his affinity for wildlife and the outdoors; her life in Charleston working in antique shops, spending time with her best friend Olivia (who fears never finding someone to love, while Teddi seems content with her life as a single woman); the mystery of Josh's disappearance, the appearance of a man in her own life. The writing is lovely with intriguing descriptions of the woods of Kentucky as well as the streets of Charleston. The author's characters practically spring off the page, and the reader gets to know them very well. This really is a wonderful book--now I will have to find Saving CeeCee Honeycutt, since I missed it when it was published.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Looking For Me is a story of famioly,love, and loss.Teddi leaves Kentucky for Charleston to open her own antique store yet she still finds herselfdrawn back to Kentucky. A story about a famiy torn apart but brought back together.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Looking For Me has earned THE top spot as my all time favorite novel. I LOVE this story!! Beth Hoffman, consider me an ultimate fan. Thank you for creating this jewel. Everything about this beautifully written tale of Teddi Overman's search for her life's passion is perfect. I just want to hug my favorite book over and over. LFM will forever more be that book on my bookshelf that, when I glance at it, I will be reminded of not only how great it was but how great it made me feel with each passing chapter.

    Know the feeling I speak of? You know right from the beginning it's going to be that book that you can't put down. Please don't let life disturb me until I finish reading one more page, one more chapter. As I read, LFM became my go-to happy place and then there would be the realization that this story could be my story, the moments are so relatable. My favorite books have the ability to make me feel and experience so many different emotions. Laughter and tears. And, let me tell you, there were many tears. It is not often that I become so engrossed that I cry while reading but there were several parts that just had me sobbing. A favorite story can do that because it is believable and genuine.

    LFM is that kind of book. I would read a little further and then the written words of Beth Hoffman would grab me and take me for a spin on an emotional roller coaster. I'd find myself personally touched by moments in Teddi's life that were familiar to events in my own life and then I would stop, hold my place and stare at the cover of this amazing novel. When something suspenseful occurs, I mark my place again with my finger and hurry towards the back of the book to count the last page yet again. What page am I on? O.K. I've got (x) amount of pages left. Please don't let it end. I want to remain with Teddi and her loveable little dog, Eddie. Still, I can't turn the pages fast enough because I need to know that Teddi's life will be alright and as perfect as I think it should be.

    Will Teddi find herself and true happiness in Charleston or Kentucky? Will Teddi ever repair the relationship with her mother? Will Teddi find all that she seeks? A home of her own, acceptance, forgiveness, love? And, what about Josh?

    LFM is filled with a great supporting cast of characters I want to get to know personally. The mystical Josh. Sweet Mr. Palmer. Grumpy, quiet Albert and the thieving, sticky-fingered, Miz Tula Jane Poteet. I loved Teddi's BFF, Olivia. The conversations shared between the two friends could just as well have been a conversation I had with my own BFF. Like this brilliant novel, the characters are genuine. LFM also contained many of the things I am passionate about in my life. Great family, antiques, nature and wildlife conservation and animal rescue, Southern charm and old homes. Teddi's is a story about all of these things, including hope and finding love in the most unexpected of places, when one is least likely to be looking. LFM had just the right amount of mystery and suspense for me. I really could not predict the ending. There were fantastical moments of happiness and moments of profound loss and sadness that seemed to almost gut me. All were moments I could relate to, one way or another. LFM definitely found it's way to my heart. Did I mention that I loved this book?

    An excerpt from the book: Looking For Me by Beth Hoffman,

    "We sift and seek and question as we try to discover our truths and the truths of those we love, and sometimes when we least expect it, a mystery we never knew existed gets solved while all else remains unanswered."

