Book Review: The Words We Lost

With The Words We Lost, author Nicole Deese is now on my radar! She provides a clean read with emotionally stirring relationships. Add in redemption, and I'm sold. This book is what Christian fiction ought to be. The captivating tale gently carries the message of God's love for people and His purpose for pain. I agree whole-heartedly with one of the many endorsements, "The Words We Lost is a poignant masterpiece. Intertwined with grief and hope, friendship and family... and a God who gathers us up with tender strength and begins to heal. This story strikes a chord that will resonate long and deep in the very best, most beautiful ways." - Amanda Dykes, author of All the Lost Places

What could be more devastating than an author's death just before she completes the ultimate book in a riveting series? We readers can be a demanding bunch. Imagine that: the words we long to read, lost for all time. But what if that author was your best friend and favorite client? When that grief sucker-punches, your universe could collapse. Things you once took for granted, like the thrill of reading, might just wash away with the tide.

Ingrid Erikson is the acquisitions editor responsible for giving the world the books of Cecelia Campbell. In the months following Cecelia's death on the operating table, Ingrid struggles to complete the responsibilities of her job. Not to mention, the new supervisor is breathing down her neck to locate Cecelia's final missing manuscript. Despite searching, Ingrid does not know where the manuscript is hiding. 

Then Cecelia's cousin Joel shows up with the legal news of Cece's parting wish. But Joel's very presence rekindles the deep pain that he caused Ingrid in the past. Plus, returning to their childhood town will stir memories she'd like to remain buried. Can Ingrid and Joel set aside their differences to receive and deal with the mysterious package Cece left behind for them? Will this mutual goal make up for broken promises? Will it reveal the truth hidden in the past? 

Deese's story elements carry beautiful meaning. I loved the description of sea glass as a reminder that "no heartache has ever gone unseen, and no darkness is ever too solid for light to overcome." Another favorite line? "God is often made visible by the hands and feet of the people he places in our lives." I enjoyed so many aspects of this novel. It offers realistic, burdened characters. The book is a story within a story. The path to redemption is long and weaving, but every step is satisfying. In the last pages of the book, the author acknowledges the personal pain her sister's death brought her. From that space of grief came this beautiful novel. While not often a romance reader, I would be happy to dive into the words of Nicole Deese again.