Memphis, 1939.
In the enchanting world of the Mississippi River shantyboat, twelve-year-old Rill Foss and her younger siblings experience a magical life. However, a stormy night changes everything when their father rushes their mother to the hospital, leaving Rill in charge. Their idyllic existence shatters when strangers forcibly separate them and place them in a Tennessee Children’s Home Society orphanage. Promised a swift reunion with their parents, the Foss children soon discover a grim reality. Under the cruel director’s rule, Rill fights to keep her siblings together in a perilous and uncertain world.
Aiken, South Carolina, present day. Avery Stafford, born into wealth and privilege, appears to have a perfect life—a successful career, a handsome fiancé, and a grand wedding ahead. However, a chance encounter during her return home sparks uncomfortable questions, leading Avery to delve into her family’s concealed history. This journey takes her through a long-hidden past, filled with revelations that may either lead to devastation or redemption.
Inspired by a real-life scandal involving Georgia Tann, the director of a Memphis adoption organization, who kidnapped and sold underprivileged children to affluent families nationwide, Lisa Wingate’s compelling tale explores the enduring power of the heart and the significance of finding where one truly belongs.