by Catherine Ryan Hyde

Loved this book and I desperately miss the characters now that I’ve finished their story.

The twelve year old boy talks too much and feels everything very deeply, even as he swims in extreme naivete.

A difficult, distant woman seems unlovable from the start, but her compassion draws the reader like bees to honey.

You know how sometimes it seems like all the books out there are set during WWII? Well, this novel is set in the 50s and 60s – such a refreshing change for me! It’s almost not far enough back to be considered historical fiction. But when we walk the dirt road with the 12 yr old boy who gets in trouble for talking to a kid with a different skin color, it feels light-years away. Sort of.

The story touches on difficult subjects (race, hate crimes, bad laws, and child abuse), but what shines so very bright are the characters and their extreme hopefulness. Hope is such a powerful thing, we all could stand to pass a little bit around.

Loved every word.

Buy your copy here.