Disclaimer - I was provided a review copy from the publisher to facilitate my reviews.
All opinions are my own. This post contains an affiliate link.
It is time for stop #3 for the 2013 BookSparksPR Summer Reading Road Trip. This week, I am excited to introduce Caroline Leavitt's Is This Tomorrow.
from the back cover:
In 1956, Ava Lark rents a house with her twelve-year-old son, Lewis, in a desirable Boston suburb. Ava is beautiful, divorced, Jewish, and a working mom. She finds her neighbors less than welcoming. Lewis yearns for his absent father, befriending the only other fatherless kids: Jimmy and Rose. One afternoon, Jimmy goes missing. The neighborhood—in the throes of Cold War paranoia—seizes the opportunity to further ostracize Ava and her son.
Years later, when Lewis and Rose reunite to untangle the final pieces of the tragic puzzle, they must decide: Should you tell the truth even if it hurts those you love, or should some secrets remain buried?
My opinion:Having changed schools several times as a child, I know a little about feeling like an outsider. Though, I can only imagine how hard it would have been to overcome the resentment and stereotypes of idealistic 1950's suburbia. Caroline Leavitt created such compelling characters, like Ava Lark, not only was she an outsider for being Jewish, but she was a beautiful divorce at a time when that wasn't acceptable. The author had me personally invested in all the characters right away. This book drew me in and didn't want me to put it down!
Of course the story, aftermath of the disappearance and mystery of what happened to Jimmy kept me turning the pages, and the ending and closure came as a complete surprise. I can't say many stories surprise me anymore.
This is a story of acceptance, love, guilt and distrust. Such raw human emotions are explored in vivid language and well-written characters. Caroline Leavitt is now one of my new favorite authors!
Grab your own copy on Amazon
Be sure to join in on the fun with BookSparksPR Summer Reading on their Facebook page. I will be back next week with my next #SRC2013 read.
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