From the back cover:Meg Powell and Carson McKay grew were raised side by side on their families’ farms, bonded by a love that only deepened. Everyone in their small rural community in northern Florida thought that Meg and Carson would always be together. But at twenty-one, Meg was presented with a marriage proposal she could not refuse, forever changing the course of her life.
Seventeen years later, Meg’s marriage has become routine, and she spends her time juggling the demands of her medical practice, the needs of her widowed father, and the whims of her rebellious teenage daughter, Savannah, who is confronting her burgeoning sexuality in a dangerous manner, and pushing her mother away just when she needs her most. Then, after a long absence, Carson returns home to prepare for his wedding to a younger woman. As Carson struggles to determine where his heart and future lie, Meg makes a shocking discovery that will upset the balance of everyone around her.
My thoughts:
I was so mad that I almost gave up on this book before I made it through the prologue. I'm so glad I didn't.
The prologue happens on the eve of Meg's wedding and basically lets you know that yes, she is in love with Carson, and yes, she is allowing financial and family concerns pressure her into marrying Brian. Now, I have no romantic notions about what being poor is like, and I would much rather have money than not. However. The idea of her selling out that way made me MAD. I guess if a book can make you mad, that's one sign it's a good book.
As it happens, I just couldn't keep hating Meg. She made a bad decision when she was very young and really... who hasn't? This book brings up tons of interesting issues that kept my husband and I up talking late at night. Issues like: regret, coping with illness and death, teenage sexuality, shades of abusive relationships... on and on. Without spoiling anything, I have to warn you that this book made me cry.
Read this book. It's well-written (I couldn't believe it was a debut novel) with a lot of emotional depth. The characters are likeable for all that they're a little messed up (who isn't?). And most importantly, it's the kind of book that doesn't leave you after you've turned the last page.
I won this book from Therese Fowler herself in a giveaway hosted by Yankee Romance Reviews.
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