Book Review: Interrupted: Life Beyond Words by Rachel Coker

Can love really heal all things? If Sam Carroll hadn't shown up, she might have been able to get to her mother in time. Instead, Allie Everly finds herself at a funeral, mourning the loss of her beloved mother. She is dealt another blow when, a few hours later, she is sent from Tennessee to Maine to become the daughter of Miss Beatrice Lovell, a prim woman with a faith Allie cannot accept. Poetry and letters written to her mother become the only things keeping Allie's heart from hardening completely. But then Sam arrives for the summer, and with him comes many confusing emotions, both toward him and the people around her. As World War II looms, Allie will be forced to decide whether hanging on to the past is worth losing her chance to be loved.

My thoughts:

I had barely heard Interrupted mentioned before I requested it on Netgalley, but there was just something about the summary that made me interested. (Probably the mention of WWII. What can I say, I adore love stories set during times of war.) Then I found out that Rachel Coker, the author, was only fourteen years old when she completed Interrupted!

The first thing that struck me with Interrupted was the setting. The story starts out in Tennessee in 1939, and moves on to Maine in 1943-45. Both settings are beautifully described, and the author did a great job making me believe we really were in this time period. There's a certain uncertainty about the future, the war is raging in the background, and still the characters take center stage in this story.

Allie is such an engaging character. Ever since Allie's father left them, she has been stuck in a situation where she has the sole responsibility of caring for her sick Mama, doing her best to make her mother's last days as comfortable as possible. I really ended up feeling sorry for her, because she has not led an easy life, and when her mother dies and Allie is sent to Maine to be adopted by Beatrice, her whole life is turned upside down.

Sam is absolutely adorable. He is not perfect, but he is perfect for Allie, even she can't see that herself. Their relationship is so tender and heartfelt, and I loved how it built up over time. There is nothing instant about their love, and I really liked that.

Interrupted has a somewhat religious message, but I loved how it got that across without ever coming across as "preachy". This is first and foremost a story about love, family, friendship and self-discovery, and I wouldn't hesitate to recommend it to anyone, regardless of their religion.

Cover:

Really pretty, it's got this great magical, dreamy feel to it.

My rating of this book:

Want to know more?

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Visit Rachel Coker's website

Full disclosure:
ARC received from Netgalley

This book can be purchased from a number of local retailers and online book stores like Amazon and The Book Depository (I'm not an affiliate of either). The latter store has free shipping to about 100 countries.