Some people are blessed to find that one certain person who
completes them.
Wrynn’s yesterdays were what others only dream of having. She and
Tripp were the best of friends before they even thought about love. They had
the fairy tale life where ‘like’ turns into ‘love’, and ‘love’ becomes ‘happily
ever after’.
What happens when life conspires against you, and snatches your
soul mate from your arms?
…only her forever love ended much too soon.
Broken beyond her own ability to repair, Wrynn boxes up her grief
and attempts to raise her three girls the best she can on her own. As time
slowly passes, Wrynn relives her life with Tripp while struggling most days to
get out of bed. She is reminded of him at every turn.
How do you set your grief and anguish aside? How do you pick up the
shattered pieces, put those pieces back together again, and try to move on?
Wrynn tries to find the joy in life every single day through her
daughters, family, and friends. Her twin brother Liam has dedicated himself to
helping Wrynn put her life back together after losing his own love. On the
other hand, her mother-in-law lives to torment her at every turn. Wrynn can't
even find a chance to breathe, much less a desire to somehow search for her
tomorrow.
Searching for
Tomorrow by Kathryn McNeill Crane is 5 Heartbreakingly, Beautiful Hearts. This
is the author’s debut novel and she conquers contemporary romance with a
vengeance with her fresh new voice. This is such a beautiful story about first
and true love. It shows that with strength and commitment, love can truly
overcome the most difficult and trying obstacles. Love helps you push through
and carries you when you are at your lowest moments.
I love how the
author has written this book in both the past and the present. We see her today
as she journeys through her grief and heals and gains strength. But
concurrently, we get to see Wrynn and Tripp’s journey as first, childhood
playmates, best friends, and then eventually a couple. You can’t help but fall in
love with these two. You get to experience first love through them. It is such
a true and beautiful love. Their love for each other is so special and precious
since they are the only love the other has known.
In order to pull
this great story together, the author created fabulous characters. What can I
say about them but, love, love, love them! Well, all of them except for
one…Mrs. Tidwell or Mother Tidwell as Wrynn is made to call her. I absolutely
loathe this woman. She is rude, hateful, and stuck up. She is without any
redeeming qualities. She has always been an awful mother to Tripp and she is
even more awful to Wrynn and her family. More than once I wanted to slap this
lady.
Everyone else in the
story is just awesome! Let’s start with Wrynn. She is someone that I believe
every woman can identify with at some point. Whether it is the love sick
teenager, the determined wife, pregnant mother to be, or the harried mother,
the author captures the essence of what it is to be a woman in this one character.
My heart breaks for Wrynn and her three little girls. After her husband, Tripp,
dies during a mission for the Army, she is broken. He was her best friend. Her
soul mate. Her everything. Her dreams die with him. The magnitude of her grief
is felt so heavily as she tries to go through the motions of everyday life. It
is for her girls, her 3 heartbeats as she calls them, that she struggles to
heal and have a semblance of a normal life.
Tripp is every
girl’s dream come true. He is everything you want in a boyfriend or husband. He
lives for Wrynn and dotes on her. Once he becomes a father, he just melts your
heart. His love for his babies is so sweet. Within himself, he feels the need
to protect and serve, not only his family, but also the country. His drive and
commitment to the Army is very commendable. Through the two, we witness the
hardships of being a military family.
Then we have Liam,
Wrynn’s twin brother and Tripp’s best friend. I absolutely adore Liam. He is
such a good guy. I know that this is Wrynn and Tripp’s story, but I wish we
could have seen a little more of Liam’s side of things. But, that’s what the
second book of the series is for! (Eep! I can hardly wait!) Anyway, he is such
a good brother. He is always there for Wrynn as a best friend, baby sitter,
protector, or, my favorite, spider killer. (I totally share Wrynn’s fear of
those 8 legged creatures!) I can’t wait to get to know him some more.
Liam and Wrynn’s
parents are the glue for these characters. They hold them together and are
always there for them. Where Tripp’s mother was lacking (in everything,) they
picked up the slack and basically raised him as their own. They are such
wonderful people and role models. I love how they instilled morals in all three
of them, and gently, guided them to always do right.
