UNDER CONSTRUCTION

Wow. I have often considered trying to tell a fictionalized story of how my mom and dad met during WW2. My mother grew up on a farm just on the outskirts of Southampton and my dad was stationed to #31 Air Navigation School, Port Albert as a flight mechanic. One day a Harvard crashed at the head of High Street in Southampton (as a result of a training exercise) and my dad and others were dispatched to attend to the crash. My dad met my mom at Lilly Lee’s Restaurant in Southampton. They dated and were eventually married and had 4 children (me being one of them). So I very much related to the romance between Denny and Anna in this wonderful book! Elliott Everest is an accomplished storyteller and I was enthralled with the details of farm life, the hardships of 5 girls/women managing the farm, the joys and the sorrows and heartbreaks as the tale unfolds. E-E’s narrative style keeps the reader turning pages and her descriptions of the natural beauty of the area and local towns are well researched and evocative. And of course, the small town gossip adds an extra dimension! There is a lot to unpack (as the saying goes) in this book and E-E has provided a discussion guide at the end of the book to help the reader go back and rethink of all the themes, relationships and storylines (including grief, harassment and some things that may be triggers to some readers). I will be recommending this book to everyone!
Amazon.ca, reviewed in Canada on July 7, 2024



​I thoroughly enjoyed Anna's Tree. Set in 1941 against the backdrop of rural Ontario during World War II, the story hearkens back to a simpler time, but a time no less fraught with discrimination and heartbreaks. As we follow the story of the Ross sisters we see how their strength, resilience, and love for one another guides them through life's challenges. Anna's Tree is a wonderful read!
Amazon.ca, reviewed in Canada on April 1, 2024



Cynthia Everest writes lyrically in describing the countryside near Southampton, the bluffs on the Lake Huron shore, and the drive to Owen Sound. The 1940s of small town Ontario is captured well in Saturday markets, church attendance (Presbyterian), Women's Institute - the economy, and the rigid social norms. British pilots from nearby war-time bases were part of the scene - and one in particular as a love interest. The book was very well-researched to convey how people lived, what the weather was like, what they listened to on their radios (news from CBC), what news they had about the war, and what was involved in farming. New opportunities for women in business and government were illustrated, especially through Mary. I was glad to see that Mary received her business training from Northern Business College in Owen Sound and that its founder C.A. Fleming made a brief appearance..

Thus, the re-creation of the times was what I enjoyed most about the story. Anyone who knows Bruce County and the Southampton area will love it. Those wishing to track down sources or explore the times more deeply will be pleased by the very long list of References, many with Internet addresses.

"Anna's Tree is a work of historical fiction. It is a tapestry woven with the threads of imagination, research and family experiences." (p.367)... I have attempted to bring the 1940s to life with references to news and popular culture and to recreate rural life in Bruce County with references to local history and landmarks." (p. 368) Everest, I submit, succeeded in that aim.
From Good Reads, November  29, 2023



I was born in a little house on Huron Street in Southampton in 1938 and this book brought back many fond memories of my hometown. We had a row of Maple trees across our front yard and we also tapped them every Spring and made our own Maple Syrup. I loved the descriptions of the locale and the people. Two of my Mother’s brothers served overseas in the Army and my Dad’s younger brother was in the Air Force. I can recall hushed discussions about neighbours whose family members were lost or missing in action. The radio news was of critical importance to everyone in those days and even the smallest of us knew to be quiet when it came on. This was a lovely, well written novel and I had trouble remembering that was, after all, only fiction when the Public School Principal was called Mr. McGregor, rather than our beloved G. C. (Cliff) Huston!
Amazon.ca, reviewed in Ireland on December 14, 2023



WOW! When I picked up this book from the Free Little Library, I only picked it because it's setting was in a town close to my own. I didn't think it would be such an amazing read. I loved it from start to finish and couldn't put it down! It was great to see towns and places mentioned that had such meaning to me personally, but the greatest gift was in the story itself. What a plot, and written so beautifully!!! A must read for everyone, truly!!! I read it in less than 24 hours, could not put it down!
From Good Reads - D. Fox, December 15, 2022



A bittersweet story of love and family
"This book was a lovely story, about the Ross family, growing up in rural Bruce County during the time of WWII. There is no shortage of hard times for the family, but the story is realistic in both their tragedies and their joys. It was entertaining enough to keep you reading, and informative as well. It is well researched, and I learned a thing or two about the area, in which I grew up. I enjoyed too how each sister has her own unique voice and personality. Well done".
Amazon.ca, reviewed in Canada on April 1, 2022


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"I loved Anna's Tree and was sorry to finish the book. I became attached to the characters and felt immersed in their stories in wartime Southampton. I also learned a lot about the history of Ontario. Anna's Tree is an entertaining read".
Claire Hubling, Waterdown, Ontario


"Loved it!  The story is good and believable and I learned things I did not know before - like the local air training schools [WW2 British Commonwealth Air Training Plan]"
Cheryl Kryzaniwsky, Port Elgin, Ontario


"I loved your novel and was sad to finish it. I can appreciate the influences of books like Little Women and the Anne series as you referenced. I felt the love and warmth that the Laura Ingalls Wilder stories brought me. Thank you for the gift of your novel particularly at this time when we sometimes feel that our world s falling apart. Hope you have the makings of another novel in your head!!"
​Sharon Frame-Adams, Barrie, Ontario


"Truly enjoyed reading Anna's Tree. The accolades are well-deserved".
Patricia Dobec, Southampton, Ontario


​"I just wanted to email you and tell you how much I enjoyed your book Anna's Tree.
I was not expecting the outcome ... [spoiler removed]
It was a pleasant read. I am often disappointed with the way books end but I thoroughly enjoyed yours.
It was also neat to read about places in the area, as I live in London but have a cottage in Point Clark, and my mum use to work at the South Street Campus of Victoria Hospital". 
Rachel Stuy, London, Ontario


"Anna's Tree is a fantastic book! I loved reading it, my daughter (who loves to write) gave it to me for Christmas (purchased from Fincher's in Goderich). I grew up on a dairy farm in Huron County and my tree was located between the house and barn. Thank you for the walk down memory lane".
"Your accurate historical facts of the flying schools, Vanastra, Goderich and Clinton all made me proud to be from this area". 
Barbara Hewitt, Huron County, Ontario


"I enjoyed the twists you put in the book and believe you have a lot of skill as a story teller".
Jim McGill, Southampton, Ontario