30 June 2016

The Ringmaster's Wife by Kristy Cambron

About the Book
★★★★★
Goodreads | Amazon
An ounce of courage. A split-second leap of faith. Together, they propel two young women to chase a new life---one that's reimagined from what they might have become.

In turn-of-the-century America, a young girl dreams of a world that stretches beyond the confines of a quiet life on the family farm. With little more than her wit and a cigar box of treasures to call her own, Mable steps away from all she knows, seeking the limitless marvels of the Chicago World's Fair. There, a chance encounter triggers her destiny---a life with a famed showman by the name of John Ringling.

A quarter of a century later, Lady Rosamund Easling of Yorkshire, England, boards a ship to America as a last adventure before her life is planned out for her. There, the twenties are roaring, and the rich and famous gather at opulent, Gatsby-esque parties in the grandest ballrooms the country has to offer. The Jazz Age has arrived, and with it, the golden era of the American circus, whose queen is none other than the enigmatic Mable Ringling.

When Rosamund's path crosses with Mable's and the Ringlings' glittering world, she makes the life-altering decision to leave behind a comfortable future of estates and propriety, instead choosing the nomadic life of a trick rider in the Ringling Brothers' circus.

A novel that is at once captivating, deeply poignant, and swirling with exquisite historical details of a bygone world, The Ringmaster's Wife will escort readers into the center ring, with its bright lights, exotic animals, and a dazzling performance that can only be described as the greatest show on earth!

Once again, Kristy Cambron exhibits her ability to bring history to life with her beautiful storytelling and shares an entirely transporting historical story in her latest novel The Ringmaster’s Wife. Fans of historical fiction, I highly recommend this book to you - you won’t be disappointed; I know I wasn’t.

As I read The Ringmaster’s Wife, I was completely captivated and enchanted. Departing from the World-War-II focus of Cambron’s previous books, this novel looks into life around the circus in the early twentieth century. Cambron depicts vividly exquisite scenes from the world of the “Greatest Show on Earth” through the experiences of characters Mable, Rosamund, and Colin, and this detail-rich setting nicely supports the characters’ stories of adventure, friendship, romance, and their hopes for dreams, freedom, and redemption. It’s a lovely read.

Thanks to LitFuse Publicity Group, I received a copy of The Ringmaster’s Wife and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own. To read other opinions, be sure to check out what other reviewers think here, and purchase a copy of the book here.

About the Author
Kristy Cambron fancies life as a vintage-inspired storyteller. Her second novel, A Sparrow in Terezin, was named Library Journal Reviews' "Pick of the Month (Christian Fiction)" for February 2015.

Cambron is an art/design manager at TheGROVEstory.com storytelling ministry. She holds a degree in art history from Indiana University and has nearly 15 years of experience in instructional design and communications for a Fortune-100 company. She lives in Indiana with her husband and three football-loving sons, where she can probably be bribed with a coconut mocha latte and a good Christian fiction read.


29 June 2016

When Mountains Move by Julie Cantrell

★★★★★
Goodreads | Amazon
In a few hours, Millie will say “I do” to Bump Anderson, a man who loves her through and through. But would he love her if he knew the secret she keeps?

Millie’s mind is racing and there seems to be no clear line between right and wrong. Either path leads to pain, and she’ll do anything to protect the ones she loves. So she decides to bury the truth and begin again, helping Bump launch a ranch in the wilds of Colorado. But just when she thinks she’s left her old Mississippi life behind, the facts surface in the most challenging way.

That’s when Millie’s grandmother, Oka, arrives to help. Relying on her age-old Choctaw traditions, Oka teaches Millie the power of second chances. Millie resists, believing redemption is about as likely as moving mountains. But Oka stands strong, modeling forgiveness as the only true path to freedom.

Together, Bump, Millie, and Oka fight against all odds to create a sustainable ranch, all while learning that the important lessons of their pasts can be used to build a beautiful future.

Julie Cantrell’s When Mountains Move continues Millie’s story that began in Into the Free. While I haven’t yet read Into the Free, I still very much enjoyed reading When Mountains Move. Millie’s story is full of ups and downs as she marries, moves across the country, and faces the challenges of both starting a new life and keeping a secret of the past. It’s a well-told story of second chances and forgiveness, and I loved seeing Millie grow throughout the novel. I highly recommend When Mountains Move (but readers who like to read books in order, definitely start with Into the Free - I know I’m now eager to pick this one up soon).

