What You Have Left by Will Allison

 

Holly grew up on her grandfather's farm.  Her mother was killed in a water skiing accident when Holly was five.  Her father dropped her off with her grandfather after the funeral and that was the last time Holly saw him.  She grew up wondering why she wasn't important enough for him to come back for her and why he didn't love her enough.

Now she is grown and married to Lyle, who had worked on some house renovations for her grandfather.  Holly has an antique mall but spends most of her time gambling on the slots.  Outside of gambling, she longs to finally find her father and ask him her questions.  

Knowing that his marriage is faltering, Lyle decides that maybe finding Holly's father would improve things.  He manages to do that and now Holly must decide if she will finally go see him and find the answers to her questions.

Will Allison has written a story of human relationships.  There are Holly and her grandfather, Holly and Lyle, Holly and her daughter and finally Holly and her father.  The novel is set in Columbia, South Carolina, which is a familiar location to me and makes the book feel more realistic.  Allison is accurate at exploring family ties and capturing the feeling of the South.  This book is recommended for readers of literary fiction.