MY REVIEW:
What an incredible book! Courtney Walsh has written a novel that nailed so many areas to which so many can relate. The pain of not meeting the expectations of others. The feeling of standing on the outside, always looking in. The fear of speaking out for fear of rejection. Knowing you are different than the others whether physically, mentally, etc. and not fitting in and maybe even made fun of because of it. Lane Kelley had experienced it all but had managed to change her life and was on the brink of achieving her dreams when she is called home after her brother is injured in a terrible accident.
For Lane, home was not a comfortable place. Her family and others in the community had unknowingly hurt her with careless remarks about her weight for most of her life. If she could just be there for her brother a few days and go right back to work where she found her true identity, everything would be fine. Of course nothing ever works out as planned and Lane learns that betrayal can come from unexpected sources and so can love.
“Just Look Up” is a story filled with emotions and truth that touched me deeply. I could go on and on and tell Lane and Ryan’s story but it is one that each reader must discover for herself. I will say that it is a story filled with romance, lessons in forgiveness, and learning to trust friends and family but most importantly to look up to the source of it all.
I voluntarily reviewed a copy of this book provided by Tyndale Blog Network. A favorable review was not required and all views expressed are my own.
ABOUT THE BOOK:
After tirelessly climbing the ranks of her Chicago-based interior design firm, Lane Kelley is about to land her dream promotion when devastating news about her brother draws her back home – a quaint tourist town full of memories she’d just as soon forget. With her cell phone and laptop always within reach, Lane aims to check on her brother while staying focused on work – something her eclectic family doesn’t understand.
Ryan Brooks never expected to settle down in Harbor Pointe, Michigan, but after his final tour of duty, it was the only place that felt like home. Now knee-deep in a renovation project that could boost tourism for the struggling town, he is thrilled to see Lane, the girl he secretly once loved, even if the circumstances of her homecoming aren’t ideal.
Their reunion gets off to a rocky start, however, when Ryan can’t find a trace of the girl he once knew in the woman she is today. As he slowly chips away at the walls Lane has built, secrets from his past collide with a terrible truth even he is reluctant to believe. Facing a crossroads that could define his future with Lane and jeopardize his relationship with the surrogate family he’s found in the Kelleys, Ryan hopes Lane can see that maybe what really matters has been right in front of her all along – if only she’d just look up.
ABOUT THE AUTHOR:
Courtney Walsh is a novelist, artist, theater director, and playwright. Change of Heart is her fifth novel and is set in the same town as Paper Hearts. Her debut novel, A Sweethaven Summer, hit the New York Times and USA Today e-book bestseller lists and was a Carol Award finalist in the debut author category. She has written two additional books in the Sweethaven series, as well as two craft books and several full-length musicals. Courtney lives in Illinois where she and her husband own a performing and visual arts studio. They have three children.Visit her online at www.courtneywalshwrites.com.