Thanks to BookLook Bloggers, I received a copy of When Mountains Move and the opportunity to honestly review it. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own. (I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255: “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”)

Waiting on Wednesday: Missing & No Way Up

Hosted weekly by Breaking the Spine 
to spotlight eagerly-anticipated upcoming releases.

Title: Missing
Author: Lisa Harris
Publisher: Revell
Expected Publication Date: 5 July 2016

Nikki Boyd enters the deadly world of counterfeit drugs to find a missing woman.

Nikki Boyd isn't usually called in on homicides; her forte is missing persons. But when a case with two murdered and two missing pops up on a quiet suburban street, she's ready to start the investigation and find missing homeowners Mac and Lucy Hudson. When the first clues lead her to the boat of her friend Tyler Grant-and another dead body-Nikki must untangle what ties Tyler to the Hudsons. The clues pull her into a deadly maze of counterfeit drugs and a killer who will stop at nothing to silence anyone who threatens his business-including Nikki. 

Christy Award-winning and bestselling author Lisa Harris puts readers right into the action in this fast-paced thriller that will have them turning pages long into the night.

Title: No Way Up
Author: Mary Connealy
Publisher: Bethany House
Expected Publication Date: 5 July 2015

When Cimarron ranch patriarch Chance Boden is caught in an avalanche, the quick actions of hired hand Heath Kincaid save him. Badly injured, Chance demands that his will be read and its conditions be enforced immediately. 

Without anyone else to serve as a witness, Heath is pressed into reading the will. If Justin, Sadie, and Cole Boden don't live and work at home for the entire year, the ranch will go to their low-down cousin Mike. 

Then Heath discovers the avalanche was a murder attempt, and more danger might follow. Deeply involved with the family, Heath's desire to protect Sadie goes far beyond friendship. The danger keeps them close together, and their feelings grow until being apart is the last thing on their minds.

28 June 2016

Sea Rose Lane by Irene Hannon

About the Book

Goodreads | Amazon
Two people starting over...in a town known for second chances.

After a devastating layoff, attorney Eric Nash heads back to Hope Harbor--only to discover that his childhood home is being transformed into a bed and breakfast. Instead of plotting his next career move in peace, he's constantly distracted by noise, chaos--and BJ Stevens, the attractive but prickly blonde architect who's invaded the house with her motley crew. As for BJ, her client's son might be handsome, but after a disastrous romance, dating isn't high on her agenda. Yet when they join forces for to help Hope Harbor seniors, might they also find healing, hope, and a new beginning themselves?

Come home to Hope Harbor--where hearts heal...and love blooms.

Returning to Hope Harbor with another sweet, contemporary story, Irene Hannon’s Sea Rose Lane explores starting over and second chances. Attorney Eric Nash has been laid off and heads to his hometown to figure out what could be next, while BJ Stevens, previously a big-city architect, is enjoying the quiet life of that town, though still grapples with her lingering past. As their paths cross unexpectedly, the pair embark on a journey of growth, hope, and heartwarming romance. Their story, like Hope Harbor, is one I will happily recommend.

Thanks to Revell Reads, I received a copy of Sea Rose Lane and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.

27 June 2016

Beyond the Rising Tide by Sarah Beard


About the Book
★★★★★
Goodreads | Amazon
Kai met Avery only once--in the moment he died saving her life. Now when he's not using his new healing powers to help people, he watches helplessly as Avery's life is unraveled by his death. To help her, he risks everything by breaking the rules, dangerously blurring the barriers between life and death.

Sarah Beard’s Beyond the Rising Tide is an imaginative and emotional read, full of romance, sacrifice, and healing. Main characters Kai and Avery are connected to each other by a single tragedy - but there’s a catch: she’s alive and he’s dead. As they take turns sharing their first-person perspectives, their unlikely story deals with pain and guilt, sacrifice and healing, love and hope. As I read, I couldn’t help but stay intrigued about how the relationship between Kai and Avery would form and grow, and I really enjoyed it. Interested readers, be sure to check out Beyond the Rising Tide this summer.

Thanks to Singing Librarian Book Tours, I received a copy of Beyond the Rising Tide and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own.




