Though, admittedly, I may not have picked up this book on my own had I not befriended the author last year, I would have been a fool to pass up reading this gorgeous novel! Claire Gibson wrote with an understanding of loss and friendship that surpasses many of her contemporaries. In 500 pages, she wove a tale covering 7 years from the end of high school through and beyond the Point, as 3 young women, despite the odds, aspire to play basketball for West Point and in so doing, establish a lasting bond made up of their faith, their dedication to their sport, their frustration with and ultimate respect for the Army, and the determination to be the best they can be for their families and country.

Dani, Avery, and Hannah each act as pillars to the story as the chapters alternate between the 3 and their struggles with the demands of the school, their insecurities, and their uncertainties for the future all pile on as the tensions swell with each passing year. The events of 9/11 fell with such forceful impact when I realized the inevitable end: that they would all be deployed for active duty meant that it was all too likely that someone was going to die. Through tears I was able to keep reading, waiting, as the girls were barely sophomores and still had 2 years of hard work to endure before their impending departures to Afghanistan or Iraq.

Claire deserves praise not just because she so deftly pulled at my heart strings, but because she really crafted a book that while lengthy, passes quickly because it is so so readable. I couldn't stop myself from inhaling 50, 80, 100 pages at a time, not ever ready to part with the trio even for a few hours. The writing dives deep into the psyches, personalities, and histories of each young woman, such that it truly felt like I knew them. Hannah is perhaps the most clearheaded in her dedication to her faith, trusting in God and keeping her eyes firmly on the future, though she is still human and insecure when for years she is not pursued by a single boy- until Tim. Dani is a star on the basketball court and wields her strength and leadership with her team and her company in training and beyond; she proves to be the glue that holds her friends and their "cult" together in and out of school. Avery is the "dark" one, always involved with a different guy, she tends to get herself heartbroken and at school she picks one vindictive man in particular, and she becomes mired in the legal action she pursues against him. The secondary characters are also well-formed and purposefully placed throughout to even further round out the book.

If you have any interest in historical fiction, friendship, the Army, or well-written stories: then you must read this.