Synopsis

For fans of dual-timeline, mother-daughter novels like The Paper Palace and Tom Lake, a compelling contemporary novel about a woman’s struggle to face her reckless history, with its trail of damage and deception, and her quest for the redemption that might still be possible.From the ruins of Egypt to the privileged life of Manhattan’s Upper West Side, the story of a woman’s odyssey through the maze of love, loyalty, recklessness, and remorse, as the consequences of her acts ripple through the generations. Approaching a milestone birthday, Arden Rice has seen it all: three marriages, hardship and wealth, choices she both regrets and defends, all fueled by the same fierce desire—to give her daughter the best possible life. At least, that’s what Arden tells herself. But nothing is simple. Arden is haunted by her impetuous history, with its trail of damage and deception. Yet she’s finally made a life where she can be her best self—until the unthinkable happens, and a train engineer’s lapse in attention throws that life into chaos. Secrets begin to unravel, and Arden finds herself questioning everything she thought she knew—along with her own role in shaping the disturbing person her daughter has become. As the stakes increase, especially for the vulnerable granddaughter who’s now in her care, Arden must face questions she’s spent a lifetime avoiding: Which acts define a person? Can someone be better than her worst acts? For fans of dual-timeline and mother-daughter novels, a compelling story about a woman’s struggle to face her reckless history, with its trail of damage and deception, and her quest for the redemption that might still be possible.

About The Author

Barbara Linn Probst is an award-winning author of contemporary women’s fiction living on an historic dirt road in New York’s Hudson Valley.  Each of her novels has been a medalist for prestigious national awards, including the Nautilus Award, the Hawthorne Prize, the Independent Book Publishers Award in both literary and popular fiction, and the Sarton Award for Contemporary Fiction, for which she was the gold medalist. Barbara’s newest book, Roll the Sun Across the Sky, launches in May 2025. Barbara has a PhD in clinical social work and is a former researcher, teacher, and therapist. She has conducted workshops for organizations including the Author Learning Center, the Women’s Fiction Writers Association, and the Kauai Writers Conference, and has published more than 80 essays on the craft of writing and the writing life. In her spare time, she is a “serious amateur pianist” and an avid traveler to places such as India, Alaska, Spain, Italy, Armenia, and Iceland.  Learn more on https://www.barbaralinnprobst.com/

This is a standard paperback/soft cover version.