#BookReview: The Happiness in Between by Grace Greene

About the Book

A woman returns home to hide from her past mistakes and discovers one more chance at happiness.

Sandra Hurst has left her husband. Again. After dropping out of college to marry Trent, divorcing him, then remarrying him, she’s shown up on her parents’ doorstep nursing her wounds. But her parents refuse to help this time—emotionally or financially.

Desperate to earn money and determined to start over, she accepts an offer from her aunt to house-sit at the old family home, Cub Creek, in ruggedly beautiful rural Virginia. But when Sandra arrives, she finds the house has grown shabby, her aunt’s dog is missing, and the garden is woefully overgrown. And she suspects her almost-ex-husband is on her trail.

As she begins to settle into the familiar homestead, powerful secrets and hurtful memories are unearthed. But Sandra discovers that to move on from the pain of her past, she must embrace the beauty of her future. Getting back to her roots—with a little help from her handsome new neighbor Colton and his son; her aunt’s devoted dog, Honey; and a lush garden on the brink of either failing or flourishing—may be just what Sandra needs. And this final chance could lead to regaining her self-respect, making peace with her family, discovering what she’s truly made of…and becoming the woman she was always meant to be. And along the way, she just might find a bit of happiness in each day.

My Review

This was a book I listened to in audio, and I thought the narrator did a fantastic job. Easy to listen to, and she did several voices very well. The story was very intriguing, with Sandra’s estranged husband and their seemingly volatile relationship, the dynamic between Sandra and her mother, and the storyline that begins to unfold once she arrives in Cub Creek. I was slightly hesitant to download this book because I was worried it could get too dark with Trent’s behavior and actions, but I didn’t think it got too heavy to the point where I couldn’t read it. There was definitely some incredibly sad scenes or moments that made me hold my breath, but nothing went too far in my opinion. I loved learning about Cub Creek and Sandra’s family home, and I would be quite curious to get a follow up book for this story!

4 stars