Possible spoilers
Wow...what a beautiful book! Reminiscent of The Light We Lost, Adriana Trigiani’s Valentine Trilogy, and even P.S I Love You, Maybe One Day is a story of loss, grief, trauma, hope, acceptance, and enduring love. When Jess’s mother dies, she starts cleaning out her house and comes upon a cache of letters, cards, and notes from the love of her life, Joe Ryan. Following an unspeakable tragedy and the temporary loss of her sanity due to grief and PTSD, Jess is told that Joe has abandoned her. Her snobbish parents, who never approved of him, kept the letters and cards from her, justifying it by assuming that Joe’s presence will prevent her from recovering and living a full, happy life. After she reads them and realizes how badly her parents betrayed her, she begins a multinational quest, with the help of her cousin Michael, a recent law school grad and gay man who’s afraid to come out to his cold, rigid parents, and Belinda, a high school friend of Joe’s, using the postmarks and postcards to guide them. It’s a way for her to learn about Joe’s life in the 17 years since he left and meet all of the people along the way who came to love the kind, compassionate man who briefly passed through their lives. At the times when Jess feels less than brave, sad, lonely, ready to give up, or in need of a laugh, she opens one of the notes Joe left, letting his thoughts and words of support strengthen her.
Written in Jess’s voice, readers become intimately aware of her grief and bravery in pushing past her fears to find the truth about the only man she’s ever loved, causing a visceral reaction to her pain and sharing the tenuous hope that she’ll find Joe alive, happy, and perhaps still unattached. Johnson has written a masterful account of how profoundly grief affects us and how love can make us react in myriad ways, sometimes bringing joy and, other times, despite best intentions, causing irreparable harm and heartbreak. Don’t let the ill-chosen, cartoonish cover fool you. This is not a light-hearted love story, but one that will tangle with your emotions, leaving you guessing until the very last page. Must-read!
I received a complimentary ARC of this book from William Morrow Paperbacks through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.
Wow...what a beautiful book! Reminiscent of The Light We Lost, Adriana Trigiani’s Valentine Trilogy, and even P.S I Love You, Maybe One Day is a story of loss, grief, trauma, hope, acceptance, and enduring love. When Jess’s mother dies, she starts cleaning out her house and comes upon a cache of letters, cards, and notes from the love of her life, Joe Ryan. Following an unspeakable tragedy and the temporary loss of her sanity due to grief and PTSD, Jess is told that Joe has abandoned her. Her snobbish parents, who never approved of him, kept the letters and cards from her, justifying it by assuming that Joe’s presence will prevent her from recovering and living a full, happy life. After she reads them and realizes how badly her parents betrayed her, she begins a multinational quest, with the help of her cousin Michael, a recent law school grad and gay man who’s afraid to come out to his cold, rigid parents, and Belinda, a high school friend of Joe’s, using the postmarks and postcards to guide them. It’s a way for her to learn about Joe’s life in the 17 years since he left and meet all of the people along the way who came to love the kind, compassionate man who briefly passed through their lives. At the times when Jess feels less than brave, sad, lonely, ready to give up, or in need of a laugh, she opens one of the notes Joe left, letting his thoughts and words of support strengthen her.
Written in Jess’s voice, readers become intimately aware of her grief and bravery in pushing past her fears to find the truth about the only man she’s ever loved, causing a visceral reaction to her pain and sharing the tenuous hope that she’ll find Joe alive, happy, and perhaps still unattached. Johnson has written a masterful account of how profoundly grief affects us and how love can make us react in myriad ways, sometimes bringing joy and, other times, despite best intentions, causing irreparable harm and heartbreak. Don’t let the ill-chosen, cartoonish cover fool you. This is not a light-hearted love story, but one that will tangle with your emotions, leaving you guessing until the very last page. Must-read!
I received a complimentary ARC of this book from William Morrow Paperbacks through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. Opinions expressed are completely my own.
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