One Summer In Savannah by Terah Shelton Harris

 Sara is a rape victim. While the trauma still haunts her eight years later there is one bright spot - her daughter Alana. Sara has protected Alana from knowing anything about her father (convicted of the rape and in prison) and his family. She must risk the secrets coming out when she heads home to spend the last few precious months with her dying father. She knows she can't keep her return a secret for long but is totally unprepared when she meets Jacob, her rapist's brother. Jacob has no love for his incarcerated brother but doesn't have any trouble putting two and two together when he meets Alana. She is a math savant and looks exactly like their dead sister. In Alana's best interest Jacob and Sara form an uneasy alliance. While you don't always get to choose who you fall in love with and the baggage they carry with them, you do get to choose if you can get past the past and forgive. Sara's dad communicates through poetry and it adds a beautiful element to the story. Family relationships, forgiveness and redemption are all strong themes here along with a plethora of classic poetry in this moving debut. I was so happy to see the list of poetry included. This will resonate with readers of complicated family relationships.   4 1/2 stars