It was a struggle to get through this one for me. I don't know why. I thought the first book in the series was okay and the 4th one was really good. Yes, I didn't read these in order. But this one was just okay. Maybe I wasn't in the mood, I don't know. I really liked the characters and the struggles. I would have liked to know more about Sesay. But it was a nice light read. ( )

This was not nearly as good as the first 2 books in the 'Blue Sky Hill' series. The characters were not as likeable and the story moved a bit more slowly. It also ended just a little too 'neatly'. It would have been interesting to see how the characters continued to develop and grow had things not been tied up quite so neatly.

The story is told from 3 different viewpoints. Sesay is an older 'boat people' woman from parts unknown, even to her. She can only remember her father being taken away, and escaping to her grandfather, who put her on a boat with her Auntie. She is running from 'him' who has taken her babies and threatened to send her back on the boat if she doesn't 'pay what she owes'. Shasta is a young Choctaw woman, married young with 2 small boys and a baby on the way. She is the 'black sheep' of her family. She and her husband, a police trainee, or in over their heads with a run down home bought from 'Householders'; a company the entices lower income people to buy more than they can afford and then forecloses. Tam is a young woman, daughter of a former pro football star who is now the spokesperson for 'Householders'. She has a young, beautiful stepmom and 4 preschool half-sibs. All comes crashing down when the owner of the parent company of "Householders' is investigated for a Ponzi scheme. He escapes to Switzerland, and Tam's dad takes off, abandoning his family as their posh home is foreclosed. They are left with nothing but what they can carry, and end up in one of the 'Householder' homes. The story traces the development of a friendship between the 3 women.

Several characters from the previous books make small appearances, included Sandra Kay, Cass and Teddy. But it is NOT necessary to have read the previous books to enjoy this one. This is not a bad book.....it is just not as good as the previous ones! ( )

Very good story of a young woman left with her neurotic step-mom and small stepbrother when her father is accused of embezzeling. They are forced to move to a poverty stricken neighborhood where they meet an assortment of "real" people. ( )