I was provided with a copy of Margaret from Maine by Joseph Monninger in exchange for an honest review.
This book begins with Margaret Kennedy, who lives on a dairy farm in a very rural part in Maine. Her husband Thomas, was injured in war overseas and left in a vegetative state due to his bravery. His body lived, but the spirit of the man had long ago left his physical shell. That made things very hard from Margaret as she is made to care for Thomas, as well as take care of the dairy farm and their young son. Her spirit breaks with each passing day. But, when the President signs a bill in support of wounded veterans, she hopes that things will start to change and that she will find some relief. She receives a chance invitation to the capital, and Charlie King, a handsome Foreign Service officer, takes it upon himself to escort her there. But, what happens on the trip is what makes this story special, because the two of them fall in love. But, things become difficult. With her husband still alive and breathing, although no longer really alive in every sense of the word, she is torn by the man that she once loved and her duty to him as his wife … but torn also because her heart longs to be happy with Charlie. Will the two be able to find a way to make it work? Or will their love be lost forever?
I haven’t read a book this good in such a long time. Joseph Monninger truly has a way with words and this book tugged at my heart strings the entire read. I felt for Margaret as she was faced with such a heartbreaking event when her husband was injured in war. But, she loved him and as his wife she took care of him day in and day out. But, I can only imagine what she must have felt like, or how alone she felt. Then, one fateful day brings Charlie into her life, and after six long years of selflessly caring for her injured husband, another man puts a twinklie back in her eye. Gah, what a book! I loved every second of it and was breathless as the pages dwindled down to the end. This book is seriously the most romantic book I have read in a while and I am tempted to put it right up there at the top of my all time reads. Un-put-downable!
Rating: 5 stars
