A bookish girl with a wry sense of humor, Talitha survives enormous loss and hardship at a tender age. She is drawn into teen marriage to a man who isn’t an outright villain, but he’s not the hero Talitha perceives him to be either. Buddy seems more concerned with getting rich than wholeheartedly loving his children. And he’s not afraid to break the law to get what he wants.

Miss Ella, a blind woman from war-torn Liberia—extends Talitha and her sons an invitation that could lead to safe haven—if Buddy doesn’t find them first. Rise on Eagles’ Wings is the hopeful story of a young mother’s tenacity, the ever-changing definition of family, and the redemptive power of community. Set in America’s Heartland during the final decade of the twentieth century, Rise on Eagles’ Wings intertwines contemporary voices with those of a pre-internet generation.