Read more
"A captivating tale about father-daughter relationships, personal independence, and second chances." -Kirkus Reviews
When Viney Walker's long, absent father arrives in the 19th century Utopian Community of Rugby, TN, he begs her to return with him to the Great Smoky Mountains. Viney's sister, Lizzie urges her to go, because a new setting will help Viney heal from a broken engagement. Viney acquiesces and in her new home, she meets her Walker cousins, including handsome and brawny James. The couple's romance angers the White Caps, a vigilante group that whips lewd women, and they warn Viney to mend her ways.
Seeking revenge and the freedom to love James, Viney joins a counter vigilante group. She plots a trap for the White Caps, but finds herself tied to a post, with a whip racing toward her.
About the author
Joan Donaldson is the author of two other novels set in Historic Rugby, On Viney's Mountain and Hearts of Mercy. The Christian Science Monitor has published her essays, and they air on Michigan Public Radio. Accompanied by her cats, Turnip and Puca, she writes from her yellow house nestled on an organic blueberry farm in Michigan. Every year to honor their deceased son, her husband plants four acres of poppies that draw hundreds of visitors who find comfort, beauty, and peace in the waving red flowers. In her free time, Joan sews quilts, gardens, plays a small harp, and pretends with her grandchildren.
