When I read the first line of the dust jacket for this book, I thought, “Oh geez…this sounds familiar.” It goes like this, “Karen Sommerfield has been hiding from life-immersing herself in a high-powered job-until the day the company downsizes her out of a job…” It wasn’t familiar as in I already read this book, but in that I was downsized from a job years ago, thanks to company restructuring. I, too, felt lost and disconnected from the world after devoting so much focus in the wrong direction for so long. While this is in no way a self-help book (it’s fiction), the character’s search for herself in “the last place she ever thought to look” rang with me. As I continue to search for myself, am I forgetting “the last place” I’d ever think to look?
The main character, Karen, has been dealt a double blow with job loss and the possibility of having cancer. So focused on her job, she’s drifted from her family and her marriage. When the job disappears she questions who she really is, her worth, and whether she can start again. With life turned upside down, she retreats back to her grandmother’s farm where she and her sister were raised. Along the way, she finds once again what brings her joy – music – makes new friends, and rebuilds her relationship with those most important to her.
This is the first book I’ve read by Lisa Wingate, and I enjoyed every word, page and chapter. She has a beautifully descriptive way of writing that places the reader into the scene. The story evokes a rainbow of emotions throughout, and the end is not closure but beginning. It’s given me much food for thought.
This is a great read that will keep your attention to the end. Grab your favorite chair and something to drink, then settle into this wonderful read. The book comes with a terrific discussion guide, making this perfect for a book club, too!
