“The Promise of Tomorrow” is an emotional story with deep-rooted issues and flawed characters.

Olympia and I are very different in most ways, but I connected with her on many levels. She took action when it was needed and helped her family. It’s easy to see her heart, and although the main problem between her and her husband Spencer was ill-communication—which proves to be frustrating at times. I wanted to shake them both, at times, and encourage them to just talk it out with each other.

This redemption story of second chances, told from alternating points of view, touches the heart and shows different interpretations of grief. I enjoyed the light element of mystery, and the hope of recovery and brighter tomorrows.

First Line: Running away from home never got easy.
Genre: Women’s Fiction
Author: Mary Ellen Taylor
Page Count: 349
Content: Grief, Miscarriage, Family Drama, Alzheimer’s.

#CoverLoverBookReview received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions are 100% mine. ( )

This beautifully written and emotional book kept me up past my bedtime. I got so involved with the lives of the two main characters that I had to find out if and how they solved their problems. This book deals with some heavy subjects - death and grief, love and loss, a parent with Alzheimer's and it is very sad in parts but also contains hopes for the future. It's told in alternating chapters by the two main characters so that the reader is able to see how two people deal very differently with grief.

One day Olympia packed her car and drove away from her small Virginia home town. She's traveled all over the western states to complete her deceased mom's bucket list. She appears to be resilient and strong as she travels, often sleeping in her car and only stopping to work to make enough money to continue her travels. Now a year later, she's back in her hometown for her only sister's engagement party. Her plans are to only stay in town long enough to sign divorce papers to end her marriage with Spencer, visit the graves of her mother and daughter and then get back on the road but things don't always work out like we plan.

Spencer is working hard to handle his father's diagnosis of Alzheimer's. He has given up his place on the golf circuit to come home and take care of the family business. He doesn't really understand why Olympia left but he still appears to be in love with her. He, too, is dealing with grief from the death of their daughter as well as his strong father's mental decline.

Along with the fractured relationship between Olympia and Spencer, there is a tenuous relationship between Olympia and her sister and her negative treatment from Spencer's parents. It looks at grief from all sides - not only grief from a death but also grief from ended relationships and losing trust in family. I really enjoyed both of the main characters and hoped that they would have a happily ever after.

This emotional look at grief and loss along with hope for happiness is a book that I won't soon forget. ( )