Heartwood

FewauthorshaveunderstoodthetenderintricaciesofrelationshipsbetterthantheincomparableBelvaPlain.Forthreedecadesherdeeplymovingepicshavecaptivatedtheheartsandimaginationsofreaderseverywhere.Now,inherfinalnovel,shecomesfullcirclewiththethemesshetookupinherveryfirstwork,Evergreen,bringingusthisunforgettablestoryoffamilyandfriendship,loveandmarriage,thechallengesoflifeandthetruesecretofhappiness.ThoughIrisSternconsidersherselfamodernwoman,withasuccessfulacademiccareerandahappymarriage,shestillholdssteadfasttoherold-fashionedsensibilities.Butasthemotherofthreeadultchildren,eachwiththeirownlivesandburdenstobear,sheoftenfindsthosesensibilitiescalledintoquestionwhenconfrontedwiththechoicesherchildrenhavemade.ForoneofIris'sdaughters,it'sthechoiceofafreshstartinNewYorkCity—andalastchancetosavehertroubledmarriage.WhileLauraandRobbiecopewithanimpendingseparationanditseffectonIris'syounggranddaughter,Irisherselfmustcometogripswiththediscoveryofalong-heldfamilysecret.Butit'sanemotionalpartingofanotherkindthatloomsmostprominentlyonIris'shorizon—asneitherherbelovedhusband,northesolidityofherownmarriage,isimmunetotheravagesoftime.Throughseparationsandreunions,thechangeswecannotavoidandthelovethatsustains,Iriswillweatherwhateverliesaheadwithafaiththatcannotbeshaken.Liketheinmostringsofatreethatabidethroughthegenerations,shewillbeasstrongasheartwood.