Did you know that during the Civil War, mothers were allowed to help wounded sons on the battlefield?

“...Joslin is the first novelist to have written about this conflict-rich situation....an original and important novel....”—Angela Davis-Gardner, author of Plum Wine and Butterfly's Child

"Nell Joslin’s accomplished debut novel explores the loss and destruction of war; through her protagonist, Susannah, the reader witnesses the moral depths of what unites and holds people together as well as what tears them apart."—Jill McCorkle, New York Times best-selling author

"A female-centered Cold Mountain . . . . Brilliantly conceived, exquisitely written, Nell Joslin's debut novel heralds the emergence of a major new voice in Southern letters."—Elaine Neil Orr, author of Dancing Woman

“This Civil War-era novel is a richly textured, heartfelt portrait of a mother on a mission. It will leave you with a greater understanding of the issues that divided our country, resulting in profound loss on both sides. Honest and affecting.”—Susan Rivers, author of The Second Mrs. Hockaday

“With her debut novel, Nell Joslin proves herself as fearless as her heroine, Susannah Shelburne, a Southern abolitionist whose devotion to her son, a wounded Confederate soldier, propels her directly into harm’s way. In vivid, absorbing prose, Joslin brings to life a narrator as steely and resourceful as she is spacious-hearted. Susannah’s story—compelling, unforgettable, wholly original—is a brilliant and necessary addition to American Civil War literature.”—Kim Church, author of Byrd

“I entered this novel’s world thinking, well, this is yet another Civil War novel. I was wrong. This book will deserve accolades and prizes. Despite the grim wartime story, I left it with hope for the characters’ future. Pay attention to Ms. Joslin—she is a fine writer.”—Wayne Caldwell, author of Cataloochee, Requiem By Fire, and WOODSMOKE