The unlikely intersection of a status-conscious aspiring politician, Avery Stafford, and a young river gypsy from two different times forms the foundation of a story that will stick with you for a long time.

Rill and her siblings are snatched from the shanty boat and taken into the custody of Georgia Tann of the Tennesee Children's Home Society. Each is renamed and those who are desirable are adopted to families who have no idea they're taking in a child who was loved and mourned by good, loving parents who have little recourse to find and retrieve them.

The stories of Rill and Avery are well told and, while you know they're going to intersect, the connection they share is still surprising and touching. There are twists, turns, sadness and joy that keep your heart in their stories until the end. Strong character development carries the reader through the tragedy and seemingly insurmountable obstacles as we see Rill persevere through to the end.

This is a heartbreaking topic which is fraught with emotion on so many different levels and I felt Wingate handle it deftly with the exception of modern-day bigotry. Instead of tackling it head on she allowed her characters to subtly sidestep it. Instead of a fist-pumping triumphant finish, the end becomes more nuanced and the reader must be satisfied with a compromise that keeps everyone happy but with a vague sense that it could have been better.