The book reminded me very much of a river. At first it's wide open and gently moving. Maryanne does a wonderful job of describing Dez's simple life in the town of Cascade. But then, just as a river will narrow and change it's direction because of the twist and turns in the land scape, and move faster as it crashes over boulders and rocks in it's path, so does the book. As Dez's life picks up speed, she is confronted by obstacles that can alter the direction of her life. The book will leave you wondering of what could have been if a different "twist" in the river was taken.