Tuesday, June 26, 2018

Hurricane Season, by Lauren K Denton



Hurricane Season, by Lauren K Denton, is a story about family, self-reflection, and redemption.

Jenna is a young single mother who's made a string of bad decisions.  She decides to follow a life-long dream and heads off to a photography retreat, hoping to rediscover her passion.   She leaves her two girls with her sister and her husband, Betsy and Ty Franklin.  Betsy and Ty, who own a dairy farm, and are dealing with their own demons, are suddenly thrust into the roles of caregivers for their two young nieces.  What is originally supposed to be two weeks becomes open-ended, and Jenna and Betsy both struggle with finding their individual purpose in life, as well as re-defining their relationship with one another.

This was a really warm and lovely book, and one that I read quickly.  I honestly didn't know which direction Jenna was going to choose, which made the build-up and the ending all the more satisfying.  I appreciated the detail and attention that Denton paid to the relationships of all involved... parent and child, sister and sister, husband and wife.  I felt invested in every single character, which is always the hallmark of a good book. It was heartbreaking and heartwarming, in equal measure. 

An overall beautiful story, and one that very much mirrored real life.