I just finished reading Running Between Dandelions, and I’m still sitting with the afterglow of a truly beautiful and skillfully-written story. I went into this book expecting something gentle and maybe even predictable, but what I discovered was a deeply emotional journey that shook me in the best way.

From the very first chapter, I felt pulled into the hyper-religious world of Annabelle DuBose. The story follows Annabelle’s daughter, Joyce and her quest to completely understand her mother. The story spans three generations and explores loss, acceptance, forgiveness and other complex familial emotions . What struck me most was the quiet wisdom woven throughout the pages and how the book resonates with the heart. It reminds us to “Look for God all around you. Sometimes it will be something as simple as the yellow color of a dandelion. They lean, but they are hard to break.” That sentiment really captures the heart of the novel. Amidst pain and despair, there is strength and resilience.

With the tumultuous relationship between Annabelle and Joyce, the story lyrically emphasizes the power of forgiveness and understanding within complicated relationships, particularly those between mothers and daughters. By the end, I didn’t want to say goodbye. Running Between Dandelions is the kind of book I’ll be recommending to friends who love inspirational, character-driven stories that tug at the heart, linger long after the last page and demand reflection of one’s own soul. I know I’ll be returning to this book again and again—if only to remind myself that in times of adversity, run victoriously between the dandelions.

Thank you NetGalley and Penda James for the e-ARC!!