Back Home Again

'A story so full of compassion and purpose it will grab your heart and not let go...An outstanding read. Shirley Johnson, Midwest Book review of Memories Trail
'I laughed, I cried, I hated, I loved in this real-life novel where love is worth salvaging no matter what...' Ashley Denis, Front Street Review of Promises To Keep
'Life is precious, and nothing is too dark to make the conscious decision to end it all. The author does an excellent job at illustrating her point through an amazing story of family, tragedy, and true love.' Ruth A. Hill, reviewer of Promises My Love
'A coming-of-age saga. The pitfalls of young love are as heart wrenching as adult love as Francis and Ruf discover. Uncertainty strikes us all...it's what one does with the angst that makes all the difference.' DL Larson, author of Coming Home
Francis Frailey has a new wife, and he has to make the trip to meet her family in Louisville. Simple, really. They would join his brother-in-law Joe and family on a steamboat, and be at their destination in a few days... How could he have forgotten the boat trip from his childhood? The nightmarish memory of his uncle abusing him? Or the memory of his mother pretending all was well? How could he make his wife happy yet not go down that ugly road in his mind?
Ruf Douglas is still in love with Hattie Carter, except she's not all that fond of him anymore. Still, they were told to get along on the family trip. Ruf is to race in the Louisville Fourth of July horse race where fifty will be competing for the $5,000 reward. Winning the race may be the least of his problems especially when he ends up in jail.
Hattie and Granny (Elizabeth) have a deep secret. Hattie has promised to keep their heartache between them and God. No one else. Ever. Only later does Hattie begin to understand how devastating their secret is and how it might affect the rest of her life. And Ruf's.
Jim Frailey has come to terms with his new mother, mostly. He's intrigued with the idea of a new grandfather but is unsettled that Richard is a slave owner and has influence in local politics. Jim ends up helping Ruf out after his latest debacle with horse racing. Worse yet, he does something he vowed to never do again! He thought that was the worst of their adventure until they wake up to find their prized horse missing. Ruf is too sick to go looking but they head out anyway, at Ruf's insistence. Jim realizes Ruf is a gambler for sure but gambling on his health takes a nasty turn.