Review: Wherever Grace is Needed by Elizabeth Bass

Title: Wherever Grace is Needed

Author: Elizabeth Bass

Publisher: Kensington

Release Date:
June 1st, 2011

Source: Author

Buy the Book: Amazon

In this thoroughly heartwarming novel, Elizabeth Bass—author of Miss You Most of All—creates an unforgettable story of friendship, compassion, and the extraordinary love that lies at the heart of every ordinary family.

When Grace Oliver leaves Portland for Austin, Texas, to help her father, Lou, recuperate from a car accident, she expects to stay just a few weeks. Since her mother's divorce thirty years ago, Grace has hovered on the periphery of the Oliver family. But now she sees a chance to get closer to her half-brothers and the home she's never forgotten.

But the Olivers are facing a crisis. Tests reveal that Lou, a retired college professor whose sharp tongue and tenderness Grace adores, is in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease. Grace delays her departure to care for him, and is soon entwined in the complicated lives of her siblings—all squabbling over Lou's future—and of the family next door. . .

Ray West and his three children are reeling from a recent tragedy, particularly sixteen-year-old Jordan, whose grief is heightened by guilt and anger. Amid the turmoil, Grace not only gives solace and support, but learns to receive it. And though she came to Austin to reconnect with her past, she is drawn by degrees into surprising new connections.

With wit, wisdom, and unfailing insight, Elizabeth Bass tells a story of loving and letting go, of heartache and hope, and of the joy that comes in finding a place we can truly call home.

I just finished reading this book, and I must say that I loved it. When I started reading Wherever Grace is Needed, I didn't know what I was going to find in those pages. It was the first book by Elizabeth Bass I read and I didn't know if I was going to like the book or not, or If I was going to enjoy her writing style or not. But I'm glad to say that I really enjoyed it.

Elizabeth Bass tells the story of two different families, two broken families, two dysfunctional families, and how they need to work together to overcome their problems and find solutions, and keep living. 

At the beginning the reader can think that this is like any other dramatic book, but I think that it is more than that. We will see real life problems, and how those problems affect the life of a family. We will see how their relationships deteriorate, and we will see sadness and depression. Topics like death, dementia, forgiveness, love, new opportunities and guiltiness are discussed in this story.

There are a lot of feelings in this novel, and I'm sure a lot of readers will feel some kind of connection with the main characters, maybe because they had the same problems, they were in the same situation, or because those characters are so real, that you think about them as real people and not as characters of a fiction book. 

Like I said before, I really enjoyed this book. Bass' writing style is amazing, sweet and realistic. There were a lot of lovely, funny but also heartbreaking scenes in this novel, and the characters were no exception. (If you want read a tiny excerpt, read my Teaser Tuesday 10.)

I don't want to talk to much about the plot because I think that the best way to enjoy this novel is reading it.  Highly recommended to adults and young adults!

Happy Reading! 

I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review. 

Thank You.

 I Loved it!

Elizabeth Bass grew up the youngest of four siblings in rural Texas, where she spent summers watching old movies and dreaming of living in a town big enough to have an Ice machine. She now resides in Montreal with her husband. If you want to read more about her or her books, visit: 

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