The Last Letter: an emotional tragic story with loss, struggles and love

The Last Letter by Rebecca Yarros is a story of loss, love and the struggles. Ella MacKenzie was asked by her brother, Ryan, to write to his fellow serviceman who didn’t get many letters from home. She eagerly does. She and Beckett Gentry begin a friendship through their letters. Although she only knows him by his call sign, Chaos. When Ryan is killed in action, his last letter is to Beckett, asking him to watch over his sister and her two six year old twins, Colt and Maisie in Telluride, Colorado. Ella is raising her children on her own while running a local bed and breakfast and dealing with Maisie’s health struggles. Beckett leaves the army and arrives in Telluride with his retired K-9, Havoc, and immediately jumps into his new role. At first, Ella is resistant but soon there is an attraction that neither can resist. However, there are still secrets between them and the truth could threaten to tear them apart. 

I have seen The Last Letter heavily on social media. Many reviews highly recommended it while others warned the emotional damage readers would suffer after reading it. I looked forward to a good emotional story. From the opening chapter to the closing pages, the emotions and tears flowed. There were also moments of laughter and smiles. I loved Beckett as he takes his role as protector seriously. I loved Ella as an independent woman who was determined to prove those who doubt her wrong. I loved Colt and Maisie as the precocious twins with their unusual bond. I even loved Havoc and wished to have a dog like her. The ending was tragic but an expected tragedy. I was expecting one of five deaths and the death did not play out the way I expected. My only nitpick is one scene where a character from Lord of the Rings was referenced and in the book, the name was spelt, AOWYN when the character is EOWYN. If you are going to reference another character, spell the name correctly! Overall, I did enjoy this story. I highly recommend The Last Letter. 

The Last Letter is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

The Color of a Memory: grief, loss and moving forward with the memories

The Color of a Memory is the fifth book in The Color of Heaven series by Julianne MacLean. ER nurse Audrey Fitzgerald believed she had married a perfect man. Alex was a loving husband, a devoted father and a heroic firefighter who risked his life to save others. A year after his tragic death, she is struggling to move on when she finds information that threatens all she thought she knew about her husband. A picture and a name she had never heard before. A mysterious woman who holds the key to everything. Audrey discovers that in the weeks leading up to his death, Alex was distant, distracted and keeping secrets. With the help of a friend, she digs into his past and begins a journey that would lead her to a new future, one she never could have imagined. 

Continuing the arc which began in the third book, The Color of a Memory explores grief, loss and moving forward. This story had so many twists and turns that it kept me on the edge of my seat. My heart sank as Audrey discovered the evidence of what she thought was Alex’s secrets and the doubts that filled her head. I gasped at the reveal of who the mysterious woman was and her connection to Alex. I loved the interconnection of the characters and an example of how our own lives are interconnected whether we ever know it or not in a chain of events that can change lives forever. I enjoyed this story and I look forward to reading the rest of this series. I highly recommend The Color of a Memory and the earlier books in The Color of Heaven series. 

The Color of a Memory is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Last First Kiss: a second chance romance after loss and the uncertainty of the future

Last First Kiss is the first book in the Legacy of the Maguires series by Stella Holt. The Maguire family is particularly law enforcement royalty in her hometown. Sadly, law enforcement makes Charlotte Maguire James a young widow when her husband is killed in the line of duty. In order to distract herself from her grief, Charlotte throws herself into work creating promotional campaigns. When her new boss is Caleb Kincaid, a blast from her past. Still gorgeous as ever, Caleb awakens something in her; but, she is afraid to love and lose again. Caleb is a survivor and is no stranger to second chances. Now that his path has crossed with Charlotte again, he is determined to fight for her this time. Knowing they can be great together, but can he promise a future when he is unsure himself? 

I love second chance romances. So I was looking forward to this story. From the beginning, I liked Charlotte. She was a strong woman trying to find herself and sees her promotion as a way to escape the constant reminder that her husband is gone. I liked Caleb as a man who views every day as a second chance for life and seeing Charlotte again, he wants to take the opportunity to finish what they started so many years ago. It started as a great story; however, I wasn’t as invested in the story as I would have liked. I felt as if I started in the middle of the series with references I didn’t understand. Overall, it was a good story but I wasn’t as connected to the characters as I thought I would be. If you enjoy second chance romance, you may enjoy Last First Kiss. 

