What do you think?
Rate this book
A Life Without #1
A Life Without Water
Healing can take a lifetime...
Carol Denman divorced her husband over twenty years ago and has never looked back. But on the day before their daughter’s thirtieth birthday, John barges back into Carol’s life with a request that threatens the fragile stability she has built.
John Bowman is sick. Very sick. While he still can, he has some amends to make and some promises to fulfill. But to do that, he not only needs his ex-wife’s agreement…he needs her.
With the past hovering between them like a ghost, Carol and John embark on a decades-overdue road trip. Together they plunge back into a life without water…but which may ultimately set them free.
Carol Denman divorced her husband over twenty years ago and has never looked back. But on the day before their daughter’s thirtieth birthday, John barges back into Carol’s life with a request that threatens the fragile stability she has built.
John Bowman is sick. Very sick. While he still can, he has some amends to make and some promises to fulfill. But to do that, he not only needs his ex-wife’s agreement…he needs her.
With the past hovering between them like a ghost, Carol and John embark on a decades-overdue road trip. Together they plunge back into a life without water…but which may ultimately set them free.
264 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 13, 2019
About the author
Marci Bolden
33 books1,292 followersAs a teen, Marci Bolden skipped over young adult books and jumped right into reading women's fiction and romance novels.
Marci lives in the Midwest with her husband and numerous rescue pets. If she had an ounce of willpower, Marci would embrace healthy living but until cupcakes and wine are no longer available at the local grocery store, she’ll put that ambition on hold and appease her guilt by reading self-help books and promising to join a gym “soon.”
Marci also writes as Marci Wilson.
Marci lives in the Midwest with her husband and numerous rescue pets. If she had an ounce of willpower, Marci would embrace healthy living but until cupcakes and wine are no longer available at the local grocery store, she’ll put that ambition on hold and appease her guilt by reading self-help books and promising to join a gym “soon.”
Marci also writes as Marci Wilson.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,701 reviews
January 2, 2021
3.5 stars.
Carol is still deeply grieving for her husband who died eight months ago. She buries herself in work to numb the pain. One day her assistant explains her ex-husband, John, is at her office wanting to speak with her. She hasn’t seen her first husband in over two decades since the death of their six-year-old daughter Katie. Carol still blames John for Katie’s death. After all these years, John has sobered up and is looking to make peace with Carol and find closure.
This story is every mother’s worst nightmare — the death of your young child. The author did an excellent job portraying the characters grief and sense of loss. There is a lot of death in this novel which I was aware of ahead of time so I was prepared. I was in tears a couple times, although not nearly as much as I would have thought. There was something about the writing that kept me at somewhat of a distance from the characters and prevented me from feeling fully invested.
There were a few things that stood out and didn’t work for me with this novel. There were several scenes and situations that felt cliche and predictable. The arguments and fighting between Carol and John became annoying and felt overdone and repetitive by the end. I didn’t particularly “like” Carol or John (I did love Tobias and his family!) The characters used the word “huh?” too often. Unfortunately these things did take away from my overall enjoyment and connection to the book. It was a good read, but not nearly as emotional or great of a read as I had hoped.
Carol is still deeply grieving for her husband who died eight months ago. She buries herself in work to numb the pain. One day her assistant explains her ex-husband, John, is at her office wanting to speak with her. She hasn’t seen her first husband in over two decades since the death of their six-year-old daughter Katie. Carol still blames John for Katie’s death. After all these years, John has sobered up and is looking to make peace with Carol and find closure.
This story is every mother’s worst nightmare — the death of your young child. The author did an excellent job portraying the characters grief and sense of loss. There is a lot of death in this novel which I was aware of ahead of time so I was prepared. I was in tears a couple times, although not nearly as much as I would have thought. There was something about the writing that kept me at somewhat of a distance from the characters and prevented me from feeling fully invested.
