R E K. (bigstone) - , reviewed on + 1453 more book reviews
Have wanted to read a book by this author for some time and a reading challenge spurred me to do it. This is a book about grief, dreams, forgiveness and change. It begins when Meg is driving her son, Evan, to school. An SUV driven by an old friend slams into her car and Evan dies. Evan is the only son of Meg and Rex Van Dorn who tried for years to have a child. They felt particularly blessed when Evan was born. To have him taken away so quickly by a drunken driver angers them beyond belief.
As Meg begins to heal she and Rex express their anger to each other and their family. Rex decides they should sue the driver of the other car. Meg agrees at first but as she begins to have doubts and she wonders if this is the way to heal. The couple decides to spend months sailing to assuage their grief so they buy a sailboat. Meg quits her job and Rex takes a leave of absence but their new experiences and life aboard the sailboat only emphasize their differences in how they grieve. Their relationship deteriorates when Meg discovers that Rex kept moving on suing the driver when she said she wanted to drop the suit.
Complicating the picture, Meg's brother is in love with a sister of the driver. Meg is happy for Toby and attends the wedding. Seeing how happy he is, she begins to talk with the driver who has fallen into deep depression due to a childhood incident with her stepfather. The story continues as the characters try to sort their lives out. Can Meg forgive Cindy, the driver? Will Rex understand Meg's refusal to sign papers for settlement? How will all this affect Meg and Rex's mariage?
Scattered throughout the book are memories of Evan that surface periodically. Meg even finds herself talking to him even though she knows he is gone. I understand this experience for I find myself talking to a sister who died unexpectedly whenever I need advice. This is an emotional read that will mean most to those who have experienced the loss of someone special. Thus, I cannot say whether it will be appreciated by those who have not had this experience.
As Meg begins to heal she and Rex express their anger to each other and their family. Rex decides they should sue the driver of the other car. Meg agrees at first but as she begins to have doubts and she wonders if this is the way to heal. The couple decides to spend months sailing to assuage their grief so they buy a sailboat. Meg quits her job and Rex takes a leave of absence but their new experiences and life aboard the sailboat only emphasize their differences in how they grieve. Their relationship deteriorates when Meg discovers that Rex kept moving on suing the driver when she said she wanted to drop the suit.
Complicating the picture, Meg's brother is in love with a sister of the driver. Meg is happy for Toby and attends the wedding. Seeing how happy he is, she begins to talk with the driver who has fallen into deep depression due to a childhood incident with her stepfather. The story continues as the characters try to sort their lives out. Can Meg forgive Cindy, the driver? Will Rex understand Meg's refusal to sign papers for settlement? How will all this affect Meg and Rex's mariage?
Scattered throughout the book are memories of Evan that surface periodically. Meg even finds herself talking to him even though she knows he is gone. I understand this experience for I find myself talking to a sister who died unexpectedly whenever I need advice. This is an emotional read that will mean most to those who have experienced the loss of someone special. Thus, I cannot say whether it will be appreciated by those who have not had this experience.
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