This is another book that isn't easy to rate.

It's a quick read, like all McManus books. I feel like this one is not as clear as some of her other books - possibly because all of the Story children have "A" names and that makes it easy to confuse the identity of Jonah's father and Aubrey's father.

As far as the three main characters are concerned, I found Aubrey the most likable. Milly felt a bit vapid and then wound up to not have much of a character at all, as did Jonah. Milly's and Jonah's interactions didn't feel as realistic as any interactions involving Aubrey. Things also get complicated by the introduction of Allison's point of view (that's Milly's mother) from 24 years before. I didn't mind the time skips back and forth, but it made for a lot to keep up with in the midst of confusing names and a mystery that didn't seem to fully develop as an actual mystery until about 200 pages in.

I feel like several chapters of this book could have been removed and we'd still have the same story. It feels like a synopsis stretched too thin over too many pages. I haven't felt that way about a McManus book before.

That said, I'm not bashing the book. I enjoyed reading it. I've enjoyed discussing it with a friend even more. I would have preferred a little more balance in the plot, a bit more description of the setting, and parent names that weren't so similar.

I'm definitely going to continue to read everything McManus writes.