In a Nutshell Reviews

 

In a Nutshell Reviews are my version of mini-reviews, because sometimes, you just want the highlights.

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When We Let Go by Rochelle B. Weinstein
Published by Lake Union Publishing on May 17, 2022
Age/Genres: Contemporary, Fiction

Goodreads

A moving novel of family and forgiveness and of hope and healing by Rochelle B. Weinstein, the USA Today bestselling author of This Is Not How It Ends.

When Avery Beckett is proposed to by Jude Masters, a widowed father and the man she loves, it should be a time of great joy. Instead, Avery is on edge. She’s wary of the idea of family, doubtful of happy endings, and too afraid to take the leap. It’s the kind of fear that comes from having secrets.

Before Avery commits to a new life, she must reconcile with the one she left behind.

When Avery returns to her childhood farm in the North Carolina mountains, she’s surprised to be saddled with a companion: Jude’s teenage daughter, Elle, who’s grappling with the loss of her mother and the complicated emotions of first love. On a path of mending wounds and breaking down walls, Avery and Elle form an unexpected alliance. It’s giving them the courage to move forward. And for Avery, everything she needs to confront the past.

An emotional tale of mothers and daughters, loss and acceptance, When We Let Go is about the lessons that come from heartbreak and the healing it takes to embrace the joy of a second chance.

This was a really touching and emotional story. First of all, I adored the farm setting. I don’t know why this city girl loves being on a farm, but I do. There was something really lovely about the characters finding healing in a place where there is so much new life and growth as well. It was also the perfect backdrop to tell the full story since it was where it all happened.

The heart of this tale was Avery. It seemed like many grew frustrated with Avery, but readers, please be patient with her. She had lost so much, and she also allowed her guilt to keep her from really living. By returning home, she was able to really unpack her pain. Moving forward doesn’t mean forgetting because she would always love those she had lost, but it was understanding that she could love again. Very emotional.

Elle and Avery’s issues overlapped in many ways. Elle’s mother’s death was sudden, and she carried some regrets related to their final interaction. The guilt coupled with missing her mother resulted in a great deal of emotional pain for Elle. If anyone could relate, it was Avery. Their road to healing was a bumpy one, but I was grateful that they could take this journey together.

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A Quiet Life by Ethan Joella
Published by Scribner on November 29, 2022
Age/Genres: Contemporary, Fiction

Goodreads

Set in a close-knit suburb in the grip of winter, A Quiet Life follows three people grappling with loss and finding a tender wisdom in their grief.

Chuck Ayers used to look forward to nothing so much as his annual trip to Hilton Head with his wife, Cat—that yearly taste of relaxation they’d become accustomed to after a lifetime of working and raising two children. Now, just months after Cat’s death, Chuck finds that he can’t let go of her belongings—her favorite towel, the sketchbooks in her desk drawer—as he struggles to pack for a trip he can’t imagine taking without her.

Ella Burke delivers morning newspapers and works at a bridal shop to fill her days while she anxiously awaits news—any piece of information—about her missing daughter. Ella adjusts to life in a new apartment and answers every call on her phone, hoping her daughter will reach out.

After the sudden death of her father, Kirsten Bonato set aside her veterinary school aspirations, finding comfort in the steady routine of working at an animal shelter. But as time passes, old dreams and new romantic interests begin to surface—and Kirsten finds herself at another crossroads.

Another really touching story from Joella which examines the different ways we grieve.

In this story, we meet three people dealing with different types of loss. A dead wife, a murdered father, a kidnapped child – all such grave and profound losses that left each character drowning in grief and a bit unmoored. At one point, all three became connected to each other, and that was where the healing began.

You don’t understand how much I adore stories of healing and connection. These days, when I read the news, I feel as though we are losing touch with our humanity. That’s why stories like this are so critical for me. They are the salve for my wounded soul. A Quiet Life was told with a wonderful blend of emotion, warmth, and humor which put some sunshine in my winter day and left me filled with hope.

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