Sometimes in Chaos comes Peace
Things that make me happy:
1. Coffee/Wine (You will always find one or the other, and sometimes both at the same time, in my hands)
2. Books
3. Magic
4. My tribe of friends, including my amazing son
5. Anne Malcom
Okay to be fair, there are other things too, but I was trying to make a point here. I could go on and on about how amazing this incredible author is but I figured adding her to my top five list would show how extraordinary she is. Part of that reason is this series. Don't get me wrong, all of her stories are amazing but there is just something so special about this series, in particular, that always changes the template of who I am. She leaves me feeling the effects of her words and these characters even months down the line. There is always a message there that often comes at just the time that I need it and that was definitely the case with this story by way of Elena, Lance, and Nathan.
“Anyone can breathe through any kind of pain. That’s why I told myself. Breathing isn’t hard. It’s just sometimes you have to remind yourself that. As long as you remember, breathing is easy.”
The author again created a female that was individually her own. Elena was vastly different from Rosie, Lucy, and Polly from the previous books but yet there was a commonality between them all. It was that something damaged could in fact still be more than just a survivor. She was strong when she had every right to be weak or fall apart. Her resilience and her devotion to her son was truly what the majority of mothers feel, or I at least hope that they do. Her putting her son, Nathan, above herself was admirable. It was heartfelt. It gave a true definition to the premise of unconditional love. It was relatable to me because I didn't have that as a child but it didn't stop me from loving my son how I should have been loved. My years spent in the system taught me to have faith or as I call it "believing in magic" so I understood Elena and her unwitting acceptance of faith and not letting the hardships define her.
Then she created Lance. A man that had demons of his own and was trying to be numb to the notion of ever having this connection to something so similar to something else. A man that didn't have the faith that Elena had for other reasons. That this encounter with Elena and her sweet son might be more of a taunt than an actual way for the Universe to give back. He was gruff, unfeeling, and kind of a jerk. Yet, he was also protective, and safe, and was named Captain for a reason.
I loved seeing the interactions again with the ladies of Greenstone. These women are truly my spirit sisters. Often times, Rosie is my personal guide of what to do (Or sometimes what not to do, because murder is illegal. While she might not have qualms about doing it because she wouldn't get caught I, on the other hand, might not be that lucky. Plus I do not look good in orange). Great appearance from the other guys too but the ladies stole the show. Add in the cutest and smartest little boy and this story was another hit from this author. I cannot recommend this story or series enough.