There were a few things that stood out and didn’t work for me with this novel. There were several scenes and situations that felt cliche and predictable. The arguments and fighting between Carol and John became annoying and felt overdone and repetitive by the end. I didn’t particularly “like” Carol or John (I did love Tobias and his family!) The characters used the word “huh?” too often. Unfortunately these things did take away from my overall enjoyment and connection to the book. It was a good read, but not nearly as emotional or great of a read as I had hoped.
November 16, 2021
EXCERPT: The anniversary of Katie's death hit Carol especially hard this year. Tomorrow would have been her thirtieth birthday. She'd be a grown woman. She'd have a career. A family.
Carol should have been a grandmother. She should have a family to visit, to hear their laughter and share their stories. She should have had a lifetime of memories with her daughter. Instead, she had nothing more than a tiny front tooth, an old stuffed bear, and a box of knickknacks she couldn't bring herself to throw away.
And an urn full of ashes.
ABOUT 'A LIFE WITHOUT WATER': Healing can take a lifetime...
Carol Denman divorced her husband over twenty years ago and has never looked back. But on the day before their daughter’s thirtieth birthday, John barges back into Carol’s life with a request that threatens the fragile stability she has built.
John Bowman is sick. Very sick. While he still can, he has some amends to make and some promises to fulfill. But to do that, he not only needs his ex-wife’s agreement…he needs her.
With the past hovering between them like a ghost, Carol and John embark on a decades-overdue road trip. Together they plunge back into a life without water…but which may ultimately set them free.
MY THOUGHTS: Marci Bolden tore my heart right out of my chest, tore it to pieces and pulverised it for good measure. Damn, it was good.
A Life Without Water is an emotional journey in forgiving, not only others but, most importantly, ourselves. It's a story of love, of loss, of acceptance and forgiving. Be prepared for an emotional rollercoaster and arm yourself with a good supply of tissues before you open the cover.
I always find it easy to relate to Bolden's characters, can usually see bits of myself in them. A Life Without Water is no exception. Had my ex-husband - who, incidentally shares the same name as Carol's ex) turned up on my doorstep, I would no doubt initially have reacted much like Carol. But if this was my story, I very much doubt that it would have continued as it did.
I liked the fact that Carol and John didn't instantly become friends again, that old resentments and hurts continued to raise their heads and demand to be dealt with. As the book moves on, both Carol and John get better at seeing how things actually were, rather than only recognizing their own perception of the event.
The ending was not what I expected at all, it is so much better. A truly beautiful read - yes it's sad, but it is also full of redemption and hope.
⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
#ALifeWothoutWater #NetGalley
#contemporaryfiction #familydrama #womensfiction #sliceoflife
I: @marciboldenauthor #pinksandpress
T: @BoldenMarci #PinkSandPress
THE AUTHOR: As a teen, Marci Bolden skipped over young adult books and jumped right into reading women's fiction and romance novels.
Marci lives in the Midwest with her husband, two teenaged kiddos, and numerous rescue pets. If she had an ounce of will power, Marci would embrace healthy living but until cupcakes and wine are no longer available at the local grocery store, she’ll put that ambition on hold and appease her guilt by reading self-help books and promising to join a gym “soon.”
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Pink Sand Press via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of A Life Without Water by Marci Bolden for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
Carol should have been a grandmother. She should have a family to visit, to hear their laughter and share their stories. She should have had a lifetime of memories with her daughter. Instead, she had nothing more than a tiny front tooth, an old stuffed bear, and a box of knickknacks she couldn't bring herself to throw away.
And an urn full of ashes.
ABOUT 'A LIFE WITHOUT WATER': Healing can take a lifetime...
Carol Denman divorced her husband over twenty years ago and has never looked back. But on the day before their daughter’s thirtieth birthday, John barges back into Carol’s life with a request that threatens the fragile stability she has built.
John Bowman is sick. Very sick. While he still can, he has some amends to make and some promises to fulfill. But to do that, he not only needs his ex-wife’s agreement…he needs her.
With the past hovering between them like a ghost, Carol and John embark on a decades-overdue road trip. Together they plunge back into a life without water…but which may ultimately set them free.
MY THOUGHTS: Marci Bolden tore my heart right out of my chest, tore it to pieces and pulverised it for good measure. Damn, it was good.
