Every family's struggle is to avoid tragedy or to overcome it. Most parents' worst nightmare is the thought of their family unit being destroyed. Two young boys lose their mother in the early 1950s in Nebraska and are forced to grow up quickly as they fight to survive in the care of their slipshod, narcissistic father. A young woman named Lilly enters their lives. She stands up to the father at every turn, as time after time he threatens to fracture the family's core with his irresponsibility. Fusing fictional suspense with elements inspired by the author's Midwestern upbringing, the action never lets up as the family packs up and heads for the promised land of Los Angeles.They travel along famous Route 66 on an amazing trip that sets the stage for transformative experiences that will reshape the main characters, for better or worse. Stretching over a half a century, from poverty and graft, to wealth and success, this story of classic Americana will send you through a whirlwind of emotions along the way. While the family drama has long been a staple of the literary landscape, few books of this ilk hit home like this heart-touching coming-of-age novel.