The Bridge Tender

I finished The Bridge Tender by Matybeth Whalen while we were driving to our vacation. I've enjoyed her other books and was glad to be able to review this one.

About the book: Emily must realize that her dreams didn’t have to die with her first love. When Emily Shaw, a young widow, learns that her late husband's last surprise for her involves returning to Sunset Beach, North Carolina, to realize an old dream of theirs, she reluctantly embarks on a summer of discovery in the midst of grief. There, in the oasis of the beach community, she meets a host of townspeople with their own broken dreams and unexpected situations. As the island citizens divide over the fate of a nostalgic bridge, Emily happens upon a man who just may be the one to restore her faith in dreams, hope, and possibly love.

My thoughts:
This is a story of loss and healing after a loss. After Emily Shaw's husband passes away, she is faced with a life very different than she ever imagined. Her best friend Marta stands by her side through her grief and also encourages her to live life and pursue the dreams she had.  Emily works to do that and get involved in her new community and even make new friends, even though it hurts and she constantly misses her husband.

A big part of this book is the bridge. I enjoyed the symbolism of the bridge that is tied into the whole story.

I enjoyed the characters and their story. It reminded me that even with the pain in our lives we can find a way to continue living life and also the importance of not building a wall and shutting out others when we hurt the most.  Usually others have pain in their past too and shutting out people does not help you heal while opening up can sometimes bring healing to both parties. 

This is a nice book to add to your summer reading list!  I hope you will check it out!

Have a day of blessings!


Disclosure of Material Connection: I received this book free from the publisher through the BookLook Bloggers book review bloggers program. I was not required to write a positive review. The opinions I have expressed are my own. I am disclosing this in accordance with the Federal Trade Commission’s 16 CFR, Part 255 : “Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsements and Testimonials in Advertising.”