The Four Winds by Kristin Hannah
When Elsa Wolcott meets Rafe Martinelli in her Texas hometown in 1921, she ends up pregnant and married to a man who is practically a stranger. The Four Winds leads us through her transformation into a devoted farmer's wife and mother, as the Great Depression and then the Dust Bowl wreak havoc on the Great Plains. And she and Rafe fight to save not only their crops but their children's lives, it takes a toll on her marriage that leads Elsa to the greatest decision of her life: stay on the land she loves or follow thousands of others west to California, where they could find the life they dream of, or lose everything.
Why I Loved It: This book really is as captivating as everyone says. Kristin Hannah builds a world and characters as cinematic as a movie.