By: Ann Packer
The title of this book gives away the main (and forever-lasting) tragedy that strikes Carrie Bell and her soon-to-be husband, Michael Mayer. Mike is injured while diving off Clausen's Pier into water that is way too shallow. He is left a quadriplegic, and Carrie is left in a state of shock, panic and guilt. Already feeling stifled in their years-long relationship, this accident has quickly changed everything and anything that seemed normal to Carrie. She struggles with guilt, terror, boredom and a sense of obligation toward her gravely injured fiance. Carrie - formerly very reasonable, quiet and reliable - begins skipping work, shunning her best friend and mother and ultimately shocks her town when she runs out of town and heads to New York City! Having never left Wisconsin to live anywhere else, and having never had any relationship beside that with Mike, Carrie immediately gets caught up in life in the big city. She begins a new relationship, makes new friends and even begins a new career path. Ultimately, Carrie finds herself at odds - she misses Mike, her mother, her friends, her hometown. She must make a choice and decide WHAT she wants in life, what is important and how she will go about getting it. I really enjoyed this book. I found all the characters to be very lovable and realistic. The book is sad at times, but not unbearably so, and Carrie is a character I really enjoyed getting to know. I think that Ann Packer would do well to write a second part to this story! (Fiction) 07/01/09
The title of this book gives away the main (and forever-lasting) tragedy that strikes Carrie Bell and her soon-to-be husband, Michael Mayer. Mike is injured while diving off Clausen's Pier into water that is way too shallow. He is left a quadriplegic, and Carrie is left in a state of shock, panic and guilt. Already feeling stifled in their years-long relationship, this accident has quickly changed everything and anything that seemed normal to Carrie. She struggles with guilt, terror, boredom and a sense of obligation toward her gravely injured fiance. Carrie - formerly very reasonable, quiet and reliable - begins skipping work, shunning her best friend and mother and ultimately shocks her town when she runs out of town and heads to New York City! Having never left Wisconsin to live anywhere else, and having never had any relationship beside that with Mike, Carrie immediately gets caught up in life in the big city. She begins a new relationship, makes new friends and even begins a new career path. Ultimately, Carrie finds herself at odds - she misses Mike, her mother, her friends, her hometown. She must make a choice and decide WHAT she wants in life, what is important and how she will go about getting it. I really enjoyed this book. I found all the characters to be very lovable and realistic. The book is sad at times, but not unbearably so, and Carrie is a character I really enjoyed getting to know. I think that Ann Packer would do well to write a second part to this story! (Fiction) 07/01/09