About the Author
Sarah Beard is the author of YA novels Porcelain Keys and Beyond the Rising Tide. She earned a degree in communications from the University of Utah and is currently pursuing an MFA in writing from VCFA. When she's not writing, she referees wrestling matches between her three boys and listens to audiobooks while folding self-replicating piles of laundry. She is a breast cancer survivor, a baker of sweets, a seeker of good love stories, a composer of melancholy music, and a traveler who wishes her travel budget was much bigger. She lives with her husband and children in the shadow of the beautiful Wasatch Mountains. 


Snippets From Beyond the Rising Tide



24 June 2016

Jilted by Varina Denman

Can all things really work together for good, and can the joy of living be found once again? Don't miss one woman's story in book three, Jilted, of Varina Denman's Mended Hearts series. Lynda Turner has struggled with depression since her husband abandoned her and their young daughter fifteen years ago. Yet unexpected hope awakens when a local ex-convict shows interest. As long-hidden secrets resurface, Lynda must fight for her emotional stability and for a life where the shadow of shame is replaced by the light of love.

Celebrate the release of Varina's Jilted by entering to win a $50 gift card.

jilted-400 

One grand prize winner will receive:
  • A copy of Jilted to kick off a summer of reading
  • A $50 Kohl's gift card to make your summertime sweet
The giveaway ends on July 1st. The winner will be announced July 5th on Varina's website.

About the Book
★★★★★
Goodreads | Amazon
Lynda Turner has struggled with depression since her husband abandoned her and their young daughter fifteen years ago. 

Yet unexpected hope awakens when a local ex-convict shows interest. As long-hidden secrets resurface, Lynda must fight for her emotional stability and for a life where the shadow of shame is replaced by the light of love.

Jilted tells of a woman who has lost the joy of living, a man determined to draw her back toward happiness, and a town that must---once and for all---leave the past where it belongs. It is a gentle reminder that all things can work together for good.

Varina Denman’s Jilted is an excellent read, and I can’t think of a single thing I did not love about it. With her down-to-earth characters and a vividly depicted small-town setting, Denman shares a compelling narrative that engaged me wholeheartedly. It blends romance, mystery, and real-life issues with encouraging character development and touches of humor and satisfyingly concludes the Mended Hearts series with a beautiful and much needed message of forgiveness, trust, and hope. I can’t help but recommend Jilted  - be sure to add it to your to-read list!

Thanks to LitFuse Publicity Group, I received a copy of Jilted and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own. To read other opinions, be sure to check out what other reviewers think here, and purchase a copy of the book here.

About the Author
Varina Denman is author of the Mended Hearts series and a native Texan. She spent her high school years in a rural town and now writes stories about the struggles women face in similar small town settings. She and her husband live near Fort Worth, where they enjoy spending time with their five mostly grown children.

23 June 2016

Dwelling Places: Words to Live in Every Season by Lucinda Secrest McDowell

Drown out the busyness and noise of everyday life and find a deeper faith with something as simple as a single word in Lucinda Secrest McDowell's new book, Dwelling Places. Through short and inspiring readings, McDowell unpacks a single word—such as mercy, beauty, gratitude, or grace—to reveal a biblical blessing or challenge relevant to where you are. Full of stories and illustrations to empower you to live the word you have just read, each devotional ends with a benediction, written as if God were speaking directly to you.

Join Lucinda in celebrating the release of Dwelling Places by entering to win her Season of Refreshment giveaway.

dwelling places - 400 

One grand prize winner will receive:
  • A copy of Dwelling Places
  • Dwelling Places necklace handmade by Lucinda
  • A kit full of goodies you'll need to make refreshing lemonade this summer
One second place winner will receive:
  • A copy of Dwelling Places
  • Dwelling Places necklace handmade by Lucinda
dwelling places - collage 

Enter today by clicking the icon below, but hurry! The giveaway ends on July 5th. The winner will be announced July 6th on Lucinda's blog.

dwelling places - enter banner

About the Book
★★★★
Goodreads | Amazon
A deeper faith can be as simple as a single word.

With the dawn of each new year, Christians and spiritual seekers vow to seek a deeper, closer relationship with God and grow their spiritual life. Yet like many resolutions, as time passes, so does determination to stay the course. But what if a thriving, active faith were as simple as reading one word a day? 

