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Latest reviews

“Like Elizabeth Strout and Richard Russo, Shannon Bowring excels in bringing families and small towns to life in all their interconnected complexity.”

— Read Her Like An Open Book, Jul 17 2024

“Engrossing . . . This slice of life cuts deep.”

— Publishers Weekly, Jul 11 2024

“Bowring brilliantly evokes people’s inner lives through small, illuminating moments, not unlike Sherwood Anderson, and fills the novel with thoughtful and comic one-liners that ring true. . . A moving portrait of the ways people survive palpable, harrowing grief.”

— Kirkus Reviews, Jul 4 2024

“Quotidian, yes: boring, no. Bowring weaves [characters] together in their new aspects, giving hints of future possibilities in book three.”

— Lavender Magazine, Jun 27 2024

“Impressive for its careful, comprehensive portrait of memory, love, grief, and community, The Road to Dalton encourages acceptance of its flawed characters.”

— The Gay & Lesbian Review Worldwide, Jan 8 2024

“I loved all of the people of Dalton, even the ones that were not so lovable.”

— Sarah's Bookshelves Live Podcast, Oct 18 2023

“A setting that will feel familiar to anyone who grew up in a small, rural town. The characters are written with a loving honesty, and feel achingly real.”

— Portland Press Herald, Oct 15 2023

“Bowring captures in her compassionate debut the rhythms of life in small-town Maine.”

— Publishers Weekly, May 31 2023

★ “Bowring offers endless, rich details about life in Dalton, making a satisfying story of each chapter... An impressive debut bursting with detail and love for the town it brings to life.”

— Kirkus Reviews (Starred Review), Apr 1 2023