"Delightful uplifting tale"

Susannah Pelton grieves the loss of her mother and her personal setbacks. Needing to escape her sorrow and loneliness, Susannah establishes her Life List. She figures that visiting places for short stays and trying various things will enable her to avoid the pain of losing a loved one ever again.

Highly regarded mosaic artist Ryan Whitepath struggles with helping the center of his existence, his disturbed daughter Nia, who has not recovered from the death of her mother. Nothing seems to reach the child though his Cherokee grandmother advises patience and love until the injured redbird arrives to comfort and ultimately heal Nia. Ryan rejects the prophecy until the redheaded Susannah arrives at his North Carolina home in the Snowbird Mountains because his skills is on her list. As Susannah and Nia share in common the recent loss of a loved one, each begins to heal the other. Still Susannah fears love though she admits deep inside her soul it is too late to avoid it because she cherishes Ryan and his daughter above all else.

Though the vivid look at Native American culture in the modern age is enlightening and provides a delightful backdrop, the story belongs to two wounded females struggling to cope with simply existing after each has suffered the loss of a loved one. Both escape reality with Susannah hiding behind her list and Nia shrouding inside her brain. Each knows that loneliness is safer than cherishing another person. This powerful novel of second chances in life and love showcases the incomparable Fay Robinson's ability to gift readers with a delightful uplifting tale.

Harriet Klausner

Reviewed by Harriet Klausner
Posted October 19, 2002

Summary

Susannah Pelton is a woman alone, a wanderer. She has lost everyone she loves and has become wary of entanglements. Ryan Whitepath is a Cherokee, a member of a close family and a vibrant community, a man who cares about his little girl Nia above all else. Because of her mother's death, Nia is emotionally ill, but Ryan's grandmother tells him a redbird with a broken wing will heal his daughter. Ryan dismisses her vision—until redheaded Susannah shows up on their North Carolina mountain with her wrist in a cast.

Nia seems to connect with Susannah, who agrees to stay until Christmas. But Ryan wants to change that to forever—for his own reasons as well as Nia's!