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Coming of age in 1950s Kansas, a misunderstood young woman must find her way through a society ill-equipped to give her grace in this powerful, exhilarating story about loyalty, family, and hard-won self-acceptance for readers of Jayne Anne Phillips, Patti Callahan Henry, and Donna Everhart.
Billie Enholm has never known quite how to define what makes her different from her schoolmates and her cousins, but there's no denying that she is. Bright but awkward, gifted with numbers and words yet baffled by the ease with which others interact, Billie lives with a constant, nagging voice that insists she's doing everything wrong. Even Billie's mother, Dixie, describes her as an "odd-wad."
When Billie's father dies and Dixie retreats deeper into beer and apathy, Billie's alienation grows. Summers spent at her grandparents' house in small-town Wiley, eighty-some miles away, have always been a source of comfort—until rejection by her favorite cousin leaves her feeling even more alone. No one can fathom how Billie sees the world—the piercing moments of beauty and heartache she experiences, her uncompromising honesty and lack of guile. And while it feels as if everywhere else, the 1960s are ushering in a new era of protest and change, her own prospects remain stagnant.
Then tragedy engulfs the Enholm family, prompting revelations, questions, and a life-changing dilemma. Out of these unlikely circumstances comes a chance for forgiveness and understanding, and a way, at last, for Billie to reconcile her desire for love with her need for acceptance, just as she is.
In a novel as emotional and nuanced as her acclaimed first novel, Elizabeth Hardinger gives readers a wholly original heroine whose journey is as unforgettable as it is ultimately uplifting.
Do you think Billie made the right decision to stay in Hutch and take care of her mother?
Yes, I think she made the right decision to stayin Hutch and take care of her mother. I do not think she could forgive herself if she didn't stay. Her values and morals would not let her not take care of the woman who gave birth to her.
-Thelma_H
Overall, what did you think of Won’t Be Long Now? (No spoilers in this topic, please.)
I liked this book very much. It kept my interest the entire time I was reading it. I would like to read other books by its author. The main character in "Won't Be Long Now" is Billie, and starts out when she is very young in the 1950s. It is written from her viewpoint. Billie's family thinks of h...
-Marilyn_B
What did you think about Clayton's role in the novel? How would you describe his feelings for Billie? Why does he seek her out? How do you think she feels about him?
Clayton was an interesting character. Yes, he was part of the accident and I'm sure he will live with his role in it for the rest of his life. Maybe some of his burden was released in telling Billie but she could have told the family what actually happened. He was drawn to Billie and maybe it was...
-Sandra_C1
Billie refuses to attend important rituals, like her graduation ceremony or funerals. Why do you suppose this is? Her mother tells her she'll regret it later. Does she? What's your opinion about such rituals?
I get why Billie doesn't attend these events. She emotionally can't handle them and is always on the edge that "Charlotte" might make an appearance. I don't think she regrets not going later in life. I wonder if in her later years, after therapy and having a family, she is able to handle it better.
-Sandra_C1
Do you think Billie is, as she implies, autistic? How does that affect your view of her and her story?
I believe she more than likely was on the spectrum. Put her in a different time and maybe her life would have turned out so differently. It doesn't affect my view of her. I felt badly for her not being allowed to live up to her potential. The school knew she was different and I believe she could ...
-Sandra_C1
What did you think of the book’s conclusion, and what do you think Billie's life will look like going forward?
I felt it was a little rushed but I'm glad she found some happiness in her life. Even though she never realized her dream of moving to Colorado, I'm glad she was able to go there on vacations with her family.
-Sandra_C1
To what audience would you recommend Won’t Be Long Now? Is there another book or author you feel has a similar theme or style?
I am going to loan my copy to a friend who grew up in the Midwest. I know she will find much to relate to. We talk about that area of the country and her childhood there from time to time. She had a hard time acclimating when she moved to the town in which we both live. I was born in the Midwest,...
-Janie-Hickok-Siess
Billie's feelings about Joan are complicated. What aspects of Billie's life play into that relationship? What did you think about Joan's treatment of Billie?
Joan was a bully, narcissist, and sexual abuser. A despicable person. All Billie wanted to do was have a cousin with whom she could share a loving, supportive relationship. I felt that she looked up to and wanted to emulate some of Joan's characteristics. And in response, Joan ridiculed, belittle...
