Bees in June

MAGICAL REALISM • HISTORICAL • SOUTHERN • SMALL TOWN

Uncle Dixon always told Rennie to tell the bees everything, but somewhere along the way, Rennie forgot. Now, with her life at its lowest, she begins to see the bees in a new light. Will she believe again in the magic of the hives, and will she listen as the bees try to guide her home?

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DESCRIPTION

It's 1969, and the town of Spark Tennessee, is just as excited about the moon landing as the rest of the country. Rennie Hendricks is grieving and trying to heal from the unimaginable loss of her infant son. She had hoped a child would repair the cracks in her marriage to her husband, Tiny, but the tragedy has only served to illuminate his abusive character. Trying to relieve some of the financial stress that inflames Tiny's anger, Rennie accepts a position cooking at the local diner. Hidden away in a kitchen making delicious food, she rediscovers the joy she finds in cooking for others, and as she spends more time with her new boss, she realizes there are more options for women than she thought possible.

One of the benefits of her new job is that she can bring meals to her beloved Uncle Dixon, the man who practically raised her along with her late Aunt Eugenia, a woman unkindly labeled as a witch by most of the town. What those people didn't understand is that Eugenia was a healer and connected to power they couldn't grasp.

Rennie thinks her elderly uncle is confused when he talks about communicating with his bees, but then she starts to see them glow, leading her toward safety time and time again. Could it be that these bees, discovered long ago by her Aunt Eugenia, are magical and trying to tell her something? And what about the new neighbor, Ambrose Beckett, who seems to understand the bees too. Is he being truthful about why he has moved to Spark, or is there more to him than meets the eye?

Hope-filled and infused with magical realism, Bees in June captures Rennie's journey back to her true self, creating a rewarding life that the bees showed her was possible if she only believed in herself and the magic that surrounds her.

Escape into Elizabeth Bass Parman's Bees in June!

PRAISE FOR BEES IN JUNE

“Your heart will grow after reading Elizabeth Bass Parman’s sweet and tender sophomore novel Bees in June. Rennie is the kind of character you can’t stop rooting for, and I read with a mix of tears and joy until the final breathtaking finale. A tribute to the human spirit and one woman’s desire to remake herself, this novel should be on everyone's TBR list.”

—Brooke Lea Foster, author of Our Last Vineyard Summer

“Bees in June is the kind of novel that wraps itself around your heart and doesn’t let go. Elizabeth Bass Parman has created a world so rich with charm and quiet magic that you’ll want to pack your bags and move straight to Spark, Tennessee. The characters—especially Rennie—are beautifully real, and the story glows with warmth, resilience, and the kind of hope that stirs your soul. This book is a heartfelt reminder that healing can be found in unexpected places, and that sometimes, if we listen closely, the bees might just lead us home.”

—Jennifer Moorman, USA TODAY bestselling author of The Vanishing of Josephine Reynolds

ELIZABETH BASS PARMAN

Elizabeth Bass Parman, a Nashville native, discovered her passion for storytelling thanks to her middle school English teacher, acclaimed author Lee Smith, who encouraged her to keep writing—a piece of advice she’s joyfully embraced ever since. She holds a Bachelor’s degree in English literature from Hamilton College and spent a transformative year at the University of Kent in Canterbury, England, where her love for travel and all things British flourished. After a brief stint in Manhattan, she returned to Nashville, where she and her high school sweetheart raised their now-grown twin daughters. With a Master’s in education from Belmont University, Elizabeth dedicated her career to supporting individuals with reading-based learning disabilities. A proud member of the Women’s Fiction Writers Association and the Nashville Writers Alliance, she continues to channel her lifelong love of words into crafting compelling stories.

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