I started reading this out of interest in fiction set in Nova Scotia. I prompted me to stop and read about the Annapolis Valley, Black Loyalists, DeWolfe and Mount Hope (aka the NS). The author clearly had a sense of what she was writing about.

The story hit close to home because of plot elements related to my family, which I won't share out of concern for family privacy as well as not wanting to share possible spoilers. Suffice it to say, it struck close to home. I wonder if I would have found it as moving if it wasn't as close to home.

If you have trauma in your family, take a moment to consider if this is a book you should tackle. If so, be prepared for an emotional journey.