New Historical Novel from 7-Time Christy Award Winner!
In the aftermath of the Civil War, Josephine Weatherly and her
mother, Eugenia, struggle to pick up the pieces of their lives when
they return to their Virginia plantation. But the bitter realities
of life after the war cannot be denied: their home and land are but
shells of their previous grandeur; death has claimed her father and
brother; and her remaining brother, Daniel, has returned home
bitter and broken. The privileged childhood Josephine enjoyed now
seems like a long-ago dream. And the God who failed to answer any
of her prayers during the war is lost to her as well.
Josephine soon realizes that life is now a matter of daily
survival--and recognizes that Lizzie, as one of the few remaining
servants, is the one she must rely on to teach her all she needs to
know. Josephine's mother, too, vows to rebuild White Oak...but a
bitter hatred fuels her.
With skill and emotion, Lynn Austin brings to life the difficult
years of the Reconstruction era by interweaving the stories of
three women--daughter, mother, and freed slave--in a riveting
tale.
The war is over. The South has lost.
Josephine Weatherly struggles to pick up the pieces of her life
when her family returns to their Virginia plantation. But the
realities of life after the war cannot be denied: her home and land
are but a shell of their previous grandeur; death has claimed her
father and brother; and her remaining brother, Daniel, has returned
home bitter and broken.
Her life of privilege, a long-ago dream.
Josephine soon realizes that life is now a matter of daily
survival--and recognizes that Lizzie, as one of the few remaining
servants, is the one she must rely on to teach her all she needs to
know. Josephine's mother, too, vows to rebuild White Oak...but a
bitter hatred fuels her.
Can hope--and a battered faith in God--survive amid the
devastation?
In her bestselling tradition, Lynn Austin brings to life the
difficult years of Reconstruction by interweaving the stories of
three women--daughter, mother, and freed slave--in a riveting
tale.
"Seven-time Christy winner Austin (Wonderland Creek) deftly
weaves this story about the Reconstruction era. Strong heroines
with depth make this a sure bet not only for CF fans, but
mainstream fiction readers as well. Recommend it to readers of Lynn
Morris and Sandra Byrd." --Library Journal
"The Reconstruction-era South is realistically
recreated." --Publishers Weekly
Lynn Austin, a former teacher who now writes and speaks full time, has won eight Christy Awards for her historical fiction. One of those novels, Hidden Places, has also been made into a Hallmark Channel movie. Lynn and her husband have raised three children and make their home near Chicago, Illinois. Learn more at www.lynnaustin.org.