"Compelling Historical Fiction"

While the thematic element of star-crossed lovers is definitely not a new one, Ms. Gamble's characters are written with a depth of feeling that is revealed with a subtlety that makes this novel stand out from others of similar plot-line. The reader journeys back to 1945, on the shores of Lake Michigan, where seventeen-year-old Native American Rachel Winnapee works as a maid at the summer home of the March family. Her duties change quickly when the younger March son, Woody, comes home from World War II, with part of one leg missing, and the promise of morphine shots to fill his upcoming days.

At the request of Mrs. March, Rachel becomes Woody's nurse, and it is her zest for life that lifts Woody out of his depression and begins their secret affair, their blissful moments of happiness written with an expression of joy that is suitably absent from the rest of the novel. With Woody slated to take over the bank when his father retires and to marry the ethereal blonde Elizabeth, there is little future for Rachel and Woody, when their summer of bliss suffers an abrupt ending.

Spanning almost three decades, this read is a testament to the enduring power of real love amidst the trappings of cultural differences and prejudices. And the compelling force that gives impetus to this novel is the gradual revealing of long buried lies and secrets proving the humanity of all the players, regardless of wealth or social status.

Reviewed by Sheri Melnick
Posted June 23, 2003