When people learn that I am a beekeeper, I get all kinds of fun gifts. Those can range from artisan earrings adorned with images of bees to custom-made and engraved tool boxes for my apiary needs. Some of those gifts have included interesting articles to enhance my skills or sometimes just to entertain.

One of those was a book suggestion from my father-in-law. He had read it and thought that I might enjoy it too. Well, I certainly did enjoy it and passed it on to my husband, who also enjoyed it despite having very little to do with my hobby.

This story will capture your heart on many levels. There is a bit of relatable reflection from each one of the main characters that we’ve probably all experienced in our own lives at one point or another.

The book reminds us that family is not always found in the classic sense but rather chosen by circumstances. It speaks volumes to the power of friendship, compassion in the face of loss, and finding the courage to start over (at any age) when life hasn’t turned out the way you expected.

You might also learn some cool things about our bee friends and their role in the bigger picture of life. The author happens to be a beekeeper living in Hood River, Oregon, the setting of her debut novel, The Music of Bees. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!