The author's delightful narrative, set in 1954 and partly woven with actual events, crackles with sudden and powerful romance between idealistic teenagers Monty Cartwright and Chris Reid. After the boy and girl meet in Elizabeth City, hub of the mysterious and beautiful upper coast of North Carolina, their story flows with magical passion and quiet sacredness. Monty and Chris discover the exquisite wonders of young love but struggle with heroic steel...