Book Review: The Lost Husband

Title: The Lost Husband
Author: Katherine Center
ISBN: 9780345507945
Publisher: Ballantine Books
Source: Advance copy from publisher via NetGalley
Release Date: May 7, 2013
Rating: 4 out of 5

Synopsis:

Dear Libby, It occurs to me that you and your two children have been living with your mother for—Dear Lord!—two whole years, and I’m writing to see if you’d like to be rescued. 

The letter comes out of the blue, and just in time for Libby Moran, who—after the sudden death of her husband, Danny—went to stay with her hypercritical mother. Now her crazy Aunt Jean has offered Libby an escape: a job and a place to live on her farm in the Texas Hill Country. Before she can talk herself out of it, Libby is packing the minivan, grabbing the kids, and hitting the road.

Life on Aunt Jean’s goat farm is both more wonderful and more mysterious than Libby could have imagined. Beyond the animals and the strenuous work, there is quiet—deep, country quiet. But there is also a shaggy, gruff (though purportedly handsome, under all that hair) farm manager with a tragic home life, a formerly famous feed-store clerk who claims she can contact Danny “on the other side,” and the eccentric aunt Libby never really knew but who turns out to be exactly what she’s been looking for. And despite everything she’s lost, Libby soon realizes how much more she’s found. She hasn’t just traded one kind of crazy for another: She may actually have found the place to bring her little family—and herself—back to life.

My Review:

The Lost Husband is an inspiring and heart warming book. Libby’s husband died three years ago and since then she has been living with  her kids at her mother’s place. Libby’s mother is not an easy person to live with and both mother and daughter have lots of arguments on a daily basis. When aunt Jean’s invitation to live with her on her farm comes through, Libby is excited just to get away from her mother. At that moment any other place seems better and she doesn’t have any second thoughts about accepting that invitation.

Libby packs up her two small children and bravely goes on to live with her aunt. Jean is a free spirited yet wise person. Soon Libby realises her life is going to change completely living simply on the farm and carrying out her daily farm tasks.

Aunt Jean is kind yet firm character. Her take charge attitude is refreshing and she puts out many inspiring words throughout the book. The Lost Husband is an uplifting book and it shows that even though life is hard it makes you strong, optimistic and gives you a second chance to become resilient.