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Logan Sterling was given her name by a father who had wanted a son. He divorced his wife when Logan was five, remarried, gained two stepdaughters, and then moved away, leaving Logan behind. When Logan was a senior in high school, her mother died. Logan married young and worked in mundane jobs while pursuing her writing. A break came when she wrote a popular memoir about her travels throughout Iowa with her estranged, terminally ill father.
Now, five years later, Logan finds herself fielding offers from film producers, interacting with her ambitious literary agent, and getting involved with Tom Price, her childhood heartthrob who is now a Hollywood movie star. Tom wants to make his directorial debut with a film based on her book, but only if she writes the screenplay and is there to help make movie magic. The narrative alternates between scenes from her memoir and the chaotic world of film production.
Youngers has written an exceptional book that delves into human relationships with the insights of someone who has done their own inner work. It is touching without being maudlin, emotional without being overwrought, and touches one to the core. Writing about grief, abandonment, loss, and forgiveness is not an easy task. At times humorous, the novel offers the reader a path through creativity to follow a surprising storyline. The writing also finds joy in a state that is often seen as a "fly-over state," for there is beauty in all that surrounds them. It also captures the essence of the various characters. This is a top-tier book and a must-read.
RECOMMENDED by the US Review