A Life Without Water

Another Breathtaking Book by Marci Bolden I have been a fan of Marci Bolden since I read the first book of her Stonehill series. I love how she usually highlights a middle-aged couple and conveys some broader themes that make up real life in an emotionally resonant way. She really knows how to make her character's real and relatable, and in doing so, makes both the characters and plot tug on our heartstrings with their very true-to-life tragedies or problems. Part of what I like about her books is that the situations she writes about are so ordinary or universal (like death, divorce, sudden tragedy), but they are written in an extraordinary fashion as she delves into the psyches of her characters, looking at their histories, motivations, and patterns of being as they confront new realities. So, I knew going into this that it would most likely be an emotional and compelling read. I was not wrong. This book has so much emotional depth and is a testament to the human spirit. Some themes that make up this incredible book include love, forgiveness, death in several forms, and how we choose to make a life. While this is definitely a tearjerker, it doesn't feel dark or depressing. There is an element of hope. In this book, the author peels back the layers of the protagonists’ relationship and lives, so we slowly understand the full ramifications of what has gone on before the book (which illuminates what is currently happening). Again, this is simply an amazing emotional ride, and it gives a believable glimpse into the human heart and soul.

**I voluntarily read an early copy of this title courtesy of NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review** A Life Without Water is one of those books that once I started reading, I had to know how everything was going to unfold. Marci Bolden has a way of creating a world that you get sucked into almost immediately. Carol Denman has not seen her ex-husband, John, for over 20 years and when he shows back up in her life it's the last thing she expected and the last thing she wants to deal with. There is unfinished business between them that should have been dealt with years earlier, but neither one of them was in the right frame of mind at the time. With all the years that have passed, both Carol and John have changed, yet there are some things that remained very much the same. Now that both Carol and John are faced with the reality of what the future holds, they go on the journey that they should have taken years before. The journey that these Marci Bolden takes us on runs the gamut of emotions. You'll cry, you'll laugh, you'll be angry and you'll feel. Oh how you'll feel. This story is the story of love and forgiveness. This is a book that will stay with you for some time once you finish. It was emotional, it was real and it's one I would recommend that you pick up.

Solid 4.5 star Be ready to be immersed into Carol's world and feel what she does as she goes from having her past well and truly in the past to in her face. They way the past slowly unrolls so we see everything she and John went through was great and a bit of a slow burn which really suited this story and hooked you even more. Another fantastic book by the author who always brings you people you can relate to and connect with. I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.