Landreaux Iron is out hunting when he shoots and finds that he has killed his neighbor's 5 year old son, Dusty. Devastated, he lets Peter and Nola Ravich know that he has killed their son and his own son's (LaRose) playmate.
In thinking about his heritage, he talks with his wife, Emmaline, and they decide that LaRose should be given to the Ravich's in payment for the accident. It is hard for both families, but that is done.
LaRose now has two families and seems to fit into both. He really misses his birth mother, but falls in love with the Ravich family also.
There is an individual, Romeo, who has a grudge against Landreaux from many years ago and he is trying to bring him to a quick decline and is searching for any way to make that happen. Romeo is a lost soul; stealing drugs, stealing paperwork, etc.
There is a lot of Indian tradition incorporated into this novel and it is a pleasure to be taken there. This is definitely well-written and I need to warn you to keep tissues handy.