Last First Kiss is available in paperback and eBook

Something Old: a fresh start in a new town

Something Old is the first book in The Second Chance Shop series by Ev Bishop. Madeline’s world came crumbling down when she lost her husband, daughter and sister in a fatal car accident. Tired of the limbo of grief and loneliness, she decides to move to a small town and open a second hand shop. A dream that she shared with her daughter. She doesn't know if it will work but she is determined to make it work. As opening day gets closer and closer, she finds that there is hope in life after all. She finds herself with friends again, laughing and even adopting a moody old cat. Could there even be a second chance for love? Can she find the strength to fully embrace life again? 

I love stories about finding the strength and courage to move forward after a tragic event. I looked forward to reading Madeline’s new life in this small town. Unfortunately, I wasn’t able to really connect with Madeline or the people she meets along the way. I admire her determination to start living again and feeling a fresh start in a new town was her only option. There was very little conversation other than surface communication. I feel the conservation really didn’t get deep enough especially on such hard topics as loss and grief. There are a lot of silent musings and internal dialogues that slowed the story down. Overall, the story was okay; however, I will not be continuing the series. If you enjoy second chances for life and love, you may enjoy Something Old. 

Something Old is available in paperback and eBook

His Christmas Wish: rediscovering the joy and magic of Christmas after a loss

His Christmas Wish is the first book in the Mountain Rescue Romance series by Melissa McClone. Carly Bishop loved Christmas until tragedy struck that left her distraught and grief-stricken. Unable to stay in the small town of Hood Hamlet after the deaths of her brother and fiancé, Carly packed up and moved as far away as she could. Now, six years later, her family needs her. She reluctantly returns to help with her niece and nephew, hoping to survive the days until she can leave Hood Hamlet behind once again. Jake Porter is a Bishop family friend and a volunteer mountain rescue climber. He lives with the guilt that he could not save his two friends on that fateful day and the heartbreaking loss that Carly carries. When she returns to town, he is determined to make amends. As Jake and Carly help give the kids the best Christmas ever, can he help her rediscover her love of Christmas? Can he also help her open her heart again to love? 

His Christmas Wish is a sweet, emotional Christmas romance. It is a brother’s friend, second chance romance with hard hitting emotions. Melissa McClone does a beautiful job handling the sensitive topic of grief and guilt as life moves on. One of my favorite quotes sums up the story beautifully, “Life is about taking risks…and love makes those risks worth it even if we end up disappointed or hurt.” I loved Jake and Carly. They have a beautiful history together as they grew up together and have past crushes on each other that they never acted on. I loved their supporting characters, especially the niece and nephew as children can bring the infectious joy and magic of Christmas. There were a few tears as Carly confronted her grief. There are great moments of smiles and heartfelt connection between Carly and Jake. I loved this story and I look forward to reading the rest of the series. If you enjoy a Christmas romance with heart and real emotions, I recommend His Christmas Wish. 

His Christmas Wish is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

Big Chicas Don't Cry: life, love and family

Big Chicas Don’t Cry by Annette Chavez Macias is the story of four women as they navigate love, loss and the meaning of family. Cousins Mari, Erica, Selena and Gracie are inseparable. More than cousins, more than sisters, more than just family, they are the best of friends. They share secrets, traditions and love for their family. Their idyllic childhood is shattered when Mari’s parents divorce and she moves away. Now, fifteen years later, they struggle to find the same closeness they once had. They struggle with relationships, careers and their place in the world. As rocky as their lives have become, they are shaken to the core when a beloved family member dies. When they gather together, their shared tragedy reunites them. Will they remember the lessons of life, love and family? Or has their long separation been too long to overcome? 

As September 15th begins Hispanic Heritage Month, I was looking forward to reading this story. With a gorgeous cover, Big Chicas Don’t Cry promised to be a great story. Unfortunately, I wasn’t wowed by the story. I loved the closeness of the family and their banter back and forth. What I didn’t love is the teasing and, essentially, shaming one character for being a virgin at almost thirty! Oh No! Insert eye roll. Seriously!?!? I also didn’t care for the literal tantrum one character has when a customer in front of her bought the last pastry. While disappointing, I would never embarrass myself in such a way. Of course, as a plot device, that customer becomes a very important person in her workplace. Again insert eye roll. Overall, I had high hopes for this story but was disappointed. I do not recommend Big Chicas Don’t Cry. 

