Reviewer: Terry
I was given a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Summary:
A troubled, young widow hikes from Yosemite Valley deep into the wilderness on the John Muir Trail to elude her shameful past in this emotionally gripping story from the author of House Broken.
With her thirtieth birthday looming, Liz Kroft is heading for the hills—literally. Her emotional baggage weighs her down more than her backpack, but a three-week trek promises the solitude she craves—at least until her boyfriend, Dante, decides to tag along. His broad moral streak makes the prospect of confessing her sins more difficult, but as much as she fears his judgment, she fears losing him more. Maybe.
They set off together alone under blue skies, but it’s not long before storms threaten and two strange brothers appear along the trail. Amid the jagged, towering peaks, Liz must decide whether to admit her mistakes and confront her fears, or face the trail, the brothers and her future alone.
Review:
This is a fantastic story of how one woman embarks on an extreme journey in order to re-elevate her life. Liz at 29 seems to be a lost soul, it’s not her career as a bio-medical engineer-for that is her passion, but more she is lost in her personal life. Just weeks after having an abortion she finds herself questioning her relationship with Dante, but also seems wracked with guilt over the truth she is keeping from him. Her journey is to hike the JMT (John Muir Trail) which is 200 miles of wildness in the High Sierra’s. I won’t lie, the description of day one would have made me turn my behind back and go home. But Liz is determined and get’s up each day trekking on. Of course the twist here is the man she needed a little space and time with-Dante, decided to hike with her. Not because he loves to hike or even understands her need for it, but to try to get closer to her and the drift he feels between them.
The author has an amazing talent for putting you right in the midst of where the story is happening, out there in the midst of the wilderness with the intense weather that you will come across and the amazingly unique terrain of the High Sierra’s, but also with the mental journey that Liz is so obviously on throughout this story.
4.5 Stars.
