I finished this novel while traveling down to Buzzards Bay from my husband's hometown where we spent the night on Friday. This was a very fast read because it was a very suspenseful and riveting book. A real page-turner!!
It falls under the Contemporary Fiction genre.....it's a little bit mystery, suspense, drama, romance and family saga all wrapped up in one novel.
The author is new to me. I've never read any of her books before and have had relatives who have recommended her to me so I thought I'd try this one. Now it makes me want to browse the library for more of her books.
The setting is South Carolina and Virginia. I was mesmerized by the story plot because the author does a fantastic job of character development. I felt like I "knew" these characters...they are all very life-like and each with a very distinctive personality.
STORY SUMMARY
Tara and Emerson, best friends since college, find an unfinished letter that their close friend, Noelle, left after her suicide. This is the ONLY clue they have that might tell them WHY she felt like she had to end her life. Everything they knew about Noelle----her calling to be a midwife, her causes and all that she advocated for, her love for friends and family---described a woman who EMBRACED her life...not want to end it.
BUT..there was a lot they DIDN'T know. And with the finding of the letter and the heartbreaking secret it reveals, Tara and Emerson start to uncover the truth about their complex friend......she touched them in many ways...and...she touched a stranger's life as well....with betrayal and love, compassion and deceit.
MY THOUGHTS
This book is excellent. It centers around friendships...those deep, real friendships that last through the thick and thin of people's lives.....doing life together. It also centers around various family dynamics and the relationship between mothers and daughters. I think the author wants the readers to not really care for Tara's daughter Grace, but I found my self totally connecting to her character much more than Emerson's daughter, Jenny. It also teaches us about forgiveness and the very real power of hope.
I highly recommend this book for ages 14 and older.
On a scale of 1-10, with 10 being the highest, I rate this a 9.
3 comments:
You've got my curiosity up! I haven't heard of this author. I'll have to look in library.
I liked that it was clean AND a good moving story.
Oh this one DOES sound good!! I'm going to add it to my list. I am so glad you post these reviews...love love LOVE to read :)
Post a Comment