by Mary Lawson
First published 2007
Arthur works the family farm in Struan during the 1930s. He follows duty and expects to inherit both the land and his father's steady temperament. His younger brother Jake draws people in with his looks and unpredictable nature, but trouble follows him everywhere. When Laura arrives in their small community, the brothers' rivalry explodes into something neither can control. Years later, Ian grows up as the doctor's son in the same town. The 1950s have arrived, but Struan remains largely unchanged. Ian believes he can distinguish right from wrong with perfect clarity. The war has taken its toll on the young men, and its effects reach deep into this remote corner of the world. Two generations find their stories knotted together by circumstance and community bonds. Lawson builds tension with careful precision, moving toward a devastating conclusion. The novel captures both the cruelty and unexpected warmth of small town life.
Genres: literary-fiction, historical-fiction, 20th-century, family-drama
Vibes: emotional, intimate, thought-provoking
Tropes: enemies-to-lovers, found-family
Setting: Struan
Period: 1930s, 1950s
501 pages · Hardcover · Wheeler Pub Inc