Reading, the ever elusive joy for moms everywhere. Sometimes moms need to read something super flippant and fictional to let go of the stress of being a mom.
But, other times, I think moms need something deeper to read. Ya know?
Sometimes moms need something that really makes them think.
Something that really engages them beyond a happy go lucky story.
For me, I found Life After to be the kind of deep fictional book I needed to read.
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Review of Life After
Life After centers around Autumn, the sole survivor of a train bombing in Chicago.
Although she survived, she finds herself unable to live the life she had prior to the bombing.
When it comes down to it, the tragedy has come to define her and all that she does.
Autumn is put in a position where she must learn to let go of her obsessive, fear ridden ways.
This occurs when she is contacted by the daughter of a woman who died in the train bombing.
However, this causes her to repeatedly cross paths with her the young girl’s father, Paul Elliott.
Paul, quite the opposite of Autumn, is desperately trying to move on from the tragedy a year later.
Recommended: Tending Roses By Lisa Wingate (Book Review)
High Points
This book was so emotional.
On one side there’s the tragedy of the bombing and the aftermath still affecting the family and friends of the ones who died.
Then there’s Autumn, who is stuck with post traumatic stress symptoms and goes out of her way to avoid the train, while at the same time obsessing over the ones who died. She seems to be stuck in a rut of asking herself why she was the one who survived.
On the other side, Autumn and Paul have a weird sort of chemistry going on. It’s not a romance at first sight.
Paul actually wants nothing to do with Autumn, but keeps finding himself in her presence due to his grieving and rebellious daughter.
He allows Autumn into their lives, but more with the purpose of using her to understand his daughter, who completely shuts him out.
In the end Autumn and Paul find themselves being drawn together despite themselves, all the while dealing with hard, real life questions.
Recommended: Her One and Only: Book Review
Low Points
My only gripe with this book was the way it ended–short of where I wanted it too. Haha.
Unfortunately the romance does not develop quite as much as I would have liked, but I guess that would have made the book way too long.
Realistically it wouldn’t have felt real if anything else in the book had been hurried along to make room for a full blown romance.
What about you?
Have you read Life After, or is it on your list to read? Let me know in the comments below!
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