THE PASSING STORM by Christine Nolfi

 

A gripping, openhearted novel about family, reconciliation, and bringing closure to the secrets of the past.

Early into the tempestuous decade of her thirties, Rae Langdon struggles to work through a grief she never anticipated. With her father, Connor, she tends to their Ohio farm, a forty-acre spread that itself has enjoyed better days. As memories sweep through her, some too precious to bear, Rae gives shelter from a brutal winter to a teenager named Quinn Galecki.

Quinn has been thrown out by his parents, a couple too troubled to help steer the misunderstood boy through his own losses. Now Quinn has found a temporary home with the Langdons—and an unexpected kinship, because Rae, Quinn, and Connor share a past and understand one another’s pain. But its depths—and all its revelations and secrets—have yet to come to light. To finally move forward, Rae must confront them and also fight for Quinn, whose parents have other plans in mind for their son.

With forgiveness, love, and the spring thaw, there might be hope for a new season—a second chance Rae believed in her heart was gone forever.

MY THOUGHTS

I'm never afraid to read a Christine Nolfi book. Even without reading the synopsis I know it's going to be a page turner. This one is her best yet. It's excellent. It's beautiful. It's so sad. It's a heart wrenching story that also leads to other feelings. It's like you are there with the characters. 

I loved this book. I cared for the characters with the exception of Quinn's parents. I did not like either of them. They were not worthy of having such a wonderful son. They were not worthy of anything good. Both losers. Both caring only about themselves.

Rae is a strong woman. She's been through a lot. She's loved and lost. She lost the most important thing in her life. So many losses for one young woman yet she keeps on going. She is a forgiving person but you have to give her a bit of time. She's a nurturing person and cares about her loved ones deeply. She could have been a very bitter woman but she wasn't. She had her moments of distress but overall she was just a great person. With faults of course but still.... 

This story will touch your heart. It will leave you weeping in so many places. It will make you smile in many also. I loved the descriptions in this book. You could feel the freezing cold. You could feel the pain some felt because of the snow storm. You could feel the losses. This touched a bit on depression and what it does to a person. It's real. It was portrayed realistically. In a way you knew what was happening. Even if the young Rae didn't understand it at the time. 

I loved Rae's dad, Connor. He had faults but in the end he stepped up. He was there when it counted. He helped his young daughter become the young woman she was destine to be. I loved this book. It touched my heart. It made me think about a few things. One being who was the dad. Who was Lark's dad? I did figure out fairly early on how but not who. It took nothing away from this story. This one you won't soon forget. It will stick with you. 

I loved the love story part too. It was not all mush and gross. lol It was tender and real. I did understand the separation that had to be. And that it took so long. Just proves that love can be a lifeline that reaches across the years and pull two people together. Two people who have a destiny.  It was one of those meant to be things. 

This book took my breath away. It made me weep. It made me laugh a few times. The last two chapters really did me in. But it's all worth it. I could also picture the lights. The beautiful light show. Made me believe that some people may can see from the beyond. 

Thank you #NetGalley, #ChristineNolfi, #LakeUnionPublishing for this ARC. This is my own true thoughts about this wonderful book.

5/5 huge stars and a very high recommendation. Do have plenty of tissues. Enjoy!