Promise by Minrose Gwin

Many secrets are revealed in the aftermath of a devastating tornado that struck Tupelo, Mississippi in 1936. Judge McNabb’s daughter Jo, already dealing with a broken arm, struggles to help her mother and baby brother. Their washerwoman, Dovey Grand’homme, is looking for her granddaughter Dreama and baby Promise. In flashbacks, we learn how Jo’s violent older brother connects the two families. Dovey’s story is the most interesting, and the different way her family is treated after the storm shows the racism of the time. Lyrical writing and vivid descriptions of the tornado are highlights of this memorable novel.
Brenda