Published by Gallery Books on April 9, 2019
Genres: Amish & Mennonite, Christian, Friendship, Literature & Fiction
Pages: 304
Format: ARC
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Seven former best friends reunite and struggle to heal after the tragic death of one of their own in this evocative and heartrending novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Gift and Her Secret.
When word had gotten out that Andy Warner had committed suicide, everyone in Walnut Creek, Ohio, had been shocked. For seven men and women in their twenties, some Amish, some Mennonite, and some English, each of whom had once counted his or herself as one of Andy’s best friends, it had been extremely painful.
And, maybe, a source of guilt.
Years have passed since they’d all been together last. Some of them got into trouble. A couple got into arguments. Eventually they all drifted apart. But even though none of them really saw each other anymore, there was a steadfast certainty that they’d always have each other’s backs—even when no one else did. Their bond was that strong…until Andy did the unthinkable.
Now the seven remaining friends, still reeling from Andy’s death, have vowed to look after each other again. As far as they’re concerned, it doesn’t matter that they’re now in their twenties and have drifted far apart. They need to connect again…for Andy.
With her signature “taut writing” (RT Book Reviews), Shelley Shepard Gray delivers a lyrical and heartfelt tale of friendship and forgiveness.
I’ve been blogging for a few years now and I have gotten into a pretty good pattern of book blogging. If the genre is one that my mother, Gloria loves, I will usually let her read the book and prepare the review for me to post here. When Gloria learned that Shelley Shepard Gray had this new book coming out in April of 2019 — The Patient One — she asked me to request it for her to read, which I immediately did. Unfortunately, my mother is experiencing some medical difficulties with her eyes right now and her Kindle is off limits. Therefore, I had to step up and read and review this book myself. Back in the day, I used to read a lot of Amish and Mennonite books, so it wasn’t a big reach for me, so here’s my review:
The Patient One shares the story of the sudden death by suicide of Andy Weir and how the community comes together while trying to deal with the situation. Andy was in a group of eight friends who were very tight-knit and consisted of a blend of Amish, Mennonite and English. They had promised to stay together in their group and stay connected, but the truth was that had each grown up and moved on in life, as we often do. They have so many unanswered questions as they struggle with Andy’s reason for suicide, why he didn’t reach out to his life-long friends, and why they did not see that he was struggling.
Then after being away for seven years, Andy’s friends come together for the sad reason of celebrating Andy’s legacy and attending his funeral. The story is told from each person’s point of view and as they deal with the death of their friend. I love the blend of characters from different walks of life too, as it does show that people are more alike than the differences that they may have. Some friendships get stronger while some develop into even more.
There’s so much to this book, there are real topics and feelings that are very well addressed, and I found the characters to be very well developed. I have learned that this will be the first book in a series too, so I’m sure the next one will be super interesting too!
The Patient One is definitely a book you should add to your 2019 TBR stack when it releases in April, 2019.
Since 2000, Shelley has sold over forty novels to numerous publishers, including HarperCollins, Harlequin, and Abingdon Press. She has been interviewed by NPR, and her books have been highlighted in numerous publications, including USA Today and The Wall Street Journal. Shelley writes Amish romances for HarperCollins’ inspirational line, Avon Inspire. Her recent novel, The Protector, the final book in her “Families of Honor” series, hit the New York Times List, and her previous novel in the same series, The Survivor, appeared on the USA Today bestseller list. Shelley has won the prestigious Holt Medallion for her books, Forgiven and Grace, and her novels have been chosen as Alternate Selections for the Doubleday/Literary Guild Book Club. Her first novel with Avon Inspire, Hidden, was an Inspirational Reader’s Choice finalist.
Before writing romances, Shelley lived in Texas and Colorado, where she taught school and earned both her bachelor’s and master’s degrees in education. She now lives in southern Ohio and writes full time. Shelley is married, the mother of two children in college, and is an active member of her church. She serves on committees, volunteers in the church office, and currently leads a Bible study group, and she looks forward to the opportunity to continue to write novels that showcase her Christian ideals.
I received an advanced reader digital copy of this book without cost from the publisher through NetGalley. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own.
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