Books like Vinegar Hill by A. Manette Ansay

Ellen Grier, in 1972, finds herself back in the Midwestern town she thought she had left behind, forced to live with her in‑laws—narrow‑minded, eccentric Catholics who live by the motto “A place for everything; everything in its place.” The rigid, prayer‑bound household is harsh and the lingering bitterness of her in‑laws’ loveless marriage weighs heavily. Ellen attempts to fit into the community’s expectations: teaching at the Catholic school, supporting her traveling‑salesman husband, and caring for his aging parents, all while raising a wryly observant daughter and a timid son. Encouraged by her friend Barb—ostracized for her modern, wild demeanor—Ellen begins to question her desires and dreams. Surrounded by an exacting, angry God and the haunt of past secrets, she searches for a way to satisfy the community’s traditions until she discovers a dark family secret that frees her and irrevocably changes her life.

First publish date: 1994