THE JOY OF FALLING by Lindsay Harrel, Reviewed by Winnie Thomas

“But when you’re worried about the future. . . trust that God has something wonderful planned, even if our definition of ‘wonderful’ might not be the same as his.”

With dual settings in New York and New Zealand, Lindsay Harrel has deftly woven an emotional, poignant, and ultimately uplifting story of overcoming and pressing on in the face of adversity and grief. Populated with realistic, emotionally layered characters, The Joy of Falling is a journey of hope, healing, and courage. Although I’ve never understood how running can be enjoyable, I did enjoy reading about Eva and Angela’s courage to tackle a grueling ultra-marathon in New Zealand in honor of their deceased husbands. The growth in their relationship and in their outlooks was inspiring to see. Added to the racing mix, Eva’s friend Marc and writer Simon King are there to add a few sparks to the story.

I enjoy Harrel’s writing style. Her stories are well-written and brimming with emotion and adventure with the added bonus of uplifting inspiration woven seamlessly into them. This book has definitely earned a place on my keeper shelf with her other books. 4.5 stars
*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from the publisher. All opinions are my own.

BackCover Blurb:
Eva and Angela must learn to live again. One step at a time.

It has been fifteen months since Eva and Angela lost their thrill-seeking husbands in a scuba diving accident. Both women are trying to navigate their way through the grief, but neither one is making much progress. Angela is barely making ends meet, angry at her husband for leaving her to raise three children on her own. Meanwhile, Eva is stuck, unable to move forward after losing the love of her life and her source of inspiration.

But then Eva gets a life-changing phone call. Before Brent and Wes died, they had signed up for a race of a lifetime—an ultra-marathon in beautiful New Zealand. Eva begs Angela to run the race with her in their husbands’ place, and Angela finally agrees, hoping to finally understand her husband's choices.

Training is exhausting, and the race is even more demanding. Their journey grows more complicated by the presence of two men—Marc is Brent’s best friend who is running the race with Eva and Angela, and Simon King is a writer who is covering their inspiring story. With every step, Eva and Angela must ask themselves questions that they haven’t had the courage to ask before. As the women literally put one foot in front of the other, they wonder: Is it possible to find their way forward in hope?

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