Description:
St. Paul, Minnesota, 1946: As a child, Shannon listened to her father's stories of a motherless princess who ventured far from her kingdom, connected to home by only the magic of a fine, silver thread. As a young woman, introspective and quirky, Shannon knows she is neither a princess nor an adventuress - that would more likely be her sister, Eliza. But when Shannon barely survives a year in quarantine for a deadly disease, losing any hope of motherhood herself, and when Eliza runs away after a brutal attack, the fairy tale seems all too real. On her quest to bring Eliza home, Shannon discovers a secret child, the love of a good man, and the true meaning of family remade. Despite her new-found happiness, Shannon questions whether the bond between sisters is strong enough to save Eliza.
Brief description:
Susan Welch grew up in Minnesota and Wisconsin with either her nose in a book or her toes in the water. She earned a master's in international management and built an international career in the brewing industry. She is coeditor of Hot Flash Fiction, an online literary magazine focused on works by, for, about, or of interest to "women of a certain age."
Review Quotes:
"There are so many issues in this beautifully written book...This is one of those rare novels that forces you to sit for a few minutes after you've finished reading it until you are ready to return to the real world."
-- "Twin Cities Pioneer Press"