Lettie has always felt different from and overshadowed by the women around her–this friend is richer, that friend is more beautiful, those friends are closer. Still, she doesn't let this hold her back. She works hard to apply her mind, trying to compensate for her perceived lack of beauty with diligent academic work and a successful career as a doctor. She learns to treasure her friendships, but she still wonders if any man will ever return her interest.
Marco's experiences in the Second World War have robbed him of love and health. When winters in his native Italy prove dangerous to his wellbeing even after the war has ended, he moves to South Africa to be with his brother, husband to one of Lettie's best friends. Marco is Lettie's first patient, and their relationship grows as she aids him on the road back to restored health.
In the company of beloved characters from The Child of the River, Marco and Lettie find a happiness neither of them thought possible. With that joy comes pain and loss, but Lettie learns that life–while perhaps a crooked path–is always a journey worth taking.
