100 Pages A Day...Stephanie's Book Reviews

Dr. Lucy Armstrong lives alone and out of the way on her Texas ranch. She is a licensed doctor, which is rare in 1959, but has long since chosen not to practice in the typical manner. Instead, she takes in animals that have been injured and abandoned. Pete Solomon is a 12 year old boy with a large heart, so when he sees an abandoned, broken dog on the side of the road, he knows he has to help him. When the regular vet refuses to look at the wolf-dog, Pete finds his way to Dr. Lucy. On the long walk with a half-wild, hurt, wolf-dog, Pete runs into Justin. Justin is new in town and the two boys click. Justin is also black, which does not sit well with Pete's abusive father or some other folks in town. When the boys show up at Dr. Lucy's, she finds herself with not only one more animal to care for, but two boys as well. When Dr. Lucy meets Justin's father, Calvin, Dr. Lucy's heart melts. However, the town is not ready for a white woman to be kind to a black man and miscegenation laws are still in place. When the town turns violent against the new little family, Dr. Lucy and Peter must say goodbye to Calvin and Justin.

Catherine Ryan Hyde always delivers so much more in a story than I could ever imagine. I originally wanted to read this story because of the wolf-dog hybrid. Prince is definitely an important part of the story as the force that brought everyone together, but there is so much more offered. Elements of historical fiction, race relations, family, friendship, hope and love are all tied together in this beautiful and unexpected story. Each of the characters is very well developed and amazing in their own way. Pete stole my heart from the very beginning with his compassion and unwavering sense of right vs. wrong. I love how he never gave up on Prince and what he later found in return. Justin and Calvin were the perfect father and son pair; they showed perseverance and grace under pressure. The real transformation is of course with Dr. Lucy. From the beginning I knew her hardness was a facade, but I still enjoyed watching it melt away with the addition of Pete, Justin and Calvin to her newly formed family.

This book was received for free in return for an honest review.