Award-winning author Lucinda Secrest McDowell knows that if you spend a few minutes every day turning to God's Word for wisdom and guidance, your faith can flourish and grow. Through short and inspiring readings, McDowell unpacks a single word---like mercy, beauty, gratitude, or grace---to uncover a biblical blessing or lesson you can act on that very day. Each devotion includes stories and illustrations to foster understanding and ends with a benediction, written as if God were speaking directly to you. 

Organized into four seasons---fall, Advent, Lent, and summer---these devotions invite you to discover those "dwelling places" that offer the joy of God's promises and presence. Whether in the midst of busy holiday schedules, holy days, or changing seasons, a deeper faith can be a simple as a single word.

An excellent new devotional from Lucinda Secrest McDowell, Dwelling Places: Words to Live in Every Season offers great encouragement rooted in God’s truth. For any reader in need of a new devotional to explore, be sure to check out Dwelling Places - it’s worth it.

This small devotional contains four sections of short and simple yet thought-provoking devotions, divided by seasonal theme. Each seasonal section is accessible and beneficial with its focus - but I have to say my favorite section, as I read, was definitely “Fall” (perhaps because it’s my preferred season). Each of the “Fall” devotions relates to the theme-word “dwell,” and I found it all to be quite helpful.

Thanks to LitFuse Publicity Group, I received a copy of Dwelling Places and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own. To read other opinions, be sure to check out what other reviewers think here, and purchase a copy of the book here.

About the Author
Lucinda Secrest McDowell is the author of 11 books, including Live These Words, Amazed by Grace, and Quilts From Heaven. She has contributed to an additional 25 books and has been published in more than 50 magazines. A graduate of Gordon-Conwell Theological Seminary and Furman University, she speaks internationally through her ministry "Encouraging Words." An award-winning writer who has earned accolades from prominent writers' conferences and retreats, McDowell has also worked in radio broadcasting, in retreat planning, and on church pastoral staffs. She writes from "Sunnyside" cottage in Connecticut.

22 June 2016

Waiting on Wednesday: Courageous & The Things We Knew

Hosted weekly by Breaking the Spine 
to spotlight eagerly-anticipated upcoming releases.

Title: Courageous
Author: Dina L. Sleiman
Publisher: Bethany House
Expected Publication Date: 5 July 2016

Inspired by the vision of the Young Lady Sapphira, Rosalind of Ipsworth joins a group of men, women, and children as a defender of the cross, seeking to free captives from prisons near Tripoli. She gladly gives herself to the cause, as she's haunted by a tragic mistake and no longer deserves such joys as marriage and family might bring. 

Sir Randel Penigree was reared to serve in the church, but dreams of protecting the innocent as a knight. Joining a crusade to escape humiliation at home, he finds himself drawn to Rosalind as they partner to train and protect a group of young adolescents. When they face political machinations, danger, and an unknown enemy bent on their destruction, they are forced to reconsider their priorities and the very nature of the God they serve.

Title: The Things We Knew
Author: Catherine West
Publisher: Thomas Nelson
Expected Publication Date: 12 July 2016

When their tragic past begins to resurface, can he help her remember the things she can’t?

After her mother's death twelve years ago, Lynette Carlisle watched her close-knit family unravel. One by one, her four older siblings left their Nantucket home and never returned. All seem to harbor animosity toward their father, silently blaming him for their mother's death. Nobody will talk about that dreadful day, and Lynette can't remember a bit of it.

But when next-door neighbor Nicholas Cooper returns to Nantucket, he brings the past with him. Once her brother's best friend and Lynette's first crush, Nick seems to hiding things from her. Lynette wonders what he knows about the day her mother died and hopes he might help her remember the things she can't.

But Nick has no intention of telling Lynette the truth. Besides the damage it might cause his own family, he doesn't want to risk harming the fragile friendship between him and the woman he once thought of as a kid sister.

As their father's failing health and financial concerns bring the Carlisle siblings home, secrets begin to surface—secrets that will either restore their shattered relationships or separate the siblings forever. But pulling up anchor on the past propels them into the perfect storm, powerful enough to make them question all they ever believed in.

21 June 2016

Top Ten Tuesday: Favorite 2016 Releases So Far This Year

Hosted weekly by The Broke and the Bookish.



