I enjoyed this book much more than The Oysterville Sewing Circle. The characters were complex and engaging, the family dynamic interesting and complicated, and the resolution reasonable and well written. ( )

As an irresponsible young mother, Jessie Ryder knew she’d never be able to give her newborn the stable family that her older sister could, and the security her child deserved. So Luz and her husband adopted little Lila and told her Jessie was but a distant aunt.Sixteen years later, having traveled the world with the winds of remorse at her back, Jessie is suspending her photojournalism career to return home — even if it means throwing her sister’s world into turmoil.Where life once seemed filled with boundless opportunity, Jessie is now on a journey to redeem her careless past, bringing with her a terrible burden. Jessie’s arrival is destined to expose the secrets and lies that barely held her daughter’s adoptive family together to begin with, yet the truth can do so much more than just hurt. It can bring you home to a new kind of honesty, shedding its light into the deepest corners of the heart.

il libro in sé è bello. Solo che in certi passi è scritto male: non si capisce chi sta parlando, ci sono bruschi cambi di scena all'interno dello stesso paragrafo. ( )

When photographer Jessie Ryder is told she is losing her sight, she takes her doctors advice and goes to see the one thing she wants to see -- her daughter, given up at birth to be adopted by her sister.

This warm story of love and pain and reaching out to one another was touching and worth the time to read. ( )

Another Pleasing Story with Memorable Characters....:
I found Susan Wiggs and her books late last year. Since then, I have read about ½ a dozen so far. Each one has been charming, interesting and unique. She is a very talented author and her characters and story lines always come alive for me each time I open a book and begin a new journey through her eyes, thoughts and hands. My favorites so far in order are The Horsemaster's Daughter (h), A Summer Affair (h), Halfway to Heaven (h), The Firebrand (h), Enchanted Afternoon (h), An Ocean Between Us (c) and then Miranda (h). She mixes historical romances (h) and contemporary (c) plot lines. My favorites so far have been historical in context.

In this latest book I selected, Home Before Dark (c) , I felt similar enjoyment of reading a new story line and discovering the wonder of new characters, new setting and new developments. Although I found the story line interesting - wild sister comes home after years away - running from her past of course - to enter the lives of her family again. She returns due to a personal trauma that is happening to her to find forgiveness and acceptance. The family has to deal with her past mistakes, her current situation and planning for the future. She creates chaos for everyone - her standard role in the family. But...for once, she can't run from the past. She must meet it head on as time for once is against her.

I had trouble connecting with the lead heroine Jessie and her eventual beau Dusty. She reminded me of so many girls I know who are pretty, spirited, have all the guys after them and spend their lives on the go - never being serious or dealing with reality - because they can't deal with it and often don't have to. So...they travel the world and hide behind their looks or talent as inside they are fragile and easily crushed. Jessie had it all to the outside world but, inside she was struggling to find herself and her place in life. Although I appreciated her struggle and journey, I simply never felt emotionally tied to her as the main character, even with her progressing blindness and disease. Instead...I kept seeing how selfish she was from the time she was a teenager, through her 20's and 30's and so on. I was irritated with how much she took from people and often how little she gave in return. This made it hard for me to connect with her, feel sympathy for her situation, etc. I warmed up to her more by the end but, she still had a lot of making up to do than the book would allow. I liked Dusty - her future man but, he came in and out in sections and scenes and I could have used more of him to really feel for him as a leading man. Much of what we learned about him came through telling his story to a magazine to publish - it was a little clinical for me. He was a good hero - just not there enough.

I enjoyed reading more about Jessie's sister Luz as she was stable, reliable and trust worthy, the rock of the family - both in the younger years and in the middle years. Luz could be depended on as a daughter, sister, wife, mother and co-worker. She was not perfect - in looks, brains or skills but, she had a heart of gold and gave everything her all. She took and gave back - much more balanced. I even liked her husband Ian...he was her perfect compliment. He was handsome, intelligent, solid and kind. Not exciting but, someone you could have fun with, change with the seasons and grow old with great comfort. That has its own appeal.

There was so much going on in this story - kids getting in a car crash, a death, disclosure of who Lila's real mother and father were, relationship issues with Jessie & Dusty and Luz and Ian, the activity of kids and parents and careers in photography, etc. that the story line almost got away from itself at times. Not because it wasn't told well but, simply because there was too much going on. 2-3 stories lines might have been enough - that was power packed by itself. But...to have ½ a dozen big events going on in one book put it a little over the top. I would have felt more emotion for all the characters had I more time to spend on each one of them. Instead, each section and chapter went from one event and person to another and then more changes and developments happened - a bit of a whirlwind if you ask me.

I did find a few parts a little unrealistic - 1) Lila getting the news she was adopted and who was her real mother and father - she took that news a bit lightly for a girl who seemed to be having growing pains already and simply took this huge issue in stride 2) that Luz would have no jealousy over knowing her husband and sister had been lovers - what sister would not find this an issue? 3) that no one in the family ever truly told Jessie off and called her to task on her constant selfishness - having affairs, having a baby out of wedlock and then running out on the child in ICU and leaving it to her sister to raise, never being around other than a few calls or letters over the years, loving and leaving people when it was inconvenient for her (Ian, Simon, Dusty, etc.). 4) that Jessie, Glenny or Lila never really thanked Luz for all she had done over the years - she bore the families burdens often single handedly - she deserved more thanks than she got from everyone. Luz wasn't a martyr - she simply did the right thing when others did not. As the old saying goes - Good people do things right....Great people do the right thing. Although many of these important issues were addressed, it seemed on the surface and nothing truly deep as a real family would have to deal with over time. That was the only thing I found lacking at times.

Although this is the least favorite of my books by this author so far, it is still a gem. I don't think SW can write a bad book. When you are as good at story telling as this author is, even her least appealing works rank above other authors best attempts. I would recommend this book and the other ones even more. Give her a try if you haven't yet. You'll be glad you did. She is great at tapping into human emotions and the complexity of relationships - man/woman, adult/child, female to female and more. Happy reading!