Wednesday, April 19, 2023

THE WORDS WE LOST by Nicole Deese, Reviewed by Winnie Thomas

 


“I’m learning that much like love, grief is meant to be shared.”

 

At times poignant and heart-wrenching and at other times hopeful and heart-warming, The Words We Lost had me feeling all the emotions. Extraordinarily talented author Nicole Deese has penned a riveting story of friendship, second-chance romance, grief, forgiveness, and ultimately healing and hope. She easily swept me away to Port Townsend, Washington and introduced me to the area and to unforgettable, carefully-crafted, and multi-layered characters. I was able to feel and visualize the beautiful setting and get to know the people there through her impeccable writing.

 

Cecelia Campbell, Ingrid “Indy” Erikson, and Joel Campbell had such a remarkable, close friendship. The story is mostly told from Indy’s point of view, but I was very intrigued by the way the author included a manuscript Cece wrote for Indy and Joel that told the story of the three of them from Cece’s point of view. It gave valuable insight into their backstory and friendship. Although Cece had passed away when the book begins, we get to know her thoughts and feelings and the backstory of the three friends through the manuscript. It added a unique perspective through her eyes.

 

“No heartache has ever gone unseen, and no darkness is ever too solid for light to overcome.”

 

“I can’t erase the darkness for you, but I can be the one to hold the light when you’re ready to come home.”


I would recommend this book to those who enjoy clean contemporary romance. It’s a perfect blend of compelling characters, a fascinating plot, and swoony romance. Just a warning, though--you may want to have a few tissues handy. This is definitely on my list of favorite books and one for the keeper shelf!

*I voluntarily reviewed a complimentary copy from Bethany House Publishing. All opinions are my own.

 SEE REVIEWS BY TRIXI AND PAULA

BackCover Blurb:
Three friends. Two broken promises. One missing manuscript.

As a senior acquisitions editor for Fog Harbor Books in San Francisco, Ingrid Erikson has rejected many a manuscript for lack of defined conflict and dramatic irony--two elements her current life possesses in spades. In the months following the death of her childhood best friend and international bestselling author Cecelia Campbell, Ingrid has not only lost her ability to escape into fiction due to a rare trauma response, but she's also desperate to find the closure she's convinced will come with Cecelia's missing final manuscript.

After Ingrid jeopardizes her career, she fears her future will remain irrevocably broken. But then Joel Campbell--the man who shattered her belief in happily-ever-afters--offers her a sealed envelope from his late cousin, Cecelia, asking Joel and to put their differences aside and retrieve a mysterious package in their coastal Washington hometown.

Honoring Cecelia's last request will challenge their convictions and test their loyalties, but through it all, will Ingrid and Joel be brave enough to uncover a twice-in-a-lifetime love? 

Bethany House Publishing, April 11, 2023
Available in digital ebook, paperback, hardcover, and audiobook:


 

1 comment:

  1. I’m really looking forward to reading this book! My copy has arrived. Just have to find time to read it.

    ReplyDelete

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