Big Chicas Don’t Cry is available in paperback, eBook and audiobook

The Beauty of Rain: finding new life and purpose after a tragic loss

The Beauty of Rain by Jamie Beck is a story of loss, grief and finding a greater purpose in life. Winning the lottery had changed Amy Walsh’s life but not in the ways we all dream of. After a tragic accident, she struggles to find joy, purpose and a reason to keep living. She vows to never spend a single cent on herself. Kristin DeMarco is Amy’s older sister and worried about her wellbeing. Amy stays with Kristin and her family while she recovers. However, the arrangement leads to trouble as her attention is divided leaving less time for her career, her husband, and her kids. As Amy decides it is time to live on her own, Kristin worries about their futures. Can Kristin learn that her time with her family is her most valuable asset? Can they learn that with life’s unpredictability, the importance of love, resilience and living in the now? 

The Beauty of Rain is an emotionally powerful story of two sisters who must learn the beauty in the tragic moments and painful truths about life, love and family. I highly anticipated this story as I have heard Ms Beck speak about her inspiration. Told between Amy and Kristin’s alternating points of view, the story exposes the struggles and the pains they try to hide. With relatable faults, flaws and admirable qualities, every character felt real and their pain hits home. I recommend bringing tissues. There are moments I teared up and there are moments I openly cried. As I closed the final chapter, there was a smile through the tears. The Beauty of Rain reminded me of a 1990s song that I won’t reveal as it could give hints to the ending of the story and I hate to spoil it for future readers. I highly, highly recommend The Beauty of Rain. 

The Beauty of Rain is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook

The Beautiful Little Things: one family's journey through loss and grief

The Beautiful Little Things by Melissa Hill is a story of sisters, torn by grief, finding a way to rediscover joy. The family home in the foothills of the Dublin Mountains has always a welcome escape. Romy Moore cherishes the warm embrace her family gives as she starts her career at the bottom of the London publishing ladder. Her mother, Cathy, has always been her biggest supporter as she chased her dreams. When her mother dies after a sudden illness, Romy feels adrift. Joanna has always been ambitious, coolheaded with her act together. But after the birth of her twin daughters and the death of her mother, she finds herself questioning what she wants anymore. When Romy discovers her mother’s journals, she realizes that her mother left behind precious words of wisdom to spark life back into the family and face a future without her. 

The Beautiful Little Things is a story of grief and finding a way to move forward. The synopsis spoke to me as a moving story and I was eager to read it. Unfortunately, the story dragged on. It switched first person narrators between Romy and Joanna with very little indication of the switch. It was confusing and often headache inducing. Other than stating Dublin Mountains, which I had to google where they are located, there was no indication where this story took place in Ireland. A story of grief can happen anywhere; however, this story didn’t feel like Ireland. Overall, the story fell flat for me and it wasn’t the story I thought it was going to be. I was bored half the time. The parts I did enjoy were the mother’s journal entries. However, if you are intrigued by the story, I recommend checking out The Beautiful Little Things. 

The Beautiful Little Things is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook

Family Secrets: a story of family, loss, grief and learning to live again

Family Secrets is the first book in the Ellie McLellan Genealogy Mystery series by Beth Farrar. Widowed genealogist Ellie McLellan has spent the last four years carefully building a new and quiet life. After her husband and daughter were killed in an accident, she has desperately fought for her privacy from the hungry paparazzi. Her quiet life is shattered when she instinctively saves a young boy’s life and it’s caught on camera. Now the relentless Diane Cooper has found her and is determined to get her story. When Ellie discovers a family secret, a secret that could destroy the only family she has left, she uses her skills as a genealogist to track down the truth. A truth she may or may not want to truly discover. She would do anything to protect her family, even if it means it costs her her peaceful life. 

