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Description
The Old PlaceHardcover 336 pages A bighearted and moving debut about a wry retired schoolteacher whose decade old secret threatens to come to light and send shockwaves through her small Texas town. Billington, Texas, is a place where nothing changes. Well, almost nothing. For the first time in nearly four decades, Mary Alice Roth is not getting ready for the first day of school at Billington High. A few months into her retirementor, district mandated exile as she
Hardcover  | 336 pages
A bighearted and moving debut about a wry retired schoolteacher whose decade-old secret threatens to come to light and send shockwaves through her small Texas town.
Billington, Texas, is a place where nothing changes. Well, almost nothing. For the first time in nearly four decades, Mary Alice Roth is not getting ready for the first day of school at Billington High. A few months into her retirement—or, district mandated exile as she calls it—Mary Alice does not know how to fill her days. The annual picnic is coming up, but that isn’t nearly enough since the menu never changes and she had the roles mentally assigned weeks ago. At least there’s Ellie, who stops by each morning for coffee and whose reemergence in Mary Alice’s life is the one thing soothing the sting of retirement.Â
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Mary Alice and Ellie were a pair since the day Ellie moved in next door. That they both were single mothers—Mary Alice widowed, Ellie divorced—with sons the same age was a pleasant coincidence, but they were forever linked when they lost the boys, one right after the other. Years later, the two are working their way back to a comfortable friendship. But when Mary Alice’s sister arrives on her doorstep with a staggering piece of news, it jeopardizes the careful shell she’s built around her life. The whole of her friendship with Ellie is put at risk, the fabric of a place as steadfast as Billington is questioned, and the unflappable, knotty fixture that is Mary Alice Roth might have to change after all. Â
Billington, Texas, is a place where nothing changes. Well, almost nothing. For the first time in nearly four decades, Mary Alice Roth is not getting ready for the first day of school at Billington High. A few months into her retirement—or, district mandated exile as she calls it—Mary Alice does not know how to fill her days. The annual picnic is coming up, but that isn’t nearly enough since the menu never changes and she had the roles mentally assigned weeks ago. At least there’s Ellie, who stops by each morning for coffee and whose reemergence in Mary Alice’s life is the one thing soothing the sting of retirement.Â
Â
Mary Alice and Ellie were a pair since the day Ellie moved in next door. That they both were single mothers—Mary Alice widowed, Ellie divorced—with sons the same age was a pleasant coincidence, but they were forever linked when they lost the boys, one right after the other. Years later, the two are working their way back to a comfortable friendship. But when Mary Alice’s sister arrives on her doorstep with a staggering piece of news, it jeopardizes the careful shell she’s built around her life. The whole of her friendship with Ellie is put at risk, the fabric of a place as steadfast as Billington is questioned, and the unflappable, knotty fixture that is Mary Alice Roth might have to change after all. Â
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4.9 ★★★★★
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Product Reviews
★★★★★ 5
Great shoes
Size: 6 Toddler, Color: Brown
Perfect for little ones
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Reviewed in the United States on May 28, 2026
★★★★★ 5
Great kids sandals
Size: 9 Toddler, Color: Taupe
These are cute and my kids say they’re comfortable! We got a few colors. Definitely would purchase again. They’ve got good quality.
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Reviewed in the United States on March 18, 2026
★★★★★ 1
Super wide
Size: 13 Little Kid, Color: Taupe
They are oddly very wide. Great for kids with wide chunky feet but for us it was not cute
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Reviewed in the United States on May 18, 2026
★★★★★ 2
Nice but runs small
Size: 7 Big Kid, Color: Navy
The sandals are nice and not to hard or flimsy but they are cut very small.
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Reviewed in the United States on April 22, 2026
★★★★★ 4
Solid Kids Sandals, Overpriced Like Most Kids Shoes 🌞
Size: 11 Little Kid, Color: Brown, Size: 11 Little Kid, Color: Brown
My son hasn’t worn these yet since it’s December in Indiana and sandals + snow obviously don’t mix. 😂 So this review is based on first impressions rather than long term wear.
That said, these seem wider than a lot of typical kids’ sandals, which I REALLY appreciate since we tend to have wider feet in our family. #hobbitfeet
The quality feels pretty decent overall. They’re described as lightweight, and while they’re not insanely lightweight, they do have enough weight to feel semi-sturdy and not flimsy or cheap. I like the style and color, and I think they’ll work well for my son once warmer weather hits.
My main complaint is the price. At just under $24 at the time of this review, it feels a little high for kids’ sandals and for what these are. I really feel like $20 MAX would make more sense. Kids shoes are almost always priced like adult shoes, even though they clearly use less material, and that’s hard for me to understand and wrap my mind around. Overall, these seem solid for daily wear, I just wish the price was a bit more reasonable and affordable.
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Reviewed in the United States on December 31, 2025