It is 1936 and Kate Merritt, the middle child of Victor and Nadine, works hard to keep her family together. Her father slowly slips into alcoholism and his business suffers during the Great Depression. As her mother tries to come to grips with their situation and her sisters seem to remain blissfully oblivious to it, it is Kate who must shoulder the emotional load. Who could imagine that a dirty, … dirty, abandoned little girl named Lorena Birdsong would be just what the Merritts need?
In this richly textured novel, award-winning author Ann H. Gabhart reveals the power of true love, the freedom of forgiveness, and the strength to persevere through troubled times. Multidimensional characters face real and trenchant problems while maintaining their family bonds, all against the backdrop of a sultry Kentucky summer. Readers will be drawn into the story and find themselves lingering there long after they’ve finished the book.
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Sweet story of a long ago time in a small town where things were supposed to be simple. But life is complicated and relationships also. Uplifting novel.
Wonderful book by a wonderful author.
Love the characters and read the entire series
It kept me in suspense!
Lots of twists and turns loved it
I liked it very much and am reading the sequel. Kept me interested to see where the story would go.
Loved it!!! The characters are wonderful!! I didn’t want to put it down!
I loved all the characters in this book so much that I didn’t want it to end! Probably the best book I’ve read this year!
This story is very touching and you couldn’t help but love the characters.
At first the story was slow and I almost put it down but I stayed with it. I was rewarded with a wonderful story that was hard to stay away from.
I found this novel charming and heart-warming although a bit too heavy on the emphasis of the middle girl having to take care of everything with the elder daughter just seeming to float along, doing nothing.
Loved this book and was sorry when I reached the end.
Ehh, too many books left to continue reading this one. I put it away.
It was hard to follow, but well worth the read. Bitter and sweet at times.
The beginning of the book was a little dry but I thought the rest of the book was informative and inspirational.
Love Love and Love this book. Ms. GabHart stole my heart from the first page. We can all have a heart for others and make sure that there is room in our lives and heart to put others needs,sometimes before our own. I pray that the Lord will always make me more meek and humble than I was yesterday,because a heart of stone benefits no one.
I’m sorry, but it was so long aago that I read this book. I know I enjoyed it, because I read a lot of books about children. It didn’t sticik top my mind after I read it.
I loved the determination of the main character in loving and staying devoted to this little girl; and her courage in challenging legalistic Christianity even when she stood alone. She demonstrated the love of Christ instead of religiosity!
As I read on a treadmill, anything which holds my attention is a good read for me. It needs to grab me right in at the beginning, too. I enjoyed this book.
Well written and hated to see it end