First published 2005
Arlene has spent a decade in Chicago, keeping the promises she made when she left her Alabama hometown of Possett behind. Her careful arrangement with God has held until now. Then a former classmate appears at her door asking pointed questions about Jim Beverly, the golden quarterback who ruled Possett High. At the same time, her boyfriend Burr delivers an ultimatum: meet his family or lose him forever. Arlene loves Burr deeply, but she knows her white Southern Baptist relatives will reject her African American partner. Forced to choose between her secrets and her future, Arlene reluctantly agrees to the dreaded trip home. As she navigates her family's racism and her own buried guilt, the careful lies she built begin cracking apart. Arlene must decide how much truth she can bear and how far she will go to protect both love and redemption.
Genres: literary-fiction, contemporary, southern-gothic, family-drama, african-american-historical-fiction
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: redemption, secrets
Setting: Alabama, Chicago, Possett
Period: Contemporary
Kindle Edition · Grand Central Publishing
Content warnings: racism