“This tree is like us, dear friend, lots of individual branches going every which way, but with deep roots, and a trunk that’s a little bit twisted, but fused together forever.”

 

Hello, and welcome to Whitfield! Whitfield is a small fictitious Kansas town, made up by yours truly. Summers are dry and hot, and winters are long and cold. As in many small towns, people know each other, and look out for each other. That’s certainly the case with Claire, Dana and Mary.

The three stories in this series are companion books. They feature a trio of close-knit women who’ve been friends for a long time – each story focusing on one of the friends.

The first book in the series is “The Storm Within.” It’s Claire’s story.

When we meet Claire, she’s lost her beloved son to war, has a strained relationship with her daughter, and is about to be divorced for a younger woman. Her journey is one of bouncing back and redefining herself as she rediscovers the grown daughter who never gives up on her. Spiraling on a self-destructive path, Claire fights to find her way – and a reason to start over.

Many reviewers connect with Claire’s situation, and find “The Storm Within” to be an emotional journey:

– “I completely emphasized with Claire . . . I really felt her pain, and was rooting for her to stay strong.”

– “Such a deep and emotional story of one woman’s anguishing descent into despair, and her journey toward triumph over adversity.”

– “I experienced so many emotions — fear, anger, disappointment, anguish, happiness and triumph — all in one book!”

 

Book two, “Second Wind,” picks up at the end of “The Storm Within,” following a devastating tornado. Dana, head nurse at the local hospital, is a single mom whose focus has been her kids and her job. Just when she thinks it’s smooth-sailing ahead, her youngest drops out of college, and the tornado rips through town – reducing her home to rubble and her life to chaos. The story follows Dana through the stages of grief as she deals with the loss and confronts a new future.

 

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Book Three — Barefoot Days

Mary Logan believes in the goodness of people. She believes in grace under pressure. But when the ugliness of human nature touches her family, and a series of seismic events shake up her world, she’s put to the test again and again.

She and her husband are supposed to be enjoying the benefits of early retirement. Their nest is empty. It’s time to travel and re-focus. It’s their time. Then an alarming diagnosis and an unexpected announcement from their daughter change everything. Facing the possibility of heart-wrenching loss, Mary finds herself breaking commitments, forcing smiles, and keeping secrets.

Until now, her cup has always been half full. Will a positive outlook be enough to withstand the challenges ahead?

-“An inspiring story, “Barefoot Days” is the journey to the light at the end of the tunnel.”-

-“This author once again struck a chord with me. Compelling story line with characters I could relate to.”

-“You’ll cheer, cry, and enjoy this journey where you’ll be reunited with these great friends (you met them in the first two books of this trilogy) who remind you of the important role our gal pals play in our lives. Bravo!“