A beautiful and evocative time slip novel set in the Smokey Mountains, that follows two women more than 80 years apart as they discover the meaning of roots, faith, and home.
Kieran Lucas had a troubled upbringing, and has just recently reconnected with her long-lost grandmother, who is suffering with dementia. She hopes to bring comfort to her grandmother, by recovering the lost family heirloom that she has been asking after, the only problem is that where it is buried is now part of the Smokey Mountain National Park. Will a handsome park ranger, thwart her plans to recover the heirloom?
Rosie McCauley is fighting to save her family's homestead from the encroaching offers from the government to buy her out and add the only she and her sister have ever known to the newly formed Smokey Mountain National Park. The arrival of a young ornithologist, Benton Fuller upends her simple way of life and has her asking questions about how deep her roots are tied to the land.
A stunning and emotional dual timeline novel, that delves into the rich history of the accumulation of the land the Smokey Mountain National Park sits on. It was a little slow to start for me as there are multiple characters that we follow, 4 in all, Kieran, Zach, Rosie, and Benton. But after getting acquainted with each of them, I was quickly pulled in.
A wonderful read, with complex characters that captured my heart. Kieran has had a complicated life, but she has big heart for others, evidenced by her job and care for her grandmother. Rosie loves her home, and will do anything to protect her sister, Lorna, who is considered slow. Lorna has a big heart, but the innocence of a child, and her ways aren't always understood by their neighbors. I loved how Benton embraces Lorna as part of Rosie's life, getting to know the sisters while studying the birds on their land. Zach is a rule follower, and he is intrigued by Kieran's quest to find the family heirloom, I liked his strong commitment to his faith, as well as his close-knit family.
Overall, a well done read that drew me in with its combination of a riveting plot, and complex characters. I loved the strong themes of faith, forgiveness, and family woven throughout. Well worth the read, and highly recommend!
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
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