  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Looking for Me is so beautiful, touching and endearing I wish the story would continue. Teddi Overman is an antiques dealer who has never given up looking for her younger brother Josh. He disappeared into the woods off the Kentucky farm where they grew up.The family was very close; Teddi loved her brother and spent lots of time with him, telling him stories while hiking through the woods. That may be why Josh learned everything he could about the woods, the birds and animals that lived there, and why he brought Teddi feathers he found there. Hoffman is able to create an other-worldliness about Josh that transcends and yet meshes with Teddi's life; never severing the connection between them. Simply a lovely and stunning story that reflects the beauty of nature and how people choose to live with it. Great read!
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I picked this book up at a local used book store. I needed reading material, and this one was by an author I like, plus takes place partly in downtown Charleston. It was a gentle read, with some thought provoking questions regarding how people choose to live, holding true to our core values, and expressing love to those we love.Though Hoffman obviously spent some time in Charleston, or at least studying it, there were some places and people entirely of her imagination, which were fun to visit.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    After reading Saving CeCe Honeycutt I eagerly awaited this novel. (I STILL say that CeCe should be a movie.) Although drastically different from her first novel, Looking for Me is still a great book in it's own right. It is an interesting look at the impact of following ones dreams against all odds as well as the effect of having one's dreams taken away. The novel also delivers a powerful message about animal cruelty. Teddi is a likable character. She makes mistakes, had to work for all she has, and loves dogs. :) I think Teddi's relationship with her mother is a powerful part of the storyline. I don't want to include spoilers, but finding out about Franny's life (toward the end of the book) makes her character much easier to understand.I think Beth Hoffman is a great southern writer. This novel has a great storyline which doesn't rely on silly romance or fairytale endings. (I HATE novels that do that.) I will eagerly await her next book.Read this book if:*you love southern fiction* you love novels about families*you love stories with a bit of mystery to them*you feel strongly about animal cruelty and wildlife preservation
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    5* Teddi and Josh, brother and sister, grew up on their family's farm. It had been the family farm for many generations and included vast woods rich with birds and wildlife. Josh grew into a special guardian of the birds and revealed himself, bit by bit, as what I call an old soul - someone with a quiet, serene wisdom that could only come through living many lifetimes. Teddi has had a great talent for restoring old furniture from the age of eleven. Through a series of chance encounters, she was able to realize her dream of owning an antiques restoration and sales business when she grew up.Through tight family bonds and cherished friendships, Teddi lives a rich, meaningful life, hindered only by the mystery of Josh's disappearance into the woods 20 years ago. Is he alive? Is he communicating with her through found bird wings? Is it healthy to cling to hope after everyone else had accepted that Josh was dead?This is an excellent read. Beth Hoffman is able to paint a rich image of Kentucky and Charleston, antiquing, wildlife conservation and relationships - slipping backward and forward in time again and again without a bit of confusion for the reader. Don't miss this book, it 's a good one and good for one's soul.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Pour the sweet tea, pull up a chair on the front porch, and settle in for this southern confection. Teddi is a daughter of the south and like all good southern women she has a backbone of steel and the manners of Emily Post. Through luck and hard work she has managed to turn her love of refinishing old furniture into a thriving business. Yet no matter how happy she is in her new life in Charleston her heart still remains in Kentucky where her brother disappeared leaving many unanswered questions. Eventually Teddi is forced to confront the past while making tough choices about her future. This is my first Beth Hoffman book. Saving CeeCee Honeycutt has been on my TBR shelf forever but after this sweet story it is getting fast tracked. At first my primary interest in the story was the mystery about Teddie's brother. This plot point took a back seat however as the story went on and focused on Teddi's personal development and growth. I adored all of the charming characters and the Southern setting which was beautifully rendered. This book makes me want to hightail it on a road trip to Charleston.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Sweet book about a woman's life from childhood to present. Told through flashbacks. Deals with love, loss, friendship, breaking out on ones own (moving to Charleston, VA), hiking (in PA) and respect for animals. Reader has great southern accent! Made the book more authentic.