“Something just isn’t right.” As the novel begins, Tate Daniels, an energetic Michigan congressman, finds himself thinking these words as he’s on the ground with a bullet in his chest during a meeting with his contingents. These are his people—the good, hard-working farmers he grew up with. His surety that something is not right leads to a comprehensive reflection on his life up to that point. From childhood escapades with his close-knit group of buddies and his dreams of playing major league baseball to a teenage fling that changes his life trajectory, the readers follow him and his friends as they traverse through increasing responsibilities. Along the way, friendships are tested and, at times, broken in ways to which all readers can relate. His foray into politics as a midlife career change further serves to alienate old friends, creating the maelstrom that ultimately leads to his brush with death.

This book is at once timeless and nostalgic, sweeping and unpretentious. Readers will find it a pleasure to read from start to finish. The author’s language is evocative and succinct, and his work is deep, thought-provoking, and full of heart. His characters are living, breathing embodiments of folks in a small farming town. It is evident Day has not only lived the realities he describes but also continues to reflect on them with humor, grace, and genuine gratitude. The readers will be excited to cheer Tate and his buddies on through their life tribulations. At the end of this novel, one is left with the assurance that, no matter what may ostensibly drive people apart, friendships forged through decades of shared experiences provide true richness and meaning in life.

RECOMMENDED by the US Review

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