In this second book of Kathryn Magendie's much-praised series about the journey of a woman dealing with the ghosts of a dysfunctional family, Virginia Kate Carey seeks the loving commitment that eluded her in TENDER GRACES (currently nominated for a prestigious SIBA Book Award.) "Vee" is idealistic and naïve despite the witness she has served to the fractured heritage of her parents' and grandmother's dreams. Vee continues her journey toward wisdom, building small bridges over the chasms of hurt and longing. The inspiration of hope lingers in her. Tender Graces and now, Secret Graces, explores three women's lives: Daughter, Mother, Grandmother, and passes through the fulcrum of Virginia Kate's emerging life as a lover and mother and storyteller, chronicling the heart ache and hope of her family and herself. Excerpt: That night when the moon hid behind a cloud as we lay in bed, I climbed on Dylan and rode him all the way to my mountain. He was the bull from mythological stories, and hot steam blew from his nostrils. Higher and higher I took him, the sweat from my face gathering like the mountain's mist around the trees. I urged him to the top, but he reared beneath me, anxious and impatient. I was wild, and needed to go all the way and to the other side and back again. I threw back my head and my hair fell heavy against my back. Up up up I went, higher and higher. Forest critters' sounds flew from my tongue. I leaned down, put my tongue to his, gave him my sounds. I took in his taste and swallowed it down to mix with my marrow. I left him sweaty and wide-eyed and full up with himself. He pawed the ground, snorted, marked his land, and curled beside me. His cooling breath rustled the hairs on my neck as I panted, rolling the whites of my eyes.