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    We all have dreams...some are fulfilled, some are not. Teddi Overman knew she had a talent for refinishing antique furniture even though her mother told her there was no future in it. Her mother wanted her to be a secretary.Teddi didn't want to be a secretary. Teddi pursued her dream but had reservations about leaving her family when she did. She was so far away from them, and since she had left secretly in the middle of the night and on a bad note, there was some regret on her part. Her decision was a good one in the long run, though.LOOKING FOR ME is another spectacular read by Beth Hoffman. The book faces family issues, friendships, dreams, unearthed talents, tragedies, regret, and heartbreak, but also has wonderful lessons. You will need a kleenex as you follow Teddie Overman from her childhood to adulthood. You will share in her triumphs and also her let downs.You will follow the Overman family as the book goes back and forth in time. Mama was an odd character who was always pessimistic. Teddi was loveable, hopeful, ambitious, optimistic, and a joy. Josh was a sad character. Daddy was a wonderful character. Grammy was the perfect grandmother. Stella and Olivia were perfect friends for Teddi.The book is about memories....so important, yet so painful. I thoroughly enjoyed the characters, the setting, the storyline, and the lessons learned. The book was uplifting and sweet but will also bring tears to your eyes....good tears. LOOKING FOR ME is about the relationship between family members and how tragedies can tear them apart and also about talents that we shouldn't waste. If you are an antique buff, you will be thrilled.LOOKING FOR ME perfectly describes how we all are looking for something in our lives that usually takes root in our childhood. The quote from page 206 made an impression on me and seems to sum up what Ms. Hoffman was trying to convey: "We will be known forever by the tracks we leave." This quote stayed with me long after I turned the last page of the book.The book is written in Ms. Hoffman's customary beautiful, effortless storytelling style. It conveys the fragility and beauty of family and the determination to never give up. This is a must read so you can soak up the depth of, the warmth of, and the beauty of Ms. Hoffman's writing, and share in the benefit of her words of wisdom about being happy.I absolutely loved this book. 5/5 This book was given to me by the author free of charge and without compensation in return for an honest review.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I was first introduced to Beth Hoffman's writing when I picked up Saving CeeCee Honeycutt. I fell in love with CeeCee and, after reading that book through at least three times, it was with anticipation that I waited for the delivery of Looking for Me.In Looking for Me, Beth weaves a story that combines an interesting line of work, past and present times, family dynamics and a touch of mystery with a setting that is sultry and rich. I have a second degree personal connection to Charleston, South Carolina through my sister, whose husband was stationed there in 2011. So reading Looking for Me provided me with an interesting insight into the city that my sister made her home in. I loved those little glimpses and imagined that there was a place there just like that story described in the story.So if you are looking for a great beach read this summer, or would rather curl up inside and read after a nice long nap, then this is definition the book to pick up. It evoked feelings of love, nostalgia, and peace in me while I read it and I cannot wait to see what Beth comes up with next.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Southern fiction is a genre I love but only if it's done well. Beth Hoffman not only does it well, she is masterful. I often hesitate before reading follow-up novels after the author has such a gorgeous debut as Saving CeeCee Honeycutt so I approached this one skeptically. It is a thrill to be able to say that Looking for Me is every bit as good as her first.Teddi Overman, the central figure in the story, is well-portrayed southern lady. Growing up in rural Kentucky, she watches her mother go about a dull, monotonous existence, and as she nears adulthood, comes to the realization that she is never going to be happy living the life her mother seems to want for her - a job (preferably in an office) with benefits, and obviously eventually a husband. Teddi however, has other ideas. From early childhood she is attracted to old things - furniture, glass, silver - any kind of antiques. Her artistic talent thrives on revitalizing just about any old "stuff" she can find. She dreams of a life among beautiful, artsy, and creatively challenging.Her brother Josh on the other hand, is thoroughly devoted to nature - animals, birds, trees, and in general just wants everyone to respect the life that exists around them. His disappearance as Teddi is pondering her own future, deeply affects her sense of home, but cannot diminish her longing to break away from her mother's expectations. When she leaves home in the middle of the night, she not only abandons the typewriter her mother gave her as a graduation gift, but the close-knit town where she grew up.Teddi eventually finds her way to Charleston South Carolina, the queen of southern cities where she finds her place in life. Shifting back and forth between Kentucky and South Carolina, the story weaves a tale of family, friends, southern gentility, heartbreak, and romantic love. There are some wonderfully engaging scenes of almost stereotypical "characters"; there are scenes of wretched despondency; there are emotional ups and downs (a prerequisite for good southern fiction); and there are descriptions of exquisite beauty - both in the scenery and in the relationships of the people. There is advice from a wise grandmother; there is solace from old friends; there is unmatched generosity from unexpected sources.In some areas, particularly in Teddi's struggles to find out what happened to her brother, the story seems a bit stretched. However, it doesn't detract from the overall beauty of the life portrayed.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I absolutely love Beth Hoffman. I enjoyed the characters and the love that was put into this novel. Teddi was as close to me as the book was when I was reading it. There was a lot of action for it to be a simple Southern fiction novel. Can't wait for her next book.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    I loved Beth Hoffman's Saving CeeCee Honeycutt; I liked Looking for me. The author has an amazing gift for character development. She creates characters that are so real that the reader develops a bond to them. Teddi Overman is one of those characters. From an early age, she recognized beauty in discarded home furnishings, patiently restoring these antiques, lovingly bringing out their neglected beauty. This is not just a hobby for Teddi, but her life's work, her passion. I so enjoyed this part of the story, and I especially was taken with the character of Albert.However, the part of the novel that addressed the mystery of Teddi's missing brother, Josh, was less engaging. I was disconnected to his story and I found it difficult to believe. It was bordering on sappy in parts.That being said, there is much to like about Looking for Me. It is a charming story. It is well written, and it is an easy, quick read. I will read anything that this author writes because her work provides me with such joy. It just makes me feel good to read her novels.