Nineteen-year-old Aaron Harper is instantly smitten the first time he meets sixteen-year-old Limery Clark. Captivated by her beauty and drawn to her sensitivity, Aaron dreams of winning her affections. But Aaron, who comes from a fine, upstanding family, doesn’t comprehend the shameful weight of Limery’s hardscrabble upbringing or the terrible urgency of her present situation. She has become the object of her stepfather’s sexual desires. When Limery finds herself drowning in a web of desperation and secrets, she turns to Aaron for solace and stability. But Limery’s secrets come with a devastating price, and when her truth is discovered, Aaron’s young life is forever fractured, forever changed. Set in 1820s Ohio, The Dance of the White Deer details the ill-fated romance of two youths while examining women’s issues of the time period and delving into powerful literary themes revolving around justice and suffering, good and evil. Loosely inspired by true events, the novel also pays homage to pioneer life in the Western Reserve.