Traveling Light
By Lynne Branard
ISBN13: 9781101989043
Brought to you by OBS Reviewer Jerjen
Synopsis:
From the New York Times bestselling author and masterful storyteller behind The Art of Arranging Flowers comes a new novel about the search for what really matters in life…
Driving from North Carolina to New Mexico with her three-legged dog, a strange man’s ashes, and a waitress named Blossom riding shotgun isn’t exactly what Alissa Wells ever wanted to be doing. But it’s exactly what she needs…
It all starts when Alissa impulsively puts a bid on an abandoned storage unit, only to become the proud new owner of Roger Hart’s remains. Two weeks later, she jumps in her car and heads west, thinking that returning the ashes of a dead man might be the first step on her way to a new life.
She isn’t wrong.
Especially when Blossom, who just graduated from high school, hitches a ride with her to Texas, and Alissa has to get used to letting someone else take the wheel. Posting about their road trip on Facebook, complete with photos of Roger at every stop, Blossom opens Alissa’s eyes to the road in front of her and to how sometimes the best things in life are the ones you never see coming.
Review:
Alissa finds herself being the proud owner of a storage unit and all of its belongings. Among other things, she finds an urn with the remains of a deceased man. She finds out that the deceased is Roger Hart. What she cannot find out is why his ashes are in a storage unit in the first place. So she plans a road trip to return his remains to his family. Maybe she can find some answers to that question. Little does she know that she will find out so much more. She will meet some quirky characters and learn some important life lessons on her journey.
The writing style flows smoothly and the book is a quick easy read. I found myself swiping page after page, totally enthralled with the story. I usually do not like reading books written in the first person, but this time it worked really well.
The author is very talented in her descriptive writing. I could visualize the places that Alissa traveled through on her journey, such as Nashville and Memphis. I felt like I was right there, listening in on the conversations that she had with all those she met.
The characters are well rounded and well developed. They really came alive on the pages for me. Who does not love her three legged dog, Casserole? I felt Alissa was a bit naive when the book first started but she grew as the book progressed. I enjoyed getting to meet and know Blossom. The relationship they formed and their interactions and conversations added another level to the story.
This is the second book that I have read by this author and both of them were very good. She seems to have insights into people’s feelings and thoughts and she brings them alive on the pages. This book is a feel good story that will make you think about your own life. It is a story of learning to let go and seeing where life might take you. I would recommend it to anyone who would enjoy a humorous women’s contemporary read.