Close to You by Kara Isaac
Counted With the Stars by Connilyn Cossette


Girl Against the Universe by Paula Stokes
The Goodbye Bride by Denise Hunter


Her One and Only by Becky Wade
Like Never Before by Melissa Tagg


Miriam by Mesu Andrews
One Paris Summer by Denise Grover Swank


The Serpent King by Jeff Zentner
You're the One That I Want by Susan May Warren


So... what have been your favorite 2016 releases?

20 June 2016

Forever Beach by Shelley Noble

About the Book
★★★★★
Goodreads | Amazon
Two women…
One little girl…
Can they forgive the past in order to ensure the future of an innocent child…?

Once a foster child herself, Sarah Hargreave can’t wait to finalize the adoption of her foster daughter Leila. Sarah longs to give her all the love and stability she was denied in her own childhood. She’s put her own friendships and even her relationship with Wyatt, her longtime lover, on hold in order to give Leila her full attention. 

When Leila’s biological mother suddenly reappears and petitions the court for the return of her daughter, Sarah is terrified she’ll lose the little girl she’s come to love as her own. Convinced the mother is still addicted to drugs, Sarah and her social worker enlist the help of high profile family lawyer, Ilona Cartwright. But when they meet, Sarah recognizes her as Nonie Blanchard who grew up in the same group foster home as Sarah. They’d promised to be best friends forever, then Nonie was adopted by a wealthy family, and Sarah never heard from her again. Sarah still hurts from the betrayal. But Nonie harbors her own resentment toward Sarah who she believes abandoned her when she needed her most.

Mistrustful of each other, the two women form a tenuous alliance to ensure Leila’s future, but when Leila’s very survival is on the line, they’ll have to come to terms with their own feelings of hurt and rejection to save the child they both have come to love.

Forever Beach is not really the light-and-fluffy beach read the cover suggests... Instead, it’s a story about the foster care system and adoption, family and friendship, love and trust (with a few trips to the beach) and may even induce a few tears. Difficult memories and experiences from the past drive characters like Sarah and Ilona in their interactions surrounding foster child Leila, and each of Noble’s characters provides an interesting perspective to the storyline. I really enjoyed Forever Beach - it hooked me from the start and held on to all my emotions. Fans of contemporary fiction, especially those with an interest in foster care and adoption, should definitely consider reading this recent novel by Shelley Noble; I recommend it.

Thanks to TLC Book Tours, I received a copy of Forever Beach and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own. To read other opinions of the novel, click here.

About the Author
Shelley Noble is a former professional dancer and choreographer and has worked on a number of films. She lives at the Jersey shore where she loves to visit lighthouses and vintage carousels. She is a member of Sisters in Crime, Mystery Writers of America, and Romance Writers of America.

Find out more about Shelley at her website, and connect with her on Facebook and Twitter.

The Seed: A True Myth by Erik Guzman

About the Book
★★★★
Goodreads | Amazon

Read an excerpt here.
Young Madeline and Roark are desperately running from the shadow that destroyed their home and is threatening their lives. 

One day, they encounter Tatus, an older man who has sworn to avenge the death of his family at the hands of the shadow, and they form an alliance with him. Tatus promises that he can keep them safe from the shadow if they will help him build a fortress. So they build.

But as fortress-building consumes their lives, Madeline and Roark are increasingly filled with anger and fear, and an unseen evil threatens to ultimately destroy them. When they finally face the shadow, he presents them with an unthinkable offer that will reveal shocking secrets of the forgotten past, the unseen present, and the unimaginable future.

We've all had the feeling that something's not quite right with our lives. It's bigger than any specific failure or disappointment. It's bigger than any person. No matter what you achieve or how much you drink or sleep, you can't shake it. It haunts you---night and day
---and propels you to do something. So you build. You build and build the maze that is your exhausting life. Sound vaguely familiar?

The Seed: A True Myth is a journey into the personal labyrinths we create to protect ourselves and those we love from the pain of living in a broken world. Guzman's "true myth" takes the reader on an unforgettable journey that is, in essence, the grand narrative of God's redemptive work in the world. This page-turning Christian fantasy tale is packed with mystery and drama, and readers will feel the weight and power of redemption as they journey alongside Guzman's characters in their epic battle. The Seed deftly communicates the heart of Trinitarian theology through story---without using theological language or Christian terms---and reinforces biblical themes such as God's character and man's true identity and calling.

