Alicia Drake’s poppa returns from WWII a man different from the one she remembers. His moods are as unpredictable as Minnesota weather. With a pregnant momma and little sister to protect, she must choose between fight or flight. Alicia finds solace in the kindness of the small-town community, the natural world surrounding her, and a stray dog—Shadow. Yet nothing can penetrate the isolation her poppa’s fury creates. Finally, the birth of her baby brother brings a shred of hope that life will return to its pre-war normalcy. Poppa says so. But even the strongest men have a breaking point, and life seems to be driving Alicia’s poppa toward his.