A Life Without Water is an emotional journey in forgiving, not only others but, most importantly, ourselves. It's a story of love, of loss, of acceptance and forgiving. Be prepared for an emotional rollercoaster and arm yourself with a good supply of tissues before you open the cover.
I always find it easy to relate to Bolden's characters, can usually see bits of myself in them. A Life Without Water is no exception. Had my ex-husband - who, incidentally shares the same name as Carol's ex) turned up on my doorstep, I would no doubt initially have reacted much like Carol. But if this was my story, I very much doubt that it would have continued as it did.
I liked the fact that Carol and John didn't instantly become friends again, that old resentments and hurts continued to raise their heads and demand to be dealt with. As the book moves on, both Carol and John get better at seeing how things actually were, rather than only recognizing their own perception of the event.
The ending was not what I expected at all, it is so much better. A truly beautiful read - yes it's sad, but it is also full of redemption and hope.
⭐⭐⭐⭐.5
#ALifeWothoutWater #NetGalley
#contemporaryfiction #familydrama #womensfiction #sliceoflife
I: @marciboldenauthor #pinksandpress
T: @BoldenMarci #PinkSandPress
THE AUTHOR: As a teen, Marci Bolden skipped over young adult books and jumped right into reading women's fiction and romance novels.
Marci lives in the Midwest with her husband, two teenaged kiddos, and numerous rescue pets. If she had an ounce of will power, Marci would embrace healthy living but until cupcakes and wine are no longer available at the local grocery store, she’ll put that ambition on hold and appease her guilt by reading self-help books and promising to join a gym “soon.”
DISCLOSURE: Thank you to Pink Sand Press via Netgalley for providing a digital ARC of A Life Without Water by Marci Bolden for review. All opinions expressed in this review are entirely my own personal opinions.
For an explanation of my rating system please refer to my Goodreads.com profile page or the about page on sandysbookaday.wordpress.com
This review is also published on Twitter, Amazon, Instagram and my webpage https://sandysbookaday.wordpress.com/...
August 6, 2019
I shed so many tears with this one. You better have your emotions in the right place before reading this amazing story.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I have to say upfront I was afraid to read this book. I knew it was going to be a heartbreaker and I was not wrong. Tears would literally pour from my eyes. I had to stop reading it several times. But I also had to continue!
This story is every persons nightmare. I was shocked at John. My heart broke for Carol/Caroline. I could not even fathom doing what they had to do. But what an impression on my heart and soul.
The author did an amazing job delving into the human condition and psyche of our reactions to marriage, love, having children, and everything surrounding relationships. I could see so much of my life in this book. Just writing this now is bringing tears to my eyes. But it really made me look at my own relationships too!
While this is a heartbreaking story, it is one that had to be written and one that will be devoured by you. A Life Without Water is deeply insightful, highly emotional, and a must read.
But a word of caution… emotionally you have to be in a good place. There are triggers regarding children in this and sorrow that can swallow you whole.
This is the first time having read this author. Marci Bolden is an amazing talent that will capture your attention and not let go. You may feel a bit worse for the moment but in the end all is well with the world. Great novel!
*Copy received for review consideration
Full Review - https://amidlifewife.com/a-life-witho...
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I have to say upfront I was afraid to read this book. I knew it was going to be a heartbreaker and I was not wrong. Tears would literally pour from my eyes. I had to stop reading it several times. But I also had to continue!
This story is every persons nightmare. I was shocked at John. My heart broke for Carol/Caroline. I could not even fathom doing what they had to do. But what an impression on my heart and soul.
The author did an amazing job delving into the human condition and psyche of our reactions to marriage, love, having children, and everything surrounding relationships. I could see so much of my life in this book. Just writing this now is bringing tears to my eyes. But it really made me look at my own relationships too!
While this is a heartbreaking story, it is one that had to be written and one that will be devoured by you. A Life Without Water is deeply insightful, highly emotional, and a must read.
