Friday, July 29, 2022

Review: Suddenly Forever by Teresa Tysinger

Series: Laurel Cove #2
Genre: Contemporary Romance 
Publisher: Good Day Publishing
Released: Oct. 6, 2020
353 pages
About the Book:

On the outskirts of Laurel Cove, North Carolina sits a quiet lake tucked into gentle mountains carpeted with the brilliant colors of autumn. Grief binds the lake’s only residents into an unlikely family, where old and new love build a bridge between loss and hope.

For years, best-selling author Cora Bradford has worked tirelessly to tread the unrelenting waves of grief in solitude. That is until a new neighbor moves in down the road and threatens to disrupt what she’s carefully preserved of the life she once knew. Will God ever answer her prayer for peace and calmer waters?

Following a scandal, Pulitzer Prize-winning photojournalist Luke Bassett escapes to the one place in the world he’s ever experienced peace—his mother’s cabin on the lake where he spent childhood summers. But the memory of her and the mistakes he made are hardly peaceful. To make matters worse, he gets off to a rocky start with his bitter, but breathtakingly beautiful, neighbor. Was running away from the life he’s always known the biggest mistake of all, or the beginning of something he never knew he wanted?

Spunky, opinionated, and recently widowed Ina McLean is alone for the first time in over ninety years. When Cora and Luke come together to care for their only other neighbor, Ina’s belief in God’s goodness through life’s ups and downs works to restore their hope in learning to live—and love—again. 

My Rating & Thoughts:    


This could have been a very sad and depressing read as the three main characters are all walking through periods of grief after losing someone special in their life. However, there is hope and laughter mixed in during the times of sadness and hardship that it helped the story not feel depressing. The central theme I took away from the story is that even though everyone deals with grief differently it is important to lean on God during the struggles and be open to those around you, closing yourself off only makes the struggles harder. It has been almost three years since Cora lost her husband suddenly and she is still dealing with flashbacks and nightmares, the pain still feels just as raw. Ina spent 70 years with her husband before losing him a few months ago and Luke lost his mother last year. These three are brought together as they own the only 3 houses on this part of the lake. Cora has been looking out for 93-year-old Ina since Ina’s husband passed away by getting her needed items once a week. When Ina takes a fall and is told she can’t go home alone Cora makes the decision to move her into her home. Ina speaks her mind and at times Cora is embarrassed by Ina’s comments, but she also gives Cora very sage advice throughout. Luke’s first few encounters with these two women don’t go very well, but he wants to help them and the three end up forming an unlikely friendship. I loved how he was patient with Cora and asked questions about her husband, making her feel like she did not have to forget him in order to move forward in life. Some hard and difficult moments happened but I really felt these characters and was cheering for them to be able to move forward and find peace and happiness. The encouragement and wisdom Ina gave these two endeared me to her. I hurt for Cora’s pain, feel in love with Luke and couldn’t wait to see what Ina would say next.  I enjoyed that Jack from book one made an appearance, and we got a little update on him and Livy.

Favourite Quote: 
“The past is not something to give up or to hold on to. It just is the past. Nothing you do from this day forward can change or replace the wonderful life you had with Christopher. ... Let Christopher be a highlight on your life's timeline. Just don't let him be your only highlight.”

(I purchased my copy of this book; opinions expressed 
in this review are my honest opinion and completely my own.)

Other books from this author that I have reviewed:   

   

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