Retta comes from a family of slaves in former generations.

She has suffered physically, emotionally and spiritually at the hands of her abusive husband. Gertrude is dirt poor with 4 young daughters. All three women come from disparate backgrounds and have faced hardships. The story is told from three perspectives - Gertrude, Retta and Annie. A story that captures the reader’s heart and senses. Heartbreaking yet inspiring southern women’s fiction at its finest. Spera’s book will be linked to other notable Southern fiction that immerses readers in the setting of back-country and women who do what needs to be done to survive. Each of the women have secret strengths that enable them to keep going, despite hardships. The characters are beautifully drawn and are powerful examples of resilience. One can’t help but be drawn in to the moving story of poverty, abuse, secrets and motherhood. The three women’s lives all become entangled as the Gertie looks for help in getting employment and housing for her daughters. There are three central characters: Gertie, a poor abused wife and mother who just wants to take care of her girls Annie, a woman of means who is separated from her daughters but who tries to help her son who stutters and who’s a loser in his father’s eyes and lastly, there’s Retta, the hard-working Black woman who works for Annie, has a good marriage and a good heart. It’s also about domestic abuse and a family broken apart by personal tragedy.

Set in South Carolina in 1924, this story focuses on a community living in poverty and struggling to survive.

Spera’s book should appeal to anyone who loved the bestseller, Where the Crawdads Sing.

Deb spera novels