But a word of caution… emotionally you have to be in a good place. There are triggers regarding children in this and sorrow that can swallow you whole.
This is the first time having read this author. Marci Bolden is an amazing talent that will capture your attention and not let go. You may feel a bit worse for the moment but in the end all is well with the world. Great novel!
*Copy received for review consideration
Full Review - https://amidlifewife.com/a-life-witho...
September 16, 2021
I have two weeks to make a lifetime of memories.
A Life Without Water ~~ Marci Bolden
A Life Without Water is the first book I have ever read by Marci Bolden ... A Life Without Water is the last book I will ever read by Marci Bolden.
Rarely, have I disliked a book so much. How do I really feel about A Life Without Water? I could eat a ream of paper and puke a better book.
A Life Without Water ~~ Marci Bolden
A Life Without Water is the first book I have ever read by Marci Bolden ... A Life Without Water is the last book I will ever read by Marci Bolden.
Rarely, have I disliked a book so much. How do I really feel about A Life Without Water? I could eat a ream of paper and puke a better book.
August 25, 2019
A Life Without Water is my first novel by Marci Bolden.
John and Carol reunite twenty four years after losing their child. Their reuniting is quite unique and takes us on a intense roller coaster ride of raw emotions.
A truly emotional story about love, loss and forgiveness.
Thank you to NetGalley and Pink Sand Press for an arc of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
John and Carol reunite twenty four years after losing their child. Their reuniting is quite unique and takes us on a intense roller coaster ride of raw emotions.
A truly emotional story about love, loss and forgiveness.
Thank you to NetGalley and Pink Sand Press for an arc of this novel in exchange for my honest review.
November 16, 2019
Amateurish, cliche filled writing. Limited character development. Predicable plot. I also found the author’s descriptions of grief to be emotionally manipulative. I read most of it, then skimmed to the end, only because my book club chose it for this month. I really like the women in my club and respect that some genres aren’t for everyone. Maybe you just need to be a certain type of reader who likes this particular genre. Not my cup of tea, though.
PS.
I'm writing this part after the book club met, and no one in the club liked A Life Without Water. I wasn't the only one.
PS.
I'm writing this part after the book club met, and no one in the club liked A Life Without Water. I wasn't the only one.
August 29, 2019
Slight spoiler alert* 3.5 stars. I am definitely in the minority in that I am not giving it a 4 or 5. I thought it moved quite slow, and the characters were hard to like. I thought the scene where they were fighting over the urn with the daughter's ashes was ridiculous and showed a lot of mental instability in both parents. I almost quit reading at this point. This is not my usual genre and that may be why it didn't grab me like it seems to have grabbed the other reviewers.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
February 16, 2020
Depressing as hell. Long, dragged out, repetitive, and redundant. A couple travels across the country with their dead daughter’s ashes and constantly rehashes how miserable they were, how miserable their marriage was, how they sucked as parents, and how unhappy their life has been. I had to skim the last half because I could barely read it.
January 11, 2020
I am a bit lost for words after reading this book. I certainly was not expecting to be crying so much at the end.
You can feel the loss that Caroline suffered with every page that is turned. I could also feel the pain that John was going through.
How far would you go to help someone that ruined your life? Can you truly forgive?
You can feel the loss that Caroline suffered with every page that is turned. I could also feel the pain that John was going through.
How far would you go to help someone that ruined your life? Can you truly forgive?
January 18, 2020
A Life Without Water....such a healing story for me to read. I lost my son in Nov 2014. He was physically and mentally handicapped. I can remember the day after he passed having the most difficult decision to bury him or cremate. I decided to cremate him so I could spread his ashes to all of the beautiful places that he never had an opportunity to travel to. Frankie is now in 6 different states and 5 National Parks. I will be visiting Joshua National Park in April to spread some of his ashes and Alaska in August. Thank you for helping to heal my soul a little bit more. I enjoyed this book very much. I'm looking forward to reading more from Marci Bolden. 💗
November 12, 2021
A Life Without Water was a very human story about grief, loss, pain, hope, and forgiveness.