A little birdie told me about this great new book by debut author Beth Farrar. Intrigued by the premise and my love of genealogy, I eagerly bought the book. WOW! was the word that crossed my mind as I closed the book. From the opening pages, it was a hard book to put down. Ms. Farrar wrote a gripping story of family, loss, grief and finding the strength to live again. My heart broke for Ellie as her story is revealed. I truly hated Diane and her cutthroat tactics. I enjoyed the cast of characters who support and protect Ellie. The truth behind the family secret was great and intriguing. It left me smiling and crying at the great heartwarming moments. I eagerly wait for the second book in the series, Family Mistakes. If you love a deeply moving story, I highly recommend Family Secrets. 

Family Secrets is available in paperback and eBook

Under the Southern Sky: love and family in the most unexpected places

Under the Southern Sky by Kristy Woodson Harvey is a story about how love and family can be found in the least expected places and in the most unconventional ways. After discovering her husband’s secret, Amelia Saxton finds herself on the verge of divorce when she finds out shocking information. As a dedicated journalist, she accidentally discovers that frozen embryos belonging to her childhood friend Parker and his late wife Greer, have been deemed “abandoned” and set to be destroyed. Parker hasn’t been able to move forward since his wife died three years ago. In his grief, he had all but forgotten the frozen embryos. When Amelia reveals what she has discovered, he sees the chance to have a part of his beloved Greer back. Each dealing with their own private griefs, Parker and Amelia begin to find solace by the waters of their childhood home, Cape Carolina and in each other. They’ll soon discover that family, the one of birth and choice, is closer than they think. 

This book is my first one by Kristy Woodson Harvey. Under the Southern Sky is a story that tackles many deep and difficult topics: grief, cancer, infertility, and mental illness. However, Ms Woodson Harvey deals with these topics with realism, heart and no easy answers. However, I found it to be a bit predictable. And some details were incredulous and a bit eye rolling. While my heart broke for Parker and Greer, I found Amelia to be a little harder to love. At some moments I found her reactions to be justified and others I was shocked that she would be so angry and not understanding the implications of the situation. The love story between Parker and Amelia reminded me a bit of Bob and Gracie from Return to Me (2000). Overall, I enjoyed the story and was eager to see if Parker and Amelia would have their happily ever after or not. If you enjoy a love story with Southern charm, I recommend Under the Southern Sky. 

Under the Southern Sky is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook. 

The Haunting of Brynn Wilder: a story of loss, grief and transformation

The Haunting of Brynn Wilder by Wendy Webb is a story of loss, grief and transformation. After a year of turmoil, ending with a devastating loss, Brynn Wilder escapes to Wharton, a small tourist town on Lake Superior. Her goal is to relax, reset and get ready to go back to her life. She checks into a local boarding house for the summer. She quickly becomes a part of the local community and the other lodgers. There’s Jason and Gil who are caring for the frail Alice, who is suffering from Alzheimer’s. LuAnn, the lovable owner of the inn, who watches over her lodgers like a caring mother. Lastly, Dominic, the handsome stranger who is covered in mesmerizing tattoos that he has earned the nickname, The Illustrated Man. Soon after her arrival, mysterious events begin to occur. Alice knows things about Brynn that she shouldn’t. Bad dreams, night whispers and an undeniable attraction to Dominic, a mysterious man who people know very little about and the suspicions follow him. Will Brynn discover the truth surrounding the mysterious events? 

With a gothic feel, The Haunting of Brynn Wilder has a lot of mood and atmosphere that sets the stage for a creepy and disturbing story. I had seen a lot of mixed reviews about this book so when it was my chance to read it, I had no expectations. From the opening chapter, I was hooked and I easily read the events surrounding Brynn after she arrived in Wharton. The story itself is not scary but has creepy and odd moments that will catch your attention and breathlessly ask “whaaaaat?” Ms. Webb touches on a lot of different themes and ideas but none of them fully fleshed out. It is as if she didn’t quite know what she wanted to do with them. The story was great until the ending. While not horrible, the ending seemed rushed and at a disconnect with the rest of the story. Overall, I enjoyed the story with the exception of the end. If you keep your expectations low and allow the story to just be, you’ll probably enjoy The Haunting of Brynn Wilder. 

