"Longings trump belongings any day."

This heartwarming tale by Cynthia Ruchti is full of musings on identity and worth. Jayne Denagee is willing to do anything to distance herself from her family history. Her father has left a trail of mercy killings in his wake, only being caught when Jayne accidentally witnessed the murder of her terminally ill mother. Now that he's behind bars, Jayne has changed her name and moved halfway across the country in hopes of putting that part of her life behind her.

Isaac Hughes dearly loves his mother, but the needs of her Alzheimer's require a full-time caretaker. When young, beautiful, and secretive Becca Morrow comes into his life to sweep both him and his mother off their feet, Isaac couldn't be more grateful. Knowing he'll lose his mother soon, Isaac can't stop thinking about his biological mother and the circumstances behind his adoption. While his heart is full of gratitude for the upbringing Mr. and Mrs. Hughes gave him, something deep inside longs for a blood connection from his past.

When something suspicious happens to Mrs. Hughes, Becca's past and her family identity comes to light and threatens to tear apart the world where she was beginning to find healing. Becca's running from her past, and Isaac is trying to find his. Where will their hearts find a place to feel at home?

This was a beautiful story. I felt very invested in the characters, so much that when I had to put the book down I would whisper, "Sorry, Becca and Isaac!" I wanted to see where the story would take them. My heart ached at the way Becca felt unworthy because of her family and the emotional abuse she'd suffered, and I longed for her to see herself the way Isaac saw her. Keeping secrets is usually both hard and dangerous. When the secrets of both their pasts are revealed, we get to see whether Isaac and Becca can be set free or remain bound by the choices of the people who gave them life. The choices of other people do affect us, but they do not have to define us. This is an issue that resonates with a lot of people, and I hope that they will connect with this novel and enjoy this journey with two remarkable characters.

I received my copy of the book from LitFuse Publicity in exchange for this honest review. All opinions are my own.