Summary

This is the story of Sophie aged 36, in her first year of widowhood. The author used the grieving process as an outline for the story. Ethan's death throws Sophie into a deep depression; she is unable to leave the house for a while and eventually loses her job. She decides to move to Oregon to be with her friends and try to regain some equilibrium. She slowly goes through the stages of grief and is able to examine her life and her relationship with her late husband.

Quotes

"It is never the quite the same after someone dies."

This next quote is from the first chapter, when Sophie is in a grief support group: "Now even the men are weeping. I'll bet the counselor feels she making real progress here. I'll bet tears are to a grief counselor what straight teeth are to an orthodontist."

General Themes

Grief and recovery are described with some humor; the author manages to capture a believable picture of widowhood. Many of the scenes are touching and feel real to anyone who has ever experienced a loss.

What the Reviewer Liked

I liked that the book was not just about grief and sadness, but also about the excitement of change and hope for the future

Shortcomings or Flaws

Too much happened to Sophie in the second half of the book and some of the characters were unbelievable. I found it unrealistic for a widow to achieve so much within a year of losing her husband.

Writing Style

This was an easy read. The Author describes the numbness and inertia of grief without being overwhelming, dark or mentally taxing.

Author Qualifications

This was the author's first book. She has previously written for popular magazines. She is not a widow herself.

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Kara is the Gothic root of the word "care."
It means to reach out, to care, to lament, to grieve with.