Row Away from the Rocks

Orphaned mysteriously and raised by her domineering grandmother in Wisconsin, newly married Carrie Barnes is enjoying a new life in sunny Atlanta when she receives word that Gram is dying of cancer. She puts her life on hold and returns home to care for Gram. All of her reserves of love and compassion are tested as she tries to make her grandmother’s last days as peaceful as possible while coping with pressure on her job and her marriage. A troubled relationship with a cousin adds to her difficulties. This much of Lisbeth Thom’s novel may seem familiar to many women who have struggled with the terminal illness of aging parents or grandparents, but Carrie’s story has a twist. While putting Gram’s affairs in order, she uncovers new information about the death of her parents. The resolution of this mystery allows her to forgive and changes things with cousin Jennifer, which ultimately brings her a sense of peace.