This book puts the spotlight on various forms of
discrimination, the role of organised religion and politics in creating hate
and performs the tricky act of balancing the negative people with positive ones
to maintain a well-adjusted narrative.
Brittany Iverson escaped from her home in small-town and
small-minded Leland to California as soon as she could. Though her father is
entirely supportive of her, Britt never returned to Leland and preferred him
visiting her. However, when her father has a brain operation, she is back in
the town she hates. Serendipitously, the her father’s illness occurs at a time
when her long-term partner – professional and personal – has dumped Britt on
both fronts leaving her struggling on many levels. As soon as she arrives in
Leland and enters the hospital to see her father, Britt is practically adopted
by Justine, who works in the hospital and is a close friend of Britt’s father. Justine
invites Britt for dinner and introduces her to Ninah Faust, a history teacher
in the local high school. While Britt is forming acquaintance-ship with these
women, waiting to go back to California, she comes to know that her father has
bought the struggling local minor league baseball team, which is like a
community beacon. With her father out of commission, her own life in a limbo,
Britt, a marketing professional sets about trying to turn thing around.
We really enjoyed the way the author has written about the
whole community, the prevailing environment and the struggles that so many
people face on the daily without grandstanding about any of it. Instead it all
flows organically in the story. Of the two MCs, Britt came across as more
stable and mature. There is something intrinsically likeable about her, which
is not quite there in Ninah. Surprisingly, we liked Ninah’s ex, Teri, in her
very brief appearance; particularly cince there seemed to be a character growth
in her even though she was there in only two or three scenes.
Though this book takes on some rather serious subjects, it
is not a heavy read – on the contrary, it is an easy, but thought-provoking
read.
⭐⭐⭐★
