Sweet Constance

by Jane Carlsen

After the death of her daughter and the end of her marriage, Connie Sweet sells a portion of her farm and forestland to be made into a vineyard. She needs the money, but as she watches the platting, the fencing, and the logging, she begins to understand that the forest never really belonged to her; she belonged to it. Devastated by the loss, she teams with a friend’s troubled nephew to survey the life of the land before it’s gone forever, but her increasing recklessness risks more than she ever imagined.

294 pages, Paperback

Published August 5, 2025

Reviews

[Becky Ellis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Constance is so close to nature that she can hear worms work soil! This beautiful story about home and the places we inhabit offers an intimate view into the ways we live together and apart. Filled with lyrical prose, seeing the earth through Jane's lens is an absolute treat. I wanted to linger in this gorgeous world, and now find myself observing moss, birds, and tree bark with renewed admiration. A quietly transformative read.

[Mary Louise · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is a compelling story about family and friend relationships and the push-pull of loss and gain as rural communities evolve. Jane Carlsen’s prose beautifully conveys a strong sense of place and the ways in which people are connected to their communities and to forests and fields. As a resident of the Pacific Northwest it was easy for me to imagine Connie Sweet’s world.