It wasn’t that long ago that if asked to compare her life to
food, Nina Andrews would have described it as rich, enticing, and fulfilling.
She would have gone on to recite the menu. Begin the meal with escargot covered
with a rich garlic butter. Next a
Caprese salad which consists of ripe tomato and fresh mozzarella cheese, sprinkled
with just a drizzle of olive oil. For the main course veal fillet cooked perfectly
in a Port wine sauce and a bottle of Pinot Noir to enhance the succulent
flavours. And, to complete the meal, a variety of cheeses and fruit served with
a coffee.
If asked that same question now, her response would be
tasteless and empty. Her meal, when she
had one, was a frozen dinner picked up at her corner grocery store and the
closest she came to having fruit these days was the grapes used to make the bottle
of wine she drank each night.
On the Other Hand is the story of one woman’s journey after being suddenly
widowed. Nina Andrews loved her life and considered it to be close to perfect.
She and her husband, Mike were empty-nesters, still very much in love, and looking
forward to retirement and a life of leisure.
Suddenly
everything changes when Mike dies leaving Nina behind. Her overwhelming grief
soon turns to anger and then depression. She tries to live outside her grief,
but the next step seems impossible. Just when Nina thinks she is learning to
endure, she crashes.
Crushed
by her grief, Nina carefully plans her suicide but just as she is about to
carry out her plan, there is a knock at her door. The visitor she finds on the
other side will change her life in ways she never dared dream.
I
wrote this novel for personal reasons, but for comments like: “You got it. I
didn’t think anyone knew what I was going through.” or “On the Other Hand is an inspirational story that will touch your heart and
have you both laughing and crying.” or “My mother and sister couldn’t understand what I was going
through. I had them read your book and now they know.” and then there’s “You know it was a good book
when, three weeks later, you find yourself worrying about the main character
and wondering how she is doing.” that I am forever grateful.
On the Other
Hand was
written a few years ago and I want to thank Shelley for re-introducing me to it
in such a fun way on a wonderful venue that exists to connect readers and
authors.
I
hope you pick up a copy and that it touches you the way it has so many others.
Thanks for stopping by to share your food for thought, June!
You can find June and her books here:
Sounds very good. I knoww too much about grief and how one attempts to "live outside of" it. Thanks for the review.
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