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Sidney Walker does her best to raise her three children—two girls and a boy—by herself in a small town called Ham Bone, at the foot of the Cascade Mountains. Her ex-husband spends his time on the road with his band, and he often can’t be found to enforce child support. Sidney lives in a trailer across from an old man who disapproves of her lifestyle and the rundown condition of her yard. And her fifteen-year-old son, Tyson, has run away from home, breaking his probation. If they find him, he may have to spend time in jail. Thinking her children need a father figure, Sidney looks up an old flame. Jack had been good with her kids before. Maybe he’ll forgive her for breaking up with him because she hadn’t felt any chemistry in the relationship.
Millard Bradbury lives across the road from the Walkers. He has a nice lawn—except for a mole digging tunnels—and he thinks Sidney’s kids are out of control. His daughter wants him to move to a retirement home, which makes him feel as if he’s outlived his usefulness. But an unexpected turn involving Sidney’s son, Tyson, gives him a second run at life—and for the first time in years, he feels needed.
Alex Estrada, a local policeman, picks Tyson up for community service every Saturday. He seems to be cold and callous, but Sidney learns that there’s more to Alex than what’s portrayed. As she gets to know Alex—and her son learns respect and self-worth while helping him build a wheelchair ramp—Sidney wonders if Jack is truly the right man to build a life with.
Autumn Blue is one of those rare finds that occasionally comes around and surprises you with a wonderful story. It’s one of the best novels of its kind I’ve read since Where the Heart Is by Billie Letts.
As a single mother of two teenage boys, I could relate to Sidney on a deeper level. A mother’s love for her children cannot be matched, and she’ll do whatever she can to protect them—even if it’s from themselves.
Uplifting and emotional, with a bit of humor thrown in, Autumn Blue proves that one person can make a difference in another person’s life. You can never be too old, too useless, or make too many mistakes to love and be loved.