-Janie-Hickok-Siess
Billie’s mother insists that she can stand pain if she makes up her mind to (“You could stand anything for a minute, an hour a day…”) What did you think of this? How did this philosophy help or hurt Billie?
Again, that advice was so typically what people in that time and place would say. That Midwestern stoicism was (is?) real! You didn't just run off to the dr. or ER. Of course, it only works for so long . . . When you suppress pain (physical or emotional), you are only delaying the inevitable. It ...
-Janie-Hickok-Siess
After her father dies, Billie finds she has trouble remembering his face. Her mother recalls being told, when her own mother died, that reciting the best memory of her, over and over, would help. Was a good strategy? Have you ever done something similar?
I think it was an excellent strategy, given the time period of the story. It was not yet the digital age. People didn't take a lot of pictures – film had to be developed & it was considered a luxury cost. And the quality of photos was often terrible. It's highly doubtful that there were any recor...
-Janie-Hickok-Siess
What do you understand Billie to mean when she says that people's words sometimes "echo" in her mind? Have you (or someone you know) ever had an experience like this?
I think everyone has words and echoing in their heads. Don't they? I do. I can conjure up and hear cruel things that have been said to me over the course of my life . . . as well as loving, inspiring, touching words and conversations. I think Billie didn't realize she was experiencing something t...
-Janie-Hickok-Siess
How do you think Billie's life would have turned out if her father had lived?
Such a heartbreaking aspect of the story. Billie's father was the one person in her life who really saw her & loved her unconditionally. He expressed love to her by spending time with her, teaching her things, playing with her, etc. – the way loving parents do. She would have grown up basking in ...
-Janie-Hickok-Siess
Billie often mentions the polka dot agate rock given to her by her friend Harriet. What do you think it means to Billie?
I agree with what everyone has said so far. It was symbolic of Billie's first true friendship, one that she believed and hoped would endure. It was a gift given by someone who truly cared for Billie, and that was not something she had previously experienced. It reminded me of my grandniece who pi...
-Janie-Hickok-Siess
Beyond abject grief, what do you think of the reaction of the Enholm family and the Wiley community to the accident that claims the lives of their loved ones? Did anything about it surprise you?
I found their reactions to be realistic. It is natural to want to know why things happen. The women were not where they were expected to be, so it was natural for people to be curious about why they veered from the regular route into an area with which they were not familiar and where they did no...
-Janie-Hickok-Siess
What role do you think the woman Billie meets at the Garden of Eden plays in the story? As off-putting as she is, why do you think Billie is drawn to her?
I think Charlotte represents or is a composite of all the people out in the world that Billie had not yet encountered. She was totally different from her family and community members. Charlotte opens up a whole new way to see the world for Billie, telling her that people have always found her to ...
-Janie-Hickok-Siess
Billie tests at the level of genius and reads a thick dictionary for pleasure, and yet she is naïve about some things— for example, she thinks that the Garden of Eden is the actual location where Adam and Eve once walked. How do you reconcile these two?
Oh, I have no trouble reconciling the two because having intellectual capability is not at all the same thing as being savvy about the world around you. I have known people like Billie who are so intelligent, yet don't have, as my father would say, "one ounce of common sense." Or are just so naiv...
-Janie-Hickok-Siess
What did you think of the relationship between Billie and her mother? How do Billie's feelings about her mother change over the course of the novel? Does Dixie go through a similar change?
Dixie was incapable of expressing her true, deep feelings to Billie, so Billie grew up erroneously believing that Dixie was devoid of emotional depth or real love for her daughter. Mothers shield their children from the brutality of life, so Dixie never shared so many details about their life and...
-Janie-Hickok-Siess
Beyond what Billie says, why do you think she feels that she doesn't belong in the same world as anyone else she knows?
Billie was an extremely bright, intelligent, & inquisitive child growing up with people who lacked her ability to perceive the world and the people around her with insight, clarity, and an innate sense that something was "off." The story is set in Kansas, and as the story progressed, I saw a lot ...
-Janie-Hickok-Siess
What did you make of Billie’s awareness of a rage inside her that she first calls The Thing, later Charlotte? She wonders if there’s a Charlotte or something like a Charlotte in everyone’s life, but that people just don’t talk about it. What do you think?
Anyone who has grown up with family members like Billie's will recognize and relate to The Thing. To me, it is a strong sense of something being terribly wrong, but as a child, you lack the ability to identify it, much less take action to alleviate it. Because children are dependent and, therefor...
