
His writing style is simple, his stories are about ordinary people living everyday lives in small town America. I devoured this novel in a few days and I love this author's writing even more now than I did after reading his debut novel, "A Little Hope". She fills her days with routine but struggles with decisions about her future without him in her life. Kirsten Benato has put her dreams on hold after her father was killed. She's lonely and empty, and all she can think about is finding her missing child. Ella Burke continues to await news about the disappearance of her young daughter Riley. He's especially focused on lingering regrets for a decision that he and Cat never quite resolved. Chuck Ayers' wife Cat has recently died and he struggles with letting go. In a small Pennsylvania town where most everyone knows everyone else, there are three individuals who have suffered a loss and are desperately searching to find their way to the other side of grief. "A Quiet Life" by Ethan Joella is Friendship and Family Fiction at its best! Emotionally riveting and infused with hope, “the soothing tone and warm worldview of this grown-up bedtime story will be good for what ails you” ( Kirkus Reviews ).

In this beautiful and profoundly moving novel, three parallel narratives converge in poignant and unexpected ways, as each character bravely presses onward, trying to recover something they have lost. But as time passes, old dreams and new romantic interests begin to surface-and Kirsten finds herself at another crossroads. Ella adjusts to life in a new apartment and answers every call on her phone, hoping her daughter will reach out.Īfter the sudden death of her father, Kirsten Bonato set aside her veterinary school aspirations, finding comfort in the steady routine of working at an animal shelter. Now, just months after Cat’s death, Chuck finds that he can’t let go of her belongings-her favorite towel, the sketchbooks in her desk drawer-as he struggles to pack for a trip he can’t imagine taking without her.Įlla Burke delivers morning newspapers and works at a bridal shop to fill her days while she anxiously awaits news-any piece of information-about her missing daughter.

Set in a close-knit suburb in the grip of winter, A Quiet Life follows three people grappling with loss and finding a tender wisdom in their grief.Ĭhuck Ayers used to look forward to nothing so much as his annual trip to Hilton Head with his wife, Cat-that yearly taste of relaxation they’d become accustomed to after a lifetime of working and raising two children. From the author of A Little Hope -a Read with Jenna Bonus Pick-comes another “heartwarming, character-driven” ( Booklist ) life-affirming novel about three individuals whose lives intersect in unforeseen ways.