Carol Denman and her ex-husband John are, due to unforeseen circumstances, on a road trip both physically and metaphorically. They take an emotional and long overdue trek around the country while trying to heal old wounds. I thought Marci Bolden did a very good job with dialogue in this novel. Everything flowed and felt like a real conversation that two people with such a complicated past would say to one another.
My biggest gripe with this book was that at times it felt repetitive; like their conversations got stagnant and cyclical. While I'm sure that's realistic, as a reader sometimes it felt a bit overdone. There are a smattering of flashbacks throughout each chapter that help paint the characters and their past. I wish the flashbacks would've been used more to help propel the story forward at certain spots in the book.
Overall, this was a heartbreaking and simultaneously healing story. One that sadly many may relate to far too deeply. I really became emotionally invested in Carol and her circumstances. I look forward to reading the rest of the series!
Carol Denman and her ex-husband John are, due to unforeseen circumstances, on a road trip both physically and metaphorically. They take an emotional and long overdue trek around the country while trying to heal old wounds. I thought Marci Bolden did a very good job with dialogue in this novel. Everything flowed and felt like a real conversation that two people with such a complicated past would say to one another.
My biggest gripe with this book was that at times it felt repetitive; like their conversations got stagnant and cyclical. While I'm sure that's realistic, as a reader sometimes it felt a bit overdone. There are a smattering of flashbacks throughout each chapter that help paint the characters and their past. I wish the flashbacks would've been used more to help propel the story forward at certain spots in the book.
Overall, this was a heartbreaking and simultaneously healing story. One that sadly many may relate to far too deeply. I really became emotionally invested in Carol and her circumstances. I look forward to reading the rest of the series!
August 13, 2020
Carol Denman’s ex husband, John Bowman, finds her after they haven’t seen each other in over twenty years. John is very sick and asks Carol to go on a road trip they were supposed to go on before their divorce.
A Life Without Water is a very emotional book. I was very invested in the story since the beginning. I really liked Carol and John and many of the other characters.
I recommend A Life Without Water for anyone that likes emotional fiction and family drama.
Thank you NetGalley and Pink Sand Press for A Life Without Water in exchange for an honest review.
A Life Without Water is a very emotional book. I was very invested in the story since the beginning. I really liked Carol and John and many of the other characters.
I recommend A Life Without Water for anyone that likes emotional fiction and family drama.
Thank you NetGalley and Pink Sand Press for A Life Without Water in exchange for an honest review.
May 25, 2020
DNF- didn't enjoy feeling like I was in the middle of a couple argument for the whole third I read.
August 13, 2019
First I want to thank Netgalley for providing me wth this ebook.
This was an intense journey.
Carol is recently a widow and has a past she wants to forget, and she has managed to do that until now, that her ex husband showed up from nowhere to bring all those memories back and she's forced to confront what she has dreaded for 24 years.
I had an idea of what I would find in this story, but it was more than a I thought. It's narrated from Carol/Caroline's POV, and we get to know pieces of her past through some extracts availabe in every chapter.
This is a book about grieve, loss and forgiveness. At first I was as reluctant as Carol to hear what John had to say and to do what he wanted her to do. But in the end, I saw what was really important.
I loved how Carol evolves through the story, how she comes to accept all that has happended to her (which is not little).
Also, there's some humor in here, I was surprised by that and enjoyed it a lot.
This is a beautiful book, but to read it you have to be strong emotionally speaking, there are "trigger warnings" relating to children and it can be very unsettling if you've lived something like losing a child.
Eventhough, I thoght the author did a great job telling this story, it's highly emotional and it succeeds at showing the insight of the main character.
This was an intense journey.
Carol is recently a widow and has a past she wants to forget, and she has managed to do that until now, that her ex husband showed up from nowhere to bring all those memories back and she's forced to confront what she has dreaded for 24 years.
I had an idea of what I would find in this story, but it was more than a I thought. It's narrated from Carol/Caroline's POV, and we get to know pieces of her past through some extracts availabe in every chapter.
