By: Silas House
From the front cover: "Vine, Cherokee-born and raised in the early 1900s, trains her eye on a young white man, forsaking her family and their homeland to settle in with Saul's people: his smart-as-a-whip, slow-to-love mother, Esme; his brother Aaron, hot tempered and unpredictable; and Aaron's flighty and chattery Melungeon wife, Aidia. But what is at first difficult becomes a test of her spirit. And in the violent turn of events that ensues, she learns what it means to forgive others and, most important, how to forgive herself."
My Thoughts: This is the kind of book find yourself yelling at because things are happening that you can't believe are happening! The climax of the story was so intense! I couldn't believe it. And then I thought about all the little things that had foreshadowed that point and how cleaver the author was in putting it all together but without ever giving anything away. There were so many things that I never saw coming.
I'm in love with Vine's husbad Saul. He wasn't even in half the novel but I still loved him. That was probably my only problem. I wanted more Saul! And I want someone to write me letters like he wrote to Vine. But I did love all the women characters that the novel predominately revolves around. Even Aidia, although she could be frustrating and I don't know how to pronounce her name. Serena was my favorite. I like that she just doesn't put up with any crap.
I love how it ended. If there had been no epilogue I probably would have hated it, but thankfully there was one and it was perfect! This book left me wanting more, which honestly I don't think that about hardly any of the books I read. I loved the writing and was so surprised that it was written by a man! Is that bad?
Favorite Quotes: "He loved her like air, they said."
"Memory swirled around me so close and fast that I swear I could feel the hair lift from my shoulders, like it had been stirred by memory's breath."
"You have to seek out the promise of joy, no matter your circumstances."
Rating: 5/5