Nicola Kraus is one of my must buy authors. I was honored to be able to review her newest book. This book was a fabulous story about the power of family, loyalty and healing. It was a masterpiece.

Exquisite! I needed this book. Every year I find a novel that speaks to me. This definitely ranks among some of my favorites, “The Nest”, “Pineapple Street” and “The Newcomer.” This is the story of Jayne and her daughter Lin. I who hate stories with too many characters, yet I loved each family ember depicted in this novel. Kraus manages to make them all important and sympathetic. Oh, they are a flawed family.

Jayne escaped her roots by going to Radcliffe and marrying the campus intellectual. Her sister Barbara fled her roots and came to Jayne to hand her 3 children she had collected during her travels. Jayne takes them on and adds to the family with 2 of her own children. The most undeveloped character is Rodger, Jayne’s husband, who is distanced from all the family except his adoration of his daughter Linden.

His love for his child becomes the catalyst for the decomposition of the family. Sadly, it’s a familiar story. Does excessive love showered upon a female child equate to molestation? With this heritage, Lin is the character I loved. She is lost in the mess and chaos that is her life. The family situation becomes more twisted with the return of Barbara.

Ultimately, we travel with Lin as she unfurls the world of her mother and aunt, Jayne and Barbara. The author gives the reader closure in a meaningful epilogue.

Thank you Netgalley for this fabulous novel that I will be recommending this year and pre-ordering for gifts for all the folks who will love it as I did.