This is a book about grieve, loss and forgiveness. At first I was as reluctant as Carol to hear what John had to say and to do what he wanted her to do. But in the end, I saw what was really important.
I loved how Carol evolves through the story, how she comes to accept all that has happended to her (which is not little).
Also, there's some humor in here, I was surprised by that and enjoyed it a lot.
This is a beautiful book, but to read it you have to be strong emotionally speaking, there are "trigger warnings" relating to children and it can be very unsettling if you've lived something like losing a child.
Eventhough, I thoght the author did a great job telling this story, it's highly emotional and it succeeds at showing the insight of the main character.
August 4, 2021
This is the first book I have read by Marci Bolden. I picked up this book when I saw it on some friend's blogs and boy oh boy, it was so much more than I had expected. This book grabbed me from the beginning and had my emotions all over the place.
I do not want to give anymore away than what is in the description of the book, but I will tell you how it made me feel. First Carol was a character that had a lot of baggage. She is divorced from John and didn't like him very much, but she still had that attachment to him. When you have had a child with someone, there is always an invisible tie. She had some tough decisions to make and I don't know what I would have done in her shoes. John is a bit of a creep. He destroyed their marriage with his drinking and not supporting Carol when she really needed it, but he wants to make some amends before he dies. This is not a romance, they do not fall madly in love again. What you get with this book is a realistic human drama. A story of lost love, mortality, guilt, forgiveness, and a search for what is important as well as putting things to rest. This was an emotional story and one that I enjoyed, even though it had me in tears many times. I have just realized that this is the first in a trilogy, so I will have to pick up the next one.
I do not want to give anymore away than what is in the description of the book, but I will tell you how it made me feel. First Carol was a character that had a lot of baggage. She is divorced from John and didn't like him very much, but she still had that attachment to him. When you have had a child with someone, there is always an invisible tie. She had some tough decisions to make and I don't know what I would have done in her shoes. John is a bit of a creep. He destroyed their marriage with his drinking and not supporting Carol when she really needed it, but he wants to make some amends before he dies. This is not a romance, they do not fall madly in love again. What you get with this book is a realistic human drama. A story of lost love, mortality, guilt, forgiveness, and a search for what is important as well as putting things to rest. This was an emotional story and one that I enjoyed, even though it had me in tears many times. I have just realized that this is the first in a trilogy, so I will have to pick up the next one.
October 14, 2019
I read this book from cover to cover and never felt connected to it, either through the characters or the storyline. I don't understand exactly why, but that's the way I feel.
Thank you to NetGalley and Pink Sand Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.
Thank you to NetGalley and Pink Sand Press for the opportunity to read and review this book.
August 8, 2020
Wow, what an emotional rollercoaster this was. Get the tissues ready!
This was beautiful heart wrenching and life-affirming and everything I expected it to be.
The characters were wonderful, I felt their pain, their anger and their guilt.
As someone who has recently lost her sister, this has made me see my pain and guilt in a different way. Utterly unforgettable and I cannot wait to see what the sequel to Carol's story has in store.
This was beautiful heart wrenching and life-affirming and everything I expected it to be.
The characters were wonderful, I felt their pain, their anger and their guilt.
As someone who has recently lost her sister, this has made me see my pain and guilt in a different way. Utterly unforgettable and I cannot wait to see what the sequel to Carol's story has in store.
March 9, 2020
I’m not quite sure how this book received so many high ratings. To me, the main character, Caroline, was not likable. I tried to give her time to grow on me, hoping the story would reveal a change or evolution of character, but for me that did not really happen. The story as a whole did not progress much and seemed very predictable.
February 12, 2020
I absolutely loved this book. I could not put it down. It’s a sad yet heartwarming story.
March 2, 2020
All the feelings! I can’t put into words how I feel about this book! A story about love heartbreak and forgiveness This book kept me on edge to find out what actually happened. If you need a good cry this one is for you!
