by Tawni O'Dell
First published 2011
Kyle and Klint Hayes lose their father in a car crash. They face moving to Arizona to live with the mother who abandoned them. Then Candace Jack steps in. This wealthy old woman owns coal mines and has no motherly feelings. She offers the teenage brothers a home in her mansion. Kyle adapts quickly. He paints and connects with Miss Jack over her bullfighting artwork. Klint struggles. The former baseball star carries guilt about his father's death. He hides a secret that torments him. Miss Jack has her own hidden past in Spain. She owns a massive black bull named Ventisco who roams her property. As the boys settle into their new life, Miss Jack discovers she cares for them more than she expected. Her Spanish memories surface. Klint's anger grows. The three damaged people must confront what they've buried if they want to heal together.
Genres: fiction, literary-fiction, contemporary, family-drama
Vibes: emotional-atmospheric, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: found-family, redemption
Setting: Arizona, Spain
Period: 21st-century
Hardcover · Fance Loisirs
Content warnings: mental-illness