McGill gives the reader a look into the lives of a family struggling to cope with poverty and torn emotions. She makes her characters come off the page and walk into the reader’s mind. Laying bare all their emotions with such clarity, one feels an instant empathy with them.

The book is divided into two parts, one looking at Alicia as she struggles to deal with the cruelty bestowed upon the poor, by an unsympathetic world. She is headstrong, resilient and gifted with resources that even she is not aware of. Love abandons her, and then reclaims her in a way that she never thought possible, making her feel whole and wanted.

Sarah, Alicia’s headstrong daughter, follows a similar pattern as her mother in part two, as she crashes through life. She too is a survivor who grows wise with age, making all the mistakes of youth along the way. I found the two women had an interesting outlook on the life they found themselves in. They both thought they could take life by storm and mould it to suit them. But in the end they had to bend and mend their ideals, just to survive.

The book’s cover is attractive and fits in well with the thrust of the plot. Alicia and Sarah have good reason to abhor man’s willingness to kill, in order to bring about political change. In almost identical circumstances, those they love the most are suddenly snatched from them. Both women take a long time to fully recover from their loss.

Readers of romance will find this book very rewarding. The story flows well and keeps interest in the outcome high. It shows that life never follows the path we plan. Reaching for dreams and turning them into reality, can only come about by hard work and ultimate faith in one’s ideals. A point the book illustrates quite well.

I found the book an enjoyable read, one where I could easily identify with the characters and all aspects of their lives. This is a book that will give much joy to those who read it. It is another wonderful book from a talented writer.

Reviewed by Warren Thurston

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