From the acclaimed author of The Song Reader , Lisa Tucker delivers a powerful literary novel set in the American South, where a young mother and aspiring singer fights to protect her son and find her voice in a deeply emotional story of resilience, survival, and self-discovery. Patty Taylor has endured more than most—an unstable childhood, a toxic relationship, and years of hardship—but she refuses to give up. Now, touring with a band and raising her young son, Willie, she’s determined to build a better future. But when Willie’s father is released from prison and reenters her life, threatening everything she’s worked for, Patty is forced to confront her past and make impossible choices. As she navigates danger, motherhood, and the struggle to be heard in a male-dominated music world, Patty must find the strength to stand up for herself—and discover the power of her own voice. Heartbreaking yet hopeful, this moving novel explores family, survival, music, and the courage it takes to become the hero of your own story.