The Haunting of Brynn Wilder is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook

The Loneliest Cottage: an easy to read, fun and sweet romance

The Loneliest Cottage by Melissa Storm is the first book in the Alaskan Hearts series. Lauren Dalton’s world is shattered when she learns that her father was killed in a tragic accident. It is shattered again when she discovers he had a life that he never told her. Heartbroken but determined to find out more, she takes a job in rural Alaska to help Shane Ramsey, an injured musher, with his sled dogs. She soon learns that her new boss has secrets of his own. As she cares for the dogs and even learns to become a musher herself, Lauren finds herself losing her heart to her new boss, his dogs and the wild wilderness of Alaska. Will Lauren discover more about her father’s life in Alaska? Will her search reveal more secrets? 

The Loneliest Cottage is a story about love, loss and finding where you truly belong. A quick read, it is a sweet romance set in beautiful Alaska. There were a few moments that I felt were unrealistic and would not fly in real life but in romances, reality is usually stretched a bit. The sled racing and the dogs take a backseat to the relationship of Lauren and Shane. Shane is the typical romance “hero”  that has been hardened and bitter from a previous relationship and it is Lauren, the romance “heroine” who thaws his frozen heart. Overall, I enjoyed The Loneliest Cottage. It is a typical romance but enjoyable and I look forward to reading the rest of the series. If you are looking for a quick, enjoyable story, I recommend The Loneliest Cottage. 

The Loneliest Cottage is available in paperback and eBook

Maybe You Should Talk to Someone: a look inside a therapy session and the emotional issues we all face

Maybe You Should Talk to Someone by Lori Gottlieb is the story of a therapist, her therapist and the answers we all look for in our lives are revealed. Ms. Gottlieb, a psychotherapist and national advice columnist, takes the readers into therapy sessions as she helps her patients find the reasons why when she realizes she needs those answers herself. After a devastating break-up, Gottlieb finds herself in the office of Wendell, a quirky but well-seasoned therapist, dressed in a cardigan and khakis; he seems to be the stereotypical therapist; she soon learns that he is anything but typical. Gottlieb opens the therapy doors and invites the readers into her world as a clinician and a patient, examining the truths and lies we tell ourselves and others as we walk the tightrope called Life. Battling questions of love and desire, meaning and mortality, guilt and redemption, terror and courage and finally finding hope and change. What lessons can we learn from Ms. Gottlieb’s patients and her own experience in therapy? 

Maybe You Should Talk to Someone was highly recommended to me as a witty and honest look into the human experience. As Ms. Gottlieb presents her journey with patients and the road that leads her into therapy herself; it was easy to see people we have encountered in ourselves as well as our own questions and struggles. I enjoyed Ms. Gottlieb’s candor and openness when discussing the mental health of her patients and herself. There is a stigma around our emotional struggles. She makes the observation that we can easily talk about physical health, our sex lives (“or the lack thereof”), but we actively and purposefully avoid talking about mental health. Throughout each patient’s story, we learn the universality of what it means to be human as well as the power to transform our lives lies within each of us. I recommend Maybe You Should Talk to Someone. 

Maybe You Should Talk to Someone is available in hardcover, paperback, eBook and audiobook

 

 

 

The Color of Heaven: a journey about love, loss and learning to live again

The Color of Heaven is the first book in Julianne MacLean’s The Color of Heaven series. Sophie Whitman is a successful columnist when her world falls apart. First, her daughter, Megan’s unexpected illness spins their perfect life off its axis. The next three years involve doctor’s visits, tests, painful procedures just for the hope of Megan’s survival. And just when Sophie couldn’t take anymore devastation, her husband, Michael, announces that he has fallen in love with someone else. She decides to get away from it all when her car skids off an icy road and plunges into a frozen lake. There, in the depths of the cold, dark lake, she begins a journey which will unlock surprising secrets from her family’s past and reveal to her what it means to truly live and love.

The Color of Heaven is my second book by Julianne MacLean and I started this book with hesitation as I was less than impressed with the previous book. However, The Color of Heaven is an emotional roller coaster of grief, life’s surprising twists and turns and learning to live again after a devastating loss. From the opening chapter to the closing epilogue, Sophie’s journey will grip you. You will cry with her. You will gasp at the secrets and you will smile and sigh at the great moments of life and love. It is a book that will keep you guessing and just when you think you’ve figured it out, another twist. I look forward to reading the rest of this series. As I finished this book, I received a notification that the second book was a free eBook. Fate? I don’t know but I eagerly downloaded it. I highly recommend The Color of Heaven. 

