Let Evening Come - by Yvonne Osborne (Paperback)

Book Synopsis

After her mother is killed in a rare Northern Michigan tornado, Sadie Wixom is left with only her father and grandfather to guide her through the pitfalls of young adulthood.

Hundreds of miles away in western Saskatchewan, Stefan Montegrand and his Indigenous family are forced off their land by multinational energy companies and flawed treaties. They are taken in temporarily by Sadie's aunt, a human rights activist who heads a cultural exchange program.

Stefan, whose own father died in prison while on a hunger strike, promptly runs afoul of local authority, but Sadie, intrigued by him and captivated by his story, has grown sympathetic to his cause and complicit in his pushback against prejudiced accusations.

Their mutual attraction and struggle for equilibrium is stymied when Stefan's older brother, Joachim, who stayed behind, becomes embroiled in the resistance, and Stefan is compelled to return to Canada. Sadie, concerned for his safety, impulsively follows on a trajectory doomed by cultural misunderstanding and oncoming winter.

Let Evening Come is the love story between the son of an Indigenous family displaced from their ancestral home on the Tar Sands of Canada and a motherless farm girl from Michigan. Together they combat suspicion and bigotry on both sides of the border and the cultural differences that separate them.

Review Quotes

Let Evening Come is a beautifully told novel that keeps surprising, effortlessly transcending genre. What opens as a contemporary coming-of-age tale and budding romance between Sadie Wixom and the new-boy-in-town Stefan Montegrand, quickly expands to address smoldering issues of race and class and modern tensions between indigenous First Nations and corporate and government pressure. The action and suspense and storytelling are all first-rate and compelling, in a debut novel that rings true in its individual characters and necessary in its deeply-researched social commentary and scope. Let Evening Come is an engrossing fast-paced read, as hard to categorize as it is to put down.

​Reviewed by Dave Essinger, author of Running Out, and Editor, Slippery Elm

"Let Evening Come is penned by author Yvonne Osborne in the literary style and the interpersonal drama and coming-of-age subgenres. Author Yvonne Osborne has crafted a truly emotionally resonant novel that delves into themes of loss, displacement, and cultural conflict. The up-close and detailed portrayal of Sadie and Stefan's budding romance against the backdrop of their respective struggles was both captivating and poignant. I loved the way their unique dialogue was presented and readers will feel the dynamics between the lines. The exploration of cultural misunderstanding and the challenges faced by Indigenous communities was an incredibly poignant touch that is really focused on and never used as a gimmick, fostering genuine empathy and understanding. As the characters navigated adversity and sought connection across borders, I found myself deeply invested in their journey, rooting for their love to transcend the obstacles in their path. Overall, Let Evening Come is a recommended read and a compelling tale of love, resilience, and the human capacity to overcome adversity amidst cultural divides."

Reviewed by K.C. Finn for Readers' Favorite

Let Evening Come by Yvonne Osborne is a poignant and deeply moving narrative that explores themes of loss, love, cultural conflict, and resilience. Set against the backdrop of rural Michigan and western Saskatchewan, the novel weaves together the lives of Sadie Wixom, a young woman grappling with the loss of her mother, and Stefan Montegrand, an Indigenous young man displaced from his ancestral lands. Their story is one of mutual attraction, shared struggles, and the relentless pursuit of understanding and justice in the face of adversity.

Reviewed by Jeyran Main for REVIEW TALES