by Mary Jordan
First published 2021
The starting line stretches across a mountain trail in the Smoky Mountains. Among the runners preparing for the brutal cross country race stands our protagonist, facing miles of unforgiving Tennessee terrain ahead. The course will test every muscle and bone, but the real challenge lies deeper. As she pushes through steep climbs and rocky descents, she must confront questions about who she really is and what she can become. Each step forward becomes a step inward. The mountains strip away pretense and force hard truths to surface. Other runners fall behind or surge ahead, but her true competition is with herself. The race becomes a crucible where leadership qualities emerge from unexpected places. Adventure waits around every bend, not just in the wild landscape but in the discoveries she makes about her own capabilities. The finish line promises more than completion of a race.
Genres: fiction, literary-fiction, adventure, contemporary
Vibes: emotional, fast-paced, thought-provoking
Tropes: self-improvement, underdog
Setting: Smoky Mountains, Tennessee
Period: 21st-century
219 pages · Paperback · Independently published