I will admit I was apprehensive picking this book up, but I found myself pleasantly surprised. This isn’t the lightest of books, but it is relatively short and ultimately uplifting.
Jessa has anxiety. Until the car accident, she could hide it behind a pretty face. Now she can’t hide it, she moves in with her dad and starts at a new school. Over time she learns to accept her brokenness and find hope in reaching forward – something we could all benefit from doing.
There’s a slight mystical element that may not suit everyone but I found it didn’t interfere with the overall feel. It’s not all happy-clappy. It’s not a story of quick fixes or easy answers. It’s a story of faith and friendship.
This is also the story of Jessa’s new friends, fraternal twins Hannah and Marshall. The relatively small cast let them be well fleshed out. They each have their own problems and Hannah in particular resonates strongly with me. I would’ve also liked to see more of Sophie and the support group, but that is a minor quibble.
It’s not perfect, but I finished this book feeling better than I started, so I count it as a win. Four hopeful stars.
I received a copy of this story from the author through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
