I was impressed. There’s a restraint and a down-to-earthness about Lynch’s approach which seemed right and admirable, given what could have been a much more sensational treatment of the subject matter. And I was shocked too, that attitudes and practices that seemed more in keeping with the 1950s were still abroad closer to the end of the century.
So, although this is a low-key narration featuring determinedly ordinary characters, it traces a palpable tragedy, from several perspectives. And I particularly valued the ending and the reunion which dodged the easy and predictable in favor of something truer and more nuanced.
Well done.

This book follows multiple timelines- one takes place in the 80s and follows Dawn, a married woman with a child who starts to have feelings for another woman. The other follows Heron and Maggie, a son and daughter 30 years later who are dealing with several secrets between them.

What I liked:
I loved this books message about the mistreatment of gay (or just not straight) women back during this time period. I don’t want to give spoilers, but there is an afterword in this book that explains this more, and I greatly encourage everyone to read it. I think the author did a great job portraying the difficulty Dawn went through as she struggled with these feelings for another woman conflicting with her ability to maintain life as usual.

I also liked the themes in here that no one is really evil for what they did. People make mistakes- some bigger than others, but they do not necessarily deserve to be shut out for it.

What I didn’t like:
Everything felt too… removed and impersonal for me. I feel like this is definitely a book that SHOULD’VE made me cry, yet I did not really find myself caring much about any of the characters. Part of that may be that this is a very short book, so there isn’t a lot of time to really connect with anyone. Everyone just felt a bit… flat.

Overall, this is a very character driven book about these 3 people, and the complicated web between them. I would recommend it if you like slower moving family dramas, but not if you’re looking for a twisty-turny sort of book.

3 stars for an interesting yet flat family drama.

This is beautifully written. It is a book that really makes you feel. It makes you happy and then sad and then happy again. I loved the depth of the characters and their storyline was amazingly done.

This story is full of hope and heartache. It lifted me up and brought me down multiple times. The writing is superb. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC. Book clubs should read this together.

What a wonderful book! I really enjoyed the dual timelines and hearing from multiple perspectives. Quick, light writing but there was still a ton of depth to the storyline and characters. Highly recommend!

After receiving a cancer diagnosis, Heron must break the news to his middle-aged daughter, Maggie. Facing the mortality of the only parent she's ever known, questions about Maggie's long-absent mother, Dawn, begin to surface. As Dawn's narrative in 1982 runs in parallel to the present day drama, readers begin to understand the events that drove the family apart. A beautifully written, tender book that paints a moving portrait of a family shaped by love.