Set in rural western Nebraska, this is a family drama filled with secrets and angst. Not my favorite, but it was not hard to read and I enjoyed the references to western history and lore. ( )

I've read a lot of books lately by stellar authors - Michael Cunningham, Marilynne Robinson, Arthur Phillips. Each chapter, each sentence, each word seems exactly right. Pamela Carter Joern is not quite in that league. The foreshadowing in this book, at times, lacks subtlety. The ending is a bit abrupt. The parallels between past and present are sometimes too coincidental. But this book drew me in and held me. I devoured the story of Toby Jenkins, a widow who lives on a ranch in Nebraska, and her granddaughter Lila. When Lila's mother sends her to stay with Toby during the last months of her pregnancy, Lila quickly realizes that life in Nebraska is quite different from the Twin Cities. But she comes to appreciate the land, her roots, and the strong connections that are formed there.

It might have been the characters that won me over - especially Toby and Lila, who come from different worlds but share an inner strength. Or perhaps it was the relationship between these two characters that was so compelling. Either might be considered a bit stereotypical on her own, but the relationship that developed between them felt very real. Since place is such a key part of this book, I may have especially appreciated this look at life in rural Nebraska due to my midwest roots. Published by the University of Nebraska Press as a part of their Flyover Fiction series, this is a book in which place is very much a character of its own. In the end, I was willing to overlook small flaws in order to enjoy a story with much to recommend it. ( )

liked a lot, fiction, read ( )

read to 118 and found it to be slow for a teen read - still want to know the end... so not sure if I will finish