Sometimes you have to confront your past in order to move forward towards possibility.  Sometimes lies are kind.  Sometimes they haunt you.  

Ruth’s life looks idyllic on the outside- successful career, happy marriage, new house.  But the possibilities for her future are encumbered by secrets from her past that she must face and accept.  

In this debut novel, Johnson dives deep into the politics of race and class while weaving in the themes of motherhood, family, and forgiveness.  This is a timely story that is nuanced, layered, and raw.  Johnson adeptly paints a vivid picture of what it’s like to live in black working class America. 

There were a few flaws in the story that bugged me… Ruth’s naivete, her selfishness masked as a mother’s love, the idea that Ruth stumbled onto this big secret that has been well hidden in a small town all these years… But the author also made me feel like I was right there in the kitchen with Mama and Ruth as they fried chicken or prepped a roast.  And because of that, I chose to overlook any flaws.  

This story reminded me that everyone is carrying an emotional load.  Some do it better than others.