The best fiction simply tells the truth.
But the truth is never simple.
When novelist Kendra Brennan moves into her grandfather's old cabin on Hidden Lake, she has a problem and a plan. The problem? An inflammatory letter from A Very Disappointed Reader. The plan? To confront Tyler, her childhood best friend's brother--and the man who inspired the antagonist in her first book. If she can prove that she told the truth about what happened during those long-ago summers, perhaps she can put the letter's claims to rest and meet the swiftly approaching deadline for her next book.
But what she discovers as she delves into the murky past is not what she expected. While facing Tyler isn't easy, facing the consequences of her failed friendship with his sister, Cami, may be the hardest thing she's ever had to do.
Plumb the depths of the human heart with this emotional exploration of how a friendship dies, how we can face the unforgivable, and how even those who have been hurt can learn to love with abandon.
I really like how this one was set up as a letter or a one sided conversation to someone who isn't there. There is just so much to unpack in this story. The relationships between the narrator and all the people in her life were rich and captivating. Once I picked this one up, I couldn't quite put it down. It is outside of the kind of books I generally read and found it to have just a perfect tone. I found myself with narrator and at the same time trying to grasp every clue to the overall mystery. And yet, when the mystery was "solved" there was more to uncover and more to digest. So it is with a good story and with a good mystery. There is more than can be seen on the surface. I felt the vulnerability of Kendra as she fought her own demons that were created by a letter from a very disappointed reader. I appreciated her journey and her growth as a person and in her faith. I loved watching her relationships mature as all the secrets of the past opened up their hiding places around her. I received a copy of this book through the publisher and NetGalley and this is my honest review.
About the Author
Erin Bartels is the award-winning author of All That We Carried, 2020 Christy finalist The Words between Us, and We Hope for Better Things, a 2020 Michigan Notable Book, 2020 WFWA Star Award-winner, and 2019 Christy finalist. A publishing professional for nearly twenty years, she lives in Lansing, Michigan, with her husband, Zachary, and their son. Find her online at www.erinbartels.com.