A review by mrsjkamp
Coming Up for Air by Patti Callahan Henry
3.0
3.5 stars
Ellie mother passes and she finds a journal her mom kept throughout her life. In it are passages from every New Year's Eve since she was young. Ellie, a wife and mother now, reads it and finds that her mom's life wasn't what she thought it was. It sends Ellie on a soul-searching journey to her mother's friend's home and her old college boyfriend Ellie left behind at her mom's insistence. You think you can guess what happens, but you may be wrong!
I liked this one because it reminded me a bit of how strong I was for leaving my bad marriage. It was a great idea since my life could have easily turned out like Ellie's did. Rusty, Ellie's husband, has moods and treats her a bit like garbage when he's mad at how things turn out, usually since they aren't the way he wants them. Ellie makes excuses and brushes it off, but she's slowly realizing that this isn't the life she wants or needs. She can live the life she dreams, thanks to her mom's journal.
Learning about her mom's mystery boyfriend from the past keeps Ellie busy for most of this novel. It's an interesting story that she unfolds. Turns out, her mom was part of the civil rights movement in the 60s. The whole time I thought I was right about the identity of this mystery man, but I was completely wrong. I suppose I should have guessed, but I was so sure I was right that I didn't pick up the clues.
Definitely recommended if you like Patti Callahan Henry's other novels or the likes of Nicholas Sparks.
Ellie mother passes and she finds a journal her mom kept throughout her life. In it are passages from every New Year's Eve since she was young. Ellie, a wife and mother now, reads it and finds that her mom's life wasn't what she thought it was. It sends Ellie on a soul-searching journey to her mother's friend's home and her old college boyfriend Ellie left behind at her mom's insistence. You think you can guess what happens, but you may be wrong!
I liked this one because it reminded me a bit of how strong I was for leaving my bad marriage. It was a great idea since my life could have easily turned out like Ellie's did. Rusty, Ellie's husband, has moods and treats her a bit like garbage when he's mad at how things turn out, usually since they aren't the way he wants them. Ellie makes excuses and brushes it off, but she's slowly realizing that this isn't the life she wants or needs. She can live the life she dreams, thanks to her mom's journal.
Learning about her mom's mystery boyfriend from the past keeps Ellie busy for most of this novel. It's an interesting story that she unfolds. Turns out, her mom was part of the civil rights movement in the 60s. The whole time I thought I was right about the identity of this mystery man, but I was completely wrong. I suppose I should have guessed, but I was so sure I was right that I didn't pick up the clues.
Definitely recommended if you like Patti Callahan Henry's other novels or the likes of Nicholas Sparks.