Every now and then I need to read a book or two a bit outside of my well-established reading choices. I have a tendency to pick up books with similar patterns and characteristics, and while I generally love them and have no complaints, I still like to branch out. Recently, Erik Guzman’s The Seed: A True Myth offered me that chance.

The Seed tells an imaginative and highly allegorical version of humanity’s fall and redemption, and with its mythic style, the story has a unique and engaging pull from beginning to end. Despite the few moments I found challenging and confusing, I thought The Seed to be a quite thought-provoking read. Guzman’s storytelling conveys interesting insight about a familiar biblical narrative and its theological principles without overused rhetoric, and I enjoyed this opportunity for me to read something a little different. For fans of myth and allegory, The Seed would be a perfect read.

Thanks to LitFuse Publicity Group, I received a copy of The Seed and the opportunity to provide an honest review. I was not required to write a positive review, and all the opinions I have expressed are my own. To read other opinions, be sure to check out what other reviewers think here, and purchase a copy of the book here.

About the Author
Erik Guzman is Vice President of Communications and Executive Producer at Key Life Network. He's the co-host of the nationally syndicated talk show Steve Brown, Etc. and announcer for Key Life. Guzman's writing has been featured in the organization's magazine and website as well Liberate.org, Burnside Writers Collective, and Sojourners (sojo.net). He has a BA in mass communication and an MBA and is perpetually working toward a Master's in theological studies. He is also the author of the soon-to-be-published book The Gift of Addiction: How God Redeems Our Pain. Guzman is also a Lay Eucharistic Minister, a drummer, and a fifth-degree black belt in Aikido. He lives near Orlando, Florida, with his wife and their three children.


15 June 2016

Waiting on Wednesday: The Loyal Heart & The Promise of Jesse Woods

Hosted weekly by Breaking the Spine 
to spotlight eagerly-anticipated upcoming releases.

Title: The Loyal Heart
Author: Shelley Shepard Gray
Publisher: Zondervan
Expected Publication Date: 12 July 2016

Robert came to Galveston to fulfill his promise to a dying man and look after his widow. He didn’t expect to find love in the unlikeliest of places.

Robert Truax, former Second Lieutenant and Confederate officer in the Civil War, made a promise to his comrade Phillip Markham. If anything happened to Phillip, Robert would look after his beloved wife, Miranda. She was his life, his world, his everything.

After the war, Robert is left to pick up the pieces and fulfill his pact. When he arrives at Miranda's home in Galveston, Texas, things are worse than he imagined. Phillip's name has been dragged through the mud, everyone in town believes him to be a traitor, and his widow is treated as an outcast. Even more disturbing is her emotional well-being. Miranda seems hopeless, lost, and so very alone. 

Robert had thought his duty would be simple. He would help Miranda as quickly as possible in order to honor a promise. But the moment Robert laid eyes on her, his plans changed. He's mesmerized by her beauty and yearns to help her in any way he can.

He makes it his duty to protect Miranda, turn her reputation around, and to find some way to help her smile again. But it doesn't prove to be an easy task—Robert knows something about Phillip that could shake Miranda to the core and alter her view of the man she thought she knew so well.

Title: The Promise of Jesse Woods
Author: Chris Fabry
Publisher: Tyndale House
Expected Publication Date: 1 July 2016

The summer of 1972 was the most pivotal of Matt Plumley’s childhood. While his beloved Pirates battle for back-to-back World Series titles, Matt’s family moves from Pittsburgh to Dogwood, West Virginia, where his father steps into the pulpit of a church under the thumb of town leader Basil Blackwood. A fish out of water, Matt is relieved to forge a fast bond with two unlikely friends: Dickie Darrel Lee Hancock, a mixed-race boy, and Jesse Woods, a tough-as-nails girl with a sister on her hip and no dad in sight.

As the trio traipses the hills and hollers, Matt begins to fall for Jesse, and their promises to each other draw him deeper into her terrifying reality. One night, the wrath of the Blackwoods and the secrets of Jesse’s family collide, and Matt joins Jesse in a rescue that saves one life and ends another…and severs the bond of their friendship.

Years later, Matt is pulled back to Dogwood and to memories of that momentous summer by news of Jesse’s upcoming wedding. He could never shake the feeling that there was more to the story of that fateful night, and he’s determined to learn the truth behind the only promise Jesse Woods ever broke.