Genre: Contemporary fiction

Release date: May 5, 2026

Goodreads rating: 3.68

My rating: 4

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Diane Les Becquets was an author I wasn’t familiar with before delving into this book, and I’m so glad I discovered her. From the beginning, I was drawn into the peaceful, atmospheric setting of the story and felt transported to the woods of Michigan’s Garden Peninsula.

The story follows Abby as she returns to her native Michigan to help her uncle conduct a study of the local trees. Being back among familiar forests, lakes, and wildlife brings her closer to her roots, but it also brings back memories of the fire that destroyed her childhood home and killer her mother.

The book opens with a young girl running alone through the woods, and we soon learn that she is Abby. From there, the mystery surrounding the night of the fire slowly comes into focus as Abby tries to make sense of memories she has spent years struggling to understand. There are plenty of unanswered questions, but the mystery never overshadows Abby’s personal journey.

I loved the way nature is woven throughout Abby’s story. The book feels like a love letter to the natural world, while also touching on community, healing, coming of age, and the connection we have to the places we call home. There are even some subtle climate fiction elements that add another interesting layer.

This is a slower-paced read that you can settle into rather than race through. The atmosphere and setting are a big part of the experience, and I enjoyed taking my time with it.

A twist is revealed near the end that changes the way I looked at the fire and its lasting impact on Abby. Without giving anything away, it added an emotional layer to her story and made me think differently about what she had been carrying with her all those years.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster, Booked PR and the author for granting me an advance copy in exchange for my honest review.

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