This novel is smart, beautifully written, honest, moving. I’m sure I cannot do it justice, but here is my attempt: Mary Bet Hartsoe, the protagonist of John Milliken Thompson’s new novel Love and Lament, is a character of such intelligent and curious sensibility I would follow her anywhere. And I did, and so will you as she takes us through some of the most turbulent times in our history while negotiating, with integrity and grace, the brittle demands of family and community.

Michael Parker, author of The Watery Part of the World

on Love and Lament


A new historical novel from the author of The Reservoir, this family saga features a sweet yet tough young woman who is tested to the limits of endurance. Her strength and devotion in the face of difficulty give her hope.

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