When Liz Hoole, a free-spirited liberal from the Midwest, marries into a conservative Quaker family in a small rural town in North Carolina, she knew it would be a delicate task to negotiate the raising of her four boys in compliance with Quaker values…but as much as she tries, she always seems to fall short of expectations.

When Judge Corbett Kendall, the politically powerful father of her best friend, dies, Liz stumbles upon secrets from the past that threaten to unravel the delicate fabric of racial harmony in an easily-divided town. Whether examining the history of Cottonwoods Plantation in town or eavesdropping on the latest gossip at the local Quaker Café, she finds herself burdened with the truth of an injustice that she cannot reveal, even to her own husband.

THE QUAKER CAFÉ dances with rich Southern characters: Miss Ellie, the elderly owner and gracious hostess of the café knows more than she admits; Debbie Bradshaw, Liz’s dynamic and colorful secretary, knows more than she should; and Frogbelly, who thinks he knows it all. Yet, it’s a lady-in-pink that stands by Liz as she goes through her most heart-wrenching moments.

Through strong sisterhood and a family that proves to be surprisingly tolerant, the peace is kept and deep, unforgotten wounds are healed.