Goodbye Again by Mariah Stewart #MariahStewart @BrilliancePub

the setup…
Four years ago, Lydia (Liddy) Bryant’s beloved daughter Jessica took her own life at the age of twenty-nine. One year later, her husband Jim packed up and left without explanation, leaving Liddy to grapple with her grief alone and find a new life path. She’s turned her focus towards buying the local bookshop from the retiring owner. It’s in sad shape but Liddy’s vision for it energizes her, best friends Maggie Flynn & Emma Dean, as well as the rest of the Wyndham Beach community. Emmett (Tuck) Shelby is her contractor and he’s committed to more than just the renovation project.

the heart of the story…
Liddy is haunted by her daughter’s suicide, especially since she not only didn’t see it coming but still doesn’t know why she made that choice. Preparing for the opening of the bookshop brings her joy and resolution, however, and Tuck’s apparent interest in her is reciprocated. I loved how this mature relationship developed, absent a lot of drama and miscommunication. The story is multilayered as Grace Flynn, Maggie’s daughter, is also finding her way since moving to Wyndham Beach. She’s helping Liddy in substantive ways and opening herself to a new relationship with Tuck’s son Linc who’s spearheading renovations to a new space for Grace.

the narration…
I really liked this narrator as she sounded like I thought Liddy would, full of spark and sass as that’s her personality. She also has strong storytelling skills and wonderful tone.

the bottom line…
I expected to like this series but am unprepared for how much I’m loving the characters, their lives and circumstances and the town itself. There’s a strong sense of community but the downside of small towns exists right along with the merits. Everyone knows your business but sometimes that’s a good thing. I liked both Liddy and Grace’s new relationships and they were markedly different, a realistic contrast given their age disparities and experience. There are important revelations that deeply impact Liddy, including the reemergence of her husband. But throughout, the close bond between the three friends (Liddy, Maggie & Emma) make this story more than memorable. And, I highly recommend you read the entire series in order.

Book Info

• Release Date: February 8, 2022
• Series: Wyndham Beach #2
• Narrator: Amanda Collins
• Audio Length: 10 hours, 48 minutes
• Publisher: Brilliance Audio

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(Thanks to Brilliance Audio for my complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.)