Publisher Description
“Sometimes we’re placed in the strangest of circumstances for the most important reasons.
After her carefully constructed life crumbles, Liz Carlisle finds herself back on Nantucket, picking up the pieces. With the family estate under renovations, the solitude she craves seems out of reach.
Matthew Stone intends to steer clear of his new tenant. She’s carrying a load of baggage, but as long as she pays the rent, he’ll let her be. He’s got enough to deal with caring for his wayward niece, Mia.
Liz doesn’t have time for teenagers and her track record with men is abysmal, but an unlikely friendship forms between the three.
When her former boyfriend is charged with assault, Liz is called to testify against him. But he knows the darkest secrets of her life—secrets she’d hoped to keep buried forever, and he’s ready to reveal them. Telling the truth is the right thing to do, but it may cost her everything she’s worked so hard for, and all she’s come to love.”
Catherine West is an award-winning author of contemporary (upmarket) fiction. When she’s not at the computer working on her next story, you can find her taking her Border Collie for long walks or reading books by her favorite authors. She and her husband reside in Bermuda, and have two adult children and one beautiful granddaughter. Catherine is the winner of the 2015 Grace Award (Bridge of Faith) and the Romance Writers of America’s Faith, Hope & Love Reader’s Choice Award (The Things We Knew). Where Hope Begins released May 2018, and her latest novel, As the Light Fades, releases September 2019
My Review:
A note before I begin this review: I normally review Christian fiction, but this book was written for the “women’s fiction” genre. However, it’s appropriate for Christian readers, too.
This story has some serious themes in it—domestic abuse, child abuse, cutting, and Alzheimer’s disease—but when I finished the book I came away with a feeling of hope and faith. The author does a great job of helping these families find their way down a dark path to turning the corner to hope and a bright future.
We view this story through four different viewpoints from Drake, Mia, Matthew, and Liz. Liz’s character is the main one we follow through the book, as she has escaped from an abusive situation and is seeking to find peace and a new beginning in her hometown. Matthew is raising his teenage niece, Liz, because her mother is in prison. Mia is a frightened, confused teenager; and Drake is lost in thoughts because of Alzheimer’s. It’s the viewpoints of both Drake and Mia that intrigued me the most.
Drake’s character was the one that completely touched my heart. With touches of tenderness and compassion, the author allows us to read his confused thought processes as he tries to remember who he is and connect, if only for a moment, with those he loves. Catherine West wrote this in such a genuine way that I could almost for a moment forget that Drake was a fictional character. I don’t think I’ll ever forget his part in this story, and I know it will continue to have an impact on me as I come into contact with those sweet folks in my life who struggle daily with Alzheimer’s.
The author also did a great job of helping the reader build compassion for Mia’s character. Even through her bratty behavior, we were able to read her thoughts and understand how her abuse made it hard for her to trust others. She became one of my favorites in this story.
This was not always an easy story to read, but I’m glad I did. It shows, once again, that Catherine West is an outstanding author.
I received a copy of this book from the publisher. All opinions are my own.