No doubt but Robertson writes great characters. The people and their interactions leap off the page with authenticity and moving emotion. The book is worth reading for that alone.
Unfortunately, plot is not the book's strong suit. It follows a clever (I avoid the spoiler here) set up that diverts the reader from a later plot development between the main character and two others, but after that the plot seems to drain away to nothing. In the end, I felt a bit let down. No, actually I felt let down, a lot. Like many authors (note to self) Robertson pads her plot with lots of interesting side trips. These are for the most part quite interesting and worth the journey, but by the end, one feels the padding.
Still, for the depth of her characters, Robertson is worth reading. ( )

Traditional but engaging read about a 43-year-old man who wants a child but sees his chances passing him by. A nice twist on the female biological time clock issue. For my full review, please see Whispering Gums at: http://whisperinggums.wordpress.com/2012/05/23/deborah-robertson-sweet-old-world... ( )