This is story
telling at its finest. Kathryn McNeill Crane has a beautiful way of tearing
your heart out and ripping it to shreds, but at the same time building it up
and making you fall in love. I was totally shattered one minute, laughing
another. This is a story about life. It can be messy, hard, and complicated,
and no matter how much you would like it to just stop or go back, it just keeps
moving and sweeping you along. This also reminds us that during the hard times,
there are also moments of unspeakable joy; you just have to let yourself see
them. This isn’t a book that you should just add to your “to be read” list and
read later, It is a “move it to the top, gotta read it now” book!
I looked out the window and noticed the Inn staff setting up
chairs, the string ensemble tuning their instruments, and there he was. My
heart fluttered in my chest as I gazed at the dream that would soon become my
reality. The very sight of him left me breathless. As a deep, contented sigh
escaped, I noticed that all eyes were on me. This was it, the moment I had
waited for. Time slowed to a crawl, and as all the special memories played out
before me, I saw how each one led me to this day. Content did not come close to
describing the feelings that churned throughout my body, heart, and soul.
Loved. Cherished. Respected. Protected. Blessed. And the one emotion that
topped them all was an excitement that begged to be set free.
******* The minister
motioned to the quartet, and the music changed to Pachelbel’s “Canon in D.”
Movement on the right caught my eye, and as Daddy placed my hand on his arm,
Tripp moved into place beside Pastor Paul. Our eyes met, and the smile on his
face made my nerves vanish. In their place was an eagerness that had my father
laughing. “Slow down, my little songbird. I promise that I will deliver you
safely and quickly.”
What had appeared so solemn and serious at the rehearsal
now seemed to be too much of a bother. My eyes were set on the prize, and I
didn’t want to waste any more time getting to him. With laughter in my eyes and
voice, I looked up at Dad and said, “Hurry, I need to be up there already.”
There was precious little time left with Tripp, and I didn’t want to squander a
second of it. By now, we were halfway down the aisle, and I fought the impulse
to lift my dress and run. When we finally reached the front row where Mom and
Nana sat, I threw caution to the wind, handed my flowers to Dad, and in three
quick steps, I was where I needed to be, wrapped tight in Tripp’s arms. As
laughter broke out among the crowd, Tripp scattered kisses all over my face.
“Nice boots, babe,” he whispered, amusement coloring his voice. “I think the
kiss is supposed to come later.”
“Sorry, but not really,” I whispered back. “I
just couldn’t wait one more second. I love you so much.”
Finally, his lips
settled on mine, and the world around us faded into the background. “Aww, babe.
I love you, too. Let’s get this part over with so we can get on with the rest
of our lives.”
If you are reading this, I think you should know that "About
me" sounds so very pretentious to me. I guess that is what I am supposed
to write about, so here it goes!
Kathryn is a simple country girl who likes to spend time with her
hubba, hunka hubby, her three kids and her friends. She loves to cook and
really loves to eat! During the spring and summer, you will more than likely
find her outside puttering around in her garden. When the veggies start coming
in, she will probably be sweating over a hot canner in the kitchen, canning all
the goodies she is blessed with. Kathryn likes to hike and go camping, and as a
Girl Scout leader, she gets to do this pretty often! On cold winter nights, you
will probably find her wrapped in a warm blanket, lost in a good book, while
sitting in her rocking chair on the front porch!
Kathryn was born and raised in North Carolina, and while she loves
to travel, she can't imagine ever leaving the mountains that she has come to
call home. Not a day goes by that Kathryn doesn't thank God for abundantly
blessing her. He has been so good to her, and she is very grateful. She holds
Jeremiah 29:11 very close to her heart and believes it with every fiber of her
being. "For I know the plans I have for you," declares the Lord,
"plans to prosper you and not to harm you, plans to give you hope and a
future."
Kathryn loves flip flops, chocolate, sweet tea and dirt between her
toes. As far back as she can remember, she's had a book in her hand. Reading
has carried her to places she will never go. It has introduced her to people
that she will never meet. When life is great and when it is rough, she's always
been able to find a book to carry her through. She finally decided to write
down some of the stories in her head (yes, be scared) and heart after dawdling
around and wasting years dreaming. She hopes you enjoy reading those stories as
much as she loves writing them!
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