Book Review for When We Let Go by Rochelle B. Weinstein

 When We Let Go by Rochelle B. Weinstein 

Paperback, 316 pages

Publication: May 17th 2022 by Lake Union Publishing

 

Taken from Goodreads:  A moving novel of family and forgiveness and of hope and healing by Rochelle B. Weinstein, the USA Today bestselling author of This Is Not How It Ends.

When Avery Beckett is proposed to by Jude Masters, a widowed father and the man she loves, it should be a time of great joy. Instead, Avery is on edge. She’s wary of the idea of family, doubtful of happy endings, and too afraid to take the leap. It’s the kind of fear that comes from having secrets.

Before Avery commits to a new life, she must reconcile with the one she left behind.

When Avery returns to her childhood farm in the North Carolina mountains, she’s surprised to be saddled with a companion: Jude’s teenage daughter, Elle, who’s grappling with the loss of her mother and the complicated emotions of first love. On a path of mending wounds and breaking down walls, Avery and Elle form an unexpected alliance. It’s giving them the courage to move forward. And for Avery, everything she needs to confront the past.

An emotional tale of mothers and daughters, loss and acceptance, When We Let Go is about the lessons that come from heartbreak and the healing it takes to embrace the joy of a second chance.

 

My Thoughts:  When We Let Go is a heart string pulling book.  Avery had her life in order until she lost it all.  She blames herself, as most people seem to do, and feels that she is not worthy of another chance at being happy.    I could feel her pain, her suffering, and her want to find a way to be happy again.  I loved that Rochelle B. Weinstein did not give all of Avery’s story.   There were glimpses and clues of what her life was and what is could be as the book went on and I enjoyed the anticipation of learning more about Avery.  

 

Elle is the character that I was most invested in.   Her anger was dangerous.   She was too young to be able to understand and handle all that was happening in her life.    She needed someone to protect her, love her, and let her express her anger without judgement.   As much as her father tried, he was not the right person.   Avery was the perfect person.  With Avery’s self-blame and Elle’s self-anger they were perfect to help each other figure out how to start living happily again.  They both deserved to find what they were so desperately needing. 

 

The third woman in the book, Willow, I loved.   Her positive outlook, her ability to make everyone feel comfortable with just her presence made her a character I wanted to know more about.  I wanted more scenes with her, more time with her, and just more of her.  I liked that while she comforted both Avery and Elle she called them on their business, supported them in their decisions, and never gave up on them.   Willow had her own history and story, I feel like there is more to her future and her past, I would love to see another book with these characters.      

 

I was so invested in this story, I read it while my husband drove us through a snowstorm to visit our youngest at college.   I am usually a horrible passenger but with this book to distract me I did not even realize when we drove out of the storm.  I just kept reading, being pulled into the story from the very first page and not wanting to put it down until I read the very last word.   Even now, having read the entire book, I am still thinking about the book.   The characters were so real and the storyline one that most people will find something in common with. 

 

**Thank you Ann-Marie at GetRedPr for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

 

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Meet Rochelle B. Weistein (Taken from her website):  USA TODAY and Amazon bestselling author of This Is Not How It Ends, Somebody's Daughter, Where We Fall, The Mourning After, and What We Leave Behind.

A little about me. I was born and raised in Miami, Florida among the chaos of three older siblings. After graduating college, I moved west to Los Angeles where I launched my career at the LA Weekly, running advertising and promotions for film studios and record labels.

After a few colorful years, I returned to Miami, landing my first dream job through an ad in The Miami Herald. Yes, an actual newspaper. For the next ten years, I managed the advertising, marketing, and promotions for every record label in the country at The Box Music Network. Our offices on South Beach were the hub for musicians and record executives worldwide. Work consisted of meeting talented superstars and listening to great music. Fun, right?

Marriage and kids soon followed in the form of dream job number two, and The Box eventually moved to New York. Sometime in between raising the twins, PTA meetings, carpool, flag football, basketball, and lacrosse tournaments, writing freelance, cheering on the Dolphins and Heat, and volunteering at organizations near and dear to my heart, dream job number three took root, and I became a full-time author.

Life has a funny way of happening this way. Doors open and close. Avenues await. One path leads to another. I thought life was fun before, but nothing is more fun than this.