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    There is something so unique in tone that make southern novels special. The gentile manners, the sense of family, women who are feminine but have a backbone and side of grit to them. The humor and descriptions of wonderful houses and gardens and in this book, vintage antiques. Kentucky and the Daniel Boone National Forest, the plight of the wildlife and a young man who did not quite fit in with society but did fit in nature and his sister who loved antiques are the special features of this novel. Hoffman has crafted a novel with likable characters, plenty of southern charm, some family secrets, and a missing person as well as the plight of wildlife in the forest and the refinishing of antiques and made it all work wonderfully well.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    Teddi Overman leaves rural Kentucky for Charleston with dreams of opening her own shop. She loves to restore old furniture and turn them into treasures. She starts to build a new life, she makes friends and even finds love. Yet she is still haunted by her past. That one day when her brother Josh disappeared. She hangs on to hope that one day he will come home.Looking for Me is a story of family, loss, love and Teddi's desire to find herself. A touching story with likable characters, a flawed family and one woman's determination to make everything right. Great story line that left a lasting impression, will stay with me for a long time.
  • Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
    4/5
    Very good story with many different threads to keep you engrossed. An antique shop, antique restoration set in Charleston is the primary setting. A very engaging main character with a strong supporting cast of friends and family ties the Charleston setting to wilderness Kentucky.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    A beautiful story bordering on the mystical, I had a hard time putting down this book. In fact I stayed up until 2am on a work night so I could finish the story of Teddi and Josh and find out what happens! Beth Hoffman is a master story teller.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I was so excited when I saw Beth had a new book coming out. It was released in May. I apologize profusely for taking so long to write this review but life has been so crazy for me this year. Let me tell you though, Looking For Me is just as fantastic as Saving CeeCee Honeycutt!The storyline in Looking For Me has many layers and a bit of mystery. Teddi Overman follows her dreams from Kentucky to Charleston where she opens an antique shop. Teddi is a bit of a magician. She takes peoples trash and magically transforms it into treasures. She is successful but yet she is missing something in her life. Her brother, Josh mysteriously disappeared and his disappearance has remained unsolved. Josh is a very natural person who is very into birds and nature. He brings a bit of Native American beliefs to the story. I am not going to reveal too much about the storyline as this is a story to be experienced and savored. Teddi's life is told both in the present and in flashbacks. The two time periods flow smoothly which is a testament to Beth's wonderful storytelling ability. The characters that the reader meets along the way are rich and memorable. The Southern charm shines through in the story and makes the reader feel right at home.This book is just as wonderful as Saving CeeCee Honeycutt but is a very different read. I loved the element of mystery along with the Native American beliefs that were presented in the story. The characters were just as I hoped they would be. They felt like old friends and just like a visit with old friends, I was sad to see them go when I finished the book. These friends had me laughing and in tears throughout their visit.Pick up Looking For Me. You won't be disappointed. It is one of my favorite reads of the year! Definitely a 5 star read for me!
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    This book has garnered such high praise all around, and I respect some of the fellow bloggers I know who gave it 5 stars, but I tried to remain unbiased as I read through. I had read Saving CeeCee Honeycutt and knew what a treat was in store for me with Ms. Hoffman's soothing tones and eye for details as she unravels a storyline.

    I enjoyed the character of Teddi, a young woman from rural Kentucky, who follows her dream to Charleston, South Carolina to work in and then own an antique shop. She finds something magical in refinishing trash into treasure and makes the decision to leave her family behind to pursue her goals. Teddi is ambivalent about wanting her dream, but also missing her family, and she has to come to terms with how she perceives her parents' marriage, and her own connection to them and her brother, especially after he goes missing.

    The heart of the story revolves around understanding relationships beyond what they seem like on the surface. I call a story such as this a "quiet" tale, and that is not meant to be derogatory. It means, to me, a story that needs to be savored over a period of time and needs the reader to immerse themselves in the setting. Without giving away too much, the ending was very satisfying; it brought necessary closure to the plot. Looking For Me is an enjoyable book that should appeal to its primary audience of adult women who can identify with Teddi's struggles, and is highly recommended. I look forward to more of Ms. Hoffman's books in the future.
  • Rating: 5 out of 5 stars
    5/5
    I'm so impressed with how much Hoffman put into this wonderful novel about nature, especially birds, and about furniture. The audio, read by Jenna Lamia, makes you know Teddy and how she feels about everything!!