July 1, 2021
Spoiler Alert! I'd love to give this book a 1 star rating but because I did finish it, I feel I should at least give it a 2 stars. I found it very implausible - not because Carol (Caroline) forgave her ex-husband for the death of their 6-year old, because it may be within some people to forgive in order to move on with their life, but to go on a road trip with him - totally unreasonable in my opinion and I couldn't get past that. I felt next to nothing for either of these characters, but if I had to choose one to feel anything for, it would have been for John - he did turn his life around after losing his daughter - much too late though. I think I was swayed by the marketing of this book - I saw ads in various places touting this book as a true tearjerker - but it wasn't for me! I'll stick to reviews by friends when choosing a book next time. Luckily, I got the ebook from the library.
September 23, 2020
"The quiet that fell between them was filled with emotional grenades-a thousand things she wanted to say, old resentments and accusations that wanted to force themselves to the surface, anger and blame that had waited too damned long to be unleashed. She had her fingers on the pins, ready to pull and throw the bombs if he dared push her on this. If he dared make her feel guilty for not wanting to be dragged back into the hell he always brought with him."
Carols ex-husband of over 20 years shows up the day before their daughter's 30th birthday asking for her help. This sets in a motion a road to reflection and forgiveness. Told from the viewpoint of Carol and alternating between the start of their marriage to the end. I enjoyed the writing and the way the story was written. Sometimes it's hard to learn things about your self that are hard to accept.
Carols ex-husband of over 20 years shows up the day before their daughter's 30th birthday asking for her help. This sets in a motion a road to reflection and forgiveness. Told from the viewpoint of Carol and alternating between the start of their marriage to the end. I enjoyed the writing and the way the story was written. Sometimes it's hard to learn things about your self that are hard to accept.
June 26, 2019
I enjoyed this book very much. From the get go you are immerged into Carol's world and you become part of her life. The story kept playing with my emotions, I switched my allegiance so many times.
Although the end was no surprise, it still made me cry.
What a wonderful journey.
Although the end was no surprise, it still made me cry.
What a wonderful journey.
April 22, 2020
Everyone talked about how sad this book was on Facebook. I felt like it was the same story and complaining over and over again. I cried when Spider-Man lost his uncle, and I never shed a tear like the reviews said. It was work to get through this book.
December 16, 2024
This book BROKE me.
Oofta... As a mom, this was a tough read. This book is about a mothers healing after years of grieving the loss of her child due to an accident that happened under her husbands supervision. I could not get through this one without crying. Not many books can make me ugly cry, but this definitely was one of them. I really need a feel good book ASAP after reading this and Malibu Rising. The ending left me hurting and so sad. I am unsure if I would ever be able to heal after losing my child... This is a series and I am feeling like the next book, A Life Without Flowers, will be a more feel good book (I hope cause I need some light after this). I cannot wait to read the rest in this series and will do a bigger review when I read the last book. Very good book and it makes you think and FEEL.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 27, 2024
No big surprises. It was not great but not terrible either. Read from start to finish. It was mostly predictable.
March 12, 2022
Worst book of the year! 1. The author cursed God’s name so often, and it sounded horrible every time I read it. Totally unnecessary and, honestly, 100% why I wanted to quit this book. 2. I felt like I was in divorce court or a really bad, never ending, marriage counseling session; no one wants to read that for an entire book. 3. Characters were annoying. 4. Repetitive. 5. Boring. 😫 Can’t believe it has such a high rating; unpopular opinion here!
December 14, 2020
This new to me author writes a smooth flowing story. The story was packed full of emotions. The emotions and actions of the characters were true-to-life. What happened in the story was very everyday occurrence. Caro; proved to be a really strong, no nonsense person. The picture of the red boots on the cover had a meaning in the story. I do plan to read more books by this author.
February 18, 2020
Have your box of tissues ready for this one😭 . I really enjoyed this book by Marci Bolden. She crafted a story about tragedy, forgiveness, love, and acceptance. The characters were likable and relatable.
November 12, 2020
I very seldom decide to stop reading a book. About 70 pages in, I had enough of the bickering between the two main characters. There was no joy to be found and I did not care for the characters. Maybe if I had kept reading? It was not worth my time to find out.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 1,701 reviews