The Color of Heaven is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook

Over the Moon: an adventure story with life lessons

Over the Moon is an American Chinese computer animated film, directed by Gary Keane, co-directed John Kahrs. Screenplay by the late Audrey Wells along with Alice Wu and Jennifer Yee McDevitt. Starring the voice talents of Cathy Ang, Phillippa Soo, Ken Jeong, John Cho, Margaret Cho and Sandra Oh. First shown at the Montclair Film Festival on October 17, 2020, it was released on Netflix and select theaters on October 23, 2020. My eight-year-old daughter is a big fan of Phillippa Soo and was excited to watch Over the Moon. When we watched it together, I found it was a fun adventure story with a touching life lesson.

The film opens with a young girl named Fei Fei (voiced by Cathy Ang) with her parents. Her mother tells her the legend of Chang’e, the moon goddess, who took a potion for immortality and ascending to the moon without her lover, Houyi. Now she sits on the moon, waiting for her love. As her family prepares for the annual Moon Festival, Fei Fei’s mother falls ill and passes away. Four years later, Fei Fei and her father prepare for the annual Moon festival, but something is different this year. Mrs. Zhong (voiced by Sandra Oh) and her eight-year-old son, Chin (voiced by Robert G. Chiu) arrives, and everything seems to fall apart. Fei Fei decides to build a rocket to the moon to prove the moon goddess’s existence. Once she arrives of the moon, Chang’e (voiced by Phillippa Soo) is not who Fei Fei was expecting. She tells Fei Fei that she was supposed to deliver a gift for Chang'e and offers proof of her existence as a prize. Fei Fei finds herself in a race against time to find the gift, get her proof and go home.

The movie was sweet and fun. There are many aspects I enjoyed about the film. I will highlight my top three. First, the story is wonderful. While it has the common themes of parental death, grief and moving on. It is still a moving story about a young girl who learns that moving on doesn’t mean she stops loving her mother, stops missing her or worse, forgets her mother. Over the Moon offers a story that shows children that it is okay to cry and grieve after a loss of a loved one. As well as it is okay to move on. Second, the music is fun and enjoyable. The score was composed by Steven Price and the original songs were written by Christopher Curtis, Marjorie Duffield, and Helen Park. Phillippa Soo shines with her beautiful voice as well as shows off her hip hop skills. Third, I loved the insights into more of Chinese culture. My daughter and I immediately googled mooncakes, which are made during the Moon Festival, as we have never heard of them before and they look so delicious.

Unfortunately, there was one aspect of the movie I did not care for. The character of Gobi, voiced by the talented Ken Jeong, was a character that seemed out of place. Gobi, a pangolin, was a former royal advisor to Chang’e who exiled him a thousand years ago. Gobi came into the story to bring Fei Fei to a revelation that will change her attitude and view on her life. Normally, that would be fine and expected, however, Gobi was too much like Olaf for me to fully enjoy his part in the story. His manic speech style felt familiar to Olaf’s. The rambling, nonsense speech with a gem of entitlement in the middle was too much like Olaf. It is not the fact that Fei Fei had animal companions as many. Many fairy tales and legends have animal counterparts. Gobi would have been great if he just didn’t feel like an Olaf copy.

In conclusion, I enjoyed Over the Moon. It was fun and enjoyable. It had funny moments. It had sad moments. It had moments led to talks with my daughter about loss and grief. It had amazing animation with a great story featuring a Chinese legend and a look into more aspects of Chinese culture. The music was great and fun to listen to. While I did not enjoy the Gobi character, the other characters were fun. Overall, I recommend Over the Moon for all. Not just families, but for anyone who would enjoy a story about a young girl who learns a great life lesson. 

Over the Waters: a search for answers after losses

Over the Waters by Deborah Raney is the story of discovering there’s more to life than money. Dr. Max Jordan, aka “Dr Botox,” is a successful plastic surgeon in Chicago. Every decision he has made has focused on his career and his monetary success. He is shocked and angered that his only child, Joshua, after becoming a doctor, has decided to treat Haitian orphans. After Joshua’s death, a very bitter Max searches for answers in the orphanage that his son called home. Valerie Austin escapes to Haiti after the bitter break up of her engagement, seeks to find new meaning in her life. Will Max find his eyes opened to the truth in his son’s sacrifice and the sacrifice of those who work tirelessly for the orphans? Will he be able to find a freedom that he never knew he needed?

