The Citrus Baron

The Citrus Baron
Carolyn Kingsley
Xlibris Corporation
ISBN: 1-4134-7247-8
Fiction, Family Saga
Reviewed by Dr. Tami Brady

The Cantrell family has a colorful legacy. Daniel Cantrell was a hard man. His life and love was in his groves. His family was merely seen as individuals who could work the land or take care of his house. In all Dan had ten children and three wives. His first wife died in childbirth, his second left him after years of horrible abuse, and the third got her revenge. The children, grandchildren, and extended family of Daniel Cantrell lived very interesting lives. Some followed almost directly in the footsteps of Dan while others spent their lives trying to live his legacy down.
For me, The Citrus Baron was one of those guilty pleasures. The book read like a soap opera and I quickly found myself immersed in the drama of the Cantrell clan. The story has a lot of characters, each with their own well developed story that relates to the main action. Normally, I have problems keeping individual’s straight when the storyline involves so many characters. However, that never seemed to be an issue with The Citrus Baron. I think that each person’s story was so interesting in and of itself that I took in the information without any problems. I think that each situation also related extremely well back to Dan Cantrell. I could see how the actions and interactions rippled through each life and each generation.
Pick up this book, find a nice quiet spot, and get lost in the lives, loves, and losses of the Cantrell family.