It's late 2016 when Ariel discovers that her mother Mona's animal sanctuary in Western Kansas has not only been the target of anti-Semitic hate crimes—but that it's also for sale, due to hidden financial ruin. Ariel, estranged from her mother for many years, knows she has to return to her childhood home. She expects tension, maybe even fury, but she doesn't anticipate that her first love, a ranch hand named Gideon, will still be working at the Bright Side.
Mandelbaum creates complex characters, full of contradiction and missteps. This first novel is finely rendered, lightly dashed with humor, and littered with lots of animals
...heartwarming and sharp-witted ... [a] nuanced look at political divisions and a mother and daughter’s difficult relationship. In Mandelbaum’s bighearted, emotionally intelligent tale, the love for animals proves irresistible.
Beyond the theft and arson (and the Trump angle), there are few sharp edges in this tale of misplaced feelings and misunderstood souls that is chiefly characterized by home, irresistible animals, and the forgiving of old rifts. Mothers and daughters reunite, and dogs seal the deal, in a feel-good charmer.