-Janie-Hickok-Siess
Have you read Elizabeth Hardinger’s earlier novel, All the Forgiveness? If so, how does it compare to Won’t Be Long Now?
This was my first experience reading the author's work.
-Janie-Hickok-Siess
What are you reading this week? And what did you think of last week’s books? (5/14/2026)
Just started When No One Else Will, just 80 pages in but so far I know it will be worth reading. Other books read so far in May, Won't Be Long Now by Elizabeth Hardinger, World' s Greatest Detective…., by Liza Tully and Last One Out by Jane Harper.
-Paula_Walters
What are you reading this week? And what did you think of last week’s books? (5/7/2026)
I finished up [ https://www.bookbrowse.com/bb_briefs/detail/index.cfm/ezine_preview_number/24292/wont-be-long-now Won't Be Long Now by Elizabeth Hardinger for the BookBrowse Book Club discussion. For me it was kind of a bleak read up until the ending, which I was actually happy with. It would be a good...
-Lana_Maskus
About the Won't Be Long Now by Elizabeth Hardinger category
I just started reading the book. Thus far, It is most engaging. I'll chime in as I move through it.
-Ricki_Aiello
What are you reading this week? And what did you think of last week’s books? (4/30/2026)
I'm about 3/4 finished with Won't Be Long Now by Elizabeth Hardinger and then need to jump on BookBrowse's Book Club Discussion for it. I always tell myself I'm going to take notes while reading any book for discussion...
-Lana_Maskus
What are you reading this week? And what did you think of last week’s books? (4/23/2026)
...is a full-time job for this old lady! I am reading https://www.bookbrowse.com/bb_briefs/detail/index.cfm/ezine_preview_number/24292/wont-be-long-now Won't Be Long Now by Elizabeth Hardinger for the BookBrowse Book Club Discussion, but I'm going to have to dedicate some serious time to it this weekend. Also, must get https://www.bookbrows...
-Lana_Maskus
What are you reading this week? And what did you think of last week’s books? (4/16/2026)
...by Douglas Stuart for review, and then I'll pick up https://www.bookbrowse.com/bb_briefs/detail/index.cfm/ezine_preview_number/24292/wont-be-long-now Won't Be Long Now by Elizabeth Hardinger, also for the Online Book Club, opening next week. Don't know what I'll get to after that. I'd like to sneak in one of Donna Everhart's books (she'll...
-kim.kovacs
What are you reading this week? And what did you think of last week’s books? (4/02/2026)
I listened to David Baldacci's Nash Falls and loved it. So glad the next book will be out soon. I'm reading Won't Be Long Now by Elizabeth Hardinger which I received from BookBrowse and liking it. I also finished Under Two zflags by Janis Robinson Daly and loved it. I have to reread Frozen River f...
-Melinda_J
What are you reading this week? And what did you think of last week’s books? (3/26/2026)
First last weeks books and I haven't read any of them. I just finished in audio Skylark by Paula McLain. I had a hard time with this book. Think I should have read the actual bòok. I just started I Won't be Long by Elizabeth Hardinger for discussion here and liking it so far. And I started Nash F...
-Melinda_J
"A coming-of-age story layered with the pain of being labeled an outsider… Told with heartbreaking emotion, Hardinger's novel captures the quiet resilience and determination of a young girl who cannot fully make sense of herself or the world but still hopes to be accepted and loved." —Library Journal
This information about Won't Be Long Now was first featured
in "The BookBrowse Review" - BookBrowse's membership magazine, and in our weekly "Publishing This Week" newsletter. Publication information is for the USA, and (unless stated otherwise) represents the first print edition. The reviews are necessarily limited to those that were available to us ahead of publication. If you are the publisher or author and feel that they do not properly reflect the range of media opinion now available, send us a message with the mainstream reviews that you would like to see added.
Any "Author Information" displayed below reflects the author's biography at the time this particular book was published.
Elizabeth Hardinger was born and raised in Kansas. She holds a BA in English from McPherson College and an MFA from Wichita State University. She lives with her husband in Eugene, Oregon, where she occasionally copyedits technical and academic books. All the Forgivenesses, her debut novel, draws on family lore about life in a tarpaper shack during the Kansas oil boom of the 1920s. Find the author on Twitter at: @ElizHardinger, and visit her Website at ElizabethHardinger.com.
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