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A review by shelleyrae
The Shadow of Your Smile by Susan May Warren
3.0
The Shadow of Your Smile is a beautifully written story of how tragedy can tear apart a family even though it is the time when you need those you love most. Noelle and Eli's marriage has fractured under the stress of losing their daughter and essentially they are leading separate lives when Noelle is badly injured, losing the memory of the past twenty something years. Noelle is shocked to discover she is unhappily married with near adult sons, has never made use of her art major and lives in a small town. However the accident may well be a blessing, for the family has a fresh slate, a chance to put their hurts and secrets behind them and reconnect... until memories begin to resurface and threaten to devastate them all.
I really enjoyed The Shadow of Your Smile - the first title I have read by Susan May Warren which is part of a series following characters in the small town of Deep Haven, Minnesota. The rich storyline is handled with sensitivity and depth and I was really impressed with they way in which Warren is able to explore so many facets of such emotive issues from so many perspectives, without ever descending in to melodrama. While it is Noelle and Eli's disintegrating marriage that the story centers around, it is the aftermath of unexpected death that is the true focal element of the story with the author deftly showing how the tragedy impacts on those who are faced with it. Their respective losses are compounded by their own grief, guilt and anger that isolates them from each other creating more losses as they turn away from each other. The theme of forgiveness also plays a large part in the novel as does love and faith.
Despite a reasonably large featured cast, the characters in The Shadow of Your Smile are brought to life by Warren exposing what they think and feel. The characters are likeable and easy to relate to with their emotions and reactions are heartfelt and genuine. I had a huge amount of sympathy for all of the characters and enjoyed getting to know them.
The Shadow of Your Smile is a lovely contemporary read. Emotionally compelling and finely crafted, I may be tempted to read more by this author. To be honest had I known that the book had a strong Christian element I probably would not have chosen to read it. Due to my own beliefs I am uncomfortable with the preaching and bible quotes, particularly near the end of the book, however I chose to disregard them in favour of the story.
I really enjoyed The Shadow of Your Smile - the first title I have read by Susan May Warren which is part of a series following characters in the small town of Deep Haven, Minnesota. The rich storyline is handled with sensitivity and depth and I was really impressed with they way in which Warren is able to explore so many facets of such emotive issues from so many perspectives, without ever descending in to melodrama. While it is Noelle and Eli's disintegrating marriage that the story centers around, it is the aftermath of unexpected death that is the true focal element of the story with the author deftly showing how the tragedy impacts on those who are faced with it. Their respective losses are compounded by their own grief, guilt and anger that isolates them from each other creating more losses as they turn away from each other. The theme of forgiveness also plays a large part in the novel as does love and faith.
Despite a reasonably large featured cast, the characters in The Shadow of Your Smile are brought to life by Warren exposing what they think and feel. The characters are likeable and easy to relate to with their emotions and reactions are heartfelt and genuine. I had a huge amount of sympathy for all of the characters and enjoyed getting to know them.
The Shadow of Your Smile is a lovely contemporary read. Emotionally compelling and finely crafted, I may be tempted to read more by this author. To be honest had I known that the book had a strong Christian element I probably would not have chosen to read it. Due to my own beliefs I am uncomfortable with the preaching and bible quotes, particularly near the end of the book, however I chose to disregard them in favour of the story.