ICYMI (In Case You Missed It)
ANNOUNCEMENT: Buddy Read – Lexington, Alabama Series
OK, SO BOOM!
We start off in 1917 and Maggie and Hubert Wiggins have just gotten married. Their marriage is normal from the outside, but it’s really a marriage of convenience.
Maggie is the child of the town drunk and a former prostitute. When people see her, they see her parents. One can only imagine the treatment she received from her peers and other adults that were familiar with her parents.
Hubert is a PK, a preacher’s kid, and he has a secret he’s only shared with Maggie.
Coincidentally, their friendship is built on their shared secrets.
- Maggie despises men because she was regularly raped by a family friend.
- Hubert is gay.
Unfortunately, their secrets yield the inevitability of ever getting married.
Why is marriage a big deal? Because of the location and time period, people would scrutinize them for not being married or not having children. Plus, there’s this overshadowing thought that a man is incomplete without a woman and vice versa. And of course, there’s the financial aspect of it all.
In comes the marriage of convenience. Hubert proposes that they get married. That way, he can have his boyfriends and Maggie won’t have to worry about being with a man. Marriage sounds like a win for both of them. Right? No. This is where 1+1 has to equal three or more because Maggie and Hubert need to figure out how to have a baby.
Operation “find a baby daddy” is in full effect as they seek eligible fathers in out-of-town bars and juke joints.
On top of trying to conceive, Maggie is navigating new relationships with the people who wouldn’t have given her two looks before marrying Hubert. Marrying him seems to be the best thing to happen to her, so she’s making friends. One of them being on the fast track of being the best of them is Jessie.
Jessie is a busybody and a run and tell that kind of friend, but Maggie enjoys her company regardless of her meddlesome qualities.
Things That Make Me Go Hmm
- Will their marriage last?
- Will they find a man to impregnate Maggie?
- How long will their marriage be believable before someone discovers it doesn’t operate like a traditional marriage?
- Should Maggie trust Jessie?
Let me know in the comments what you think.
I’ll be back tomorrow with chapters 5-7.
If you will be purchasing a physical copy of the book, please consider purchasing through my Bookshop.org shop. If you purchase from there, I will earn a small commission at no extra cost to you. Plus, you’ll be supporting your local bookstores. It’s a win all around.
Keep up with everything related to this buddy read. Links will be available as they become LIVE. Come see and join me!