Over the Waters is a touching story of the conditions in Haiti, the people who live there and the humanitarian workers and missionaries who work to help those in need. The overall story of Max and Valerie left much to be desired. The book is billed as a romance and there was very little romance. Max was a hard character to like even when he softened a bit about his son’s choice. I had a bit more sympathy for Valerie. Overall, it was enjoyable but not memorable. If you are a fan of Ms Raney, you may enjoy Over the Waters.

Over the Waters

is available in paperback, eBook, and audiobook

The Light After the War: a story in the war's aftermath

The Light After the War by Anita Abriel is the story of Vera Frankel, a Hungarian Jewish refugee living in Naples, Italy. It has been 11 months since the end of the war and believing her entire family was killed in the concentration camps, Vera fled with her best friend, Edith. As the two rebuild their lives in a new country, Vera finds a job at the American embassy in Naples and falls in love with her boss, Captain Anton Wight. A series of events will leave her heartbroken and wondering what to do next. Edith has an idea to get sponsored for citizenship in America and when that falls through, they end up in Caracas, Venezuela. There she meets the handsome Ricardo Albee, and everything seems to be back on track. With flashbacks of events which occurred during the war, Vera must learn to adapt and survive. Will Vera have the happy ending she’s been dreaming of? Will she ever find out what truly happened to her family?

This story was inspired by Ms. Abriel’s mother’s story of survival during WWII and from the opening page to the closing chapter, you are drawn into Vera’s story of survival which takes her across oceans. I enjoyed The Light After the War as it shows a part of history that many historical books do not feature: the migration of many refugees to other countries. Yes, some came to America, but many people do not realize that many refugees made their way to South America and beyond. I recommend The Light After the War. A story of friendship, love, survivor's guilt, loss and survival.

The Light After the War

is available in hardcover, eBook and audiobook

Part 1: The cemetery at dusk

It was a cold, bitter day in November as the sunset on the cemetery, much colder than Southern California is used to. Various graves were decorated for Thanksgiving as family members came to remember their loved ones during the season of thanks. The brisk cold turned into a bitter wind as the sun set turning day into night. People didn’t stay around too long as the quickly changing weather made them hurry to find warmer surroundings.

But one lone woman stayed. She knelt on the ground in front of a newly placed headstone. Her eyes downcast closed almost as in prayer. He lips moving ever so slightly, the breeze carrying her words away. She was slender and young, too young to be in a cemetery. Her beautiful blonde hair fell forward in a cascade of gold, protecting her face from the bitter cold. She wore no jacket but she acted as if she couldn’t feel the falling temperatures. She kept her head bowed and leaned closer to the ground. You could have thought she was trying to lay down.

The funeral director was closing the office for the night. He locked the office door and as he turned to walk to his car, he saw her. With sympathetic eyes, he sighed. The young woman had come here every day for the past couple weeks. He changed course and walked over to her. Despite his nice suit, he knelt beside her in the grass and placed a gentle hand on her shoulder. “You know they wouldn’t want you here moping.”

The young woman looked up, her eyes glistening with tears and sighed, “I know. I don’t know what to do next.” She turned back to the headstone.

The director put a gentle arm around her, helped her to her feet and guided her to her nearby car. With gentle words, he reassured her that the answers were inside her. He knew all the comforting words. He had been in this business for many years and he saw all sorts of grief. But this young woman’s pain cut deep into his heart. He felt that his words were hallow and knew, at the moment, his words failed him.

“I wish I had more to help you, miss. But unfortunately, only time will give you the answers you seek,” he said as he opened her car door.

She nodded and closed the door. She watched the man walk to his car. She knew he was only trying to help. The words which were meant as comfort were hallow. Hallow as her heart. She knew that she would never be whole again. She already lost so much. How can she go on when what mattered most was gone.

She left the main gate and turned toward home. “Good night, sweet ones. Sleep tight. I’ll be back soon.” She whispered as she passed the cemetery. She let her brain go into autopilot as her memory drifted to that fateful day one month ago.