A Quiet Life

Another "heartwarming, character-driven" (Booklist) life-affirming tale about three people whose lives cross in unexpected ways comes from the author of A Little Hope, a Read with Jenna Bonus Pick.

Set in a close-knit suburb in the grip of winter, A Quiet Life follows three people grappling with loss and finding a tender wisdom in their grief.

After a lifetime of working and having two kids, Chuck Ayers used to look forward to nothing more than his yearly vacation to Hilton Head with his wife, Cat. It was their annual taste of leisure. Now, just months after Cat passed away, Chuck is packing for a vacation he can't fathom taking without her and discovers that he can't part with any of her possessions—her favorite towel, the sketchbooks in her desk drawer, etc.

Ella Burke spends her days delivering morning newspapers and working at a bridal store, all the while hoping to learn anything, anything at all, about her daughter who has gone missing. Ella gets used to her new residence and picks up every call in the hopes that her daughter would call back.

Kirsten Bonato abandoned her plans to attend veterinary school after the unexpected loss of her father, finding solace in the reliable routine of working at an animal shelter. However, as time goes on, forgotten desires and fresh love interests come to light, placing Kirsten in yet another difficult situation.

In this beautiful and profoundly moving novel, three parallel narratives converge in poignant and unexpected ways, as each character bravely presses onward, trying to recover something they have lost. "The soothing tone and warm worldview of this grown-up bedtime story will be good for what ails you," according to Kirkus Reviews, describes this emotionally compelling and hopeful tale.