Back in 2016, I read and reviewed James Lee Burke’s The Jealous Kind, noting that the book was “… part of the Holland family saga. Back in 1835, Sam Holland escaped from prison, fighting in the Battle of San Jacinto in 1836. Sam’s grandson, Hackberry Holland, was a Texas Ranger.” Hackberry’s grandson, Aaron Holland Broussard, was the focus of that 5-star book.

Another Kind of Eden is another addition to the Holland family saga. The book again follows Aaron Holland Broussard, this time as he faces villains in a small Colorado town. This book has familiar themes: a stalwart, ethical man casually meets a woman, decides she is the answer to all of his needs and, in his efforts to win her, he annoys villains in the community.  

My experience with this latest book is EXACTLY the same as last year, when I was reviewing Burke’s book A Private Cathedral. At that time, I wrote “I can’t say I read all of this one. I TRIED. I really did. And I’m going to play the virus card, because everyone’s lives have been totally tossed around by the current pandemic…and don’t even get me started on the incompetent handling of this in the U.S. But that should really provide adequate time to read, even things we might not love, right?” Well, we still have the pandemic, and I still have lots of time to read, but…

So here I am, a year later, with another admittedly lazy review. This time my quote this time is taken from my piece on The New Iberia Blues, and once again it is EXACTLY applicable to Another Kind of Eden: “My husband found it well-written, as expected. He also enjoyed the repetition of familiar characters in the series…The things he does appreciate about the series in general and this title in particular include the beauty of the language used by Burke and the literary and historical allusions.’ Three stars. (I thought my husband would probably say at least four, but he agreed with me that we are not that fond of the supernatural in our fiction reading!) Thanks to Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for an advance copy in exchange for this honest (collaborative) review.