Meander Scar, by Lisa J. Lickel

Ann has been living in emotional limbo for six years, since the disappearance of her husband Gene. When he first disappeared, she made tireless attempts to find him, living or dead. After all these years, Ann longs to move on, especially once she reconnects with Mark, a younger man she knew in happier times. As Ann tries to move forward on her life’s journey, she is confronted with truths about herself, her faith, and her marriage, of which she would never have dreamed. She tries to do the right thing, for herself, for her son Ritchie, and for Mark, in an attempt to finally get her happy ever after. Through all this, Mark waits, patiently, and lovingly, but when real roadblocks pop up, will he just turn around and leave?

Have you ever had a book that just left you almost hungry for what was going to happen next? This was one of those books for me. The action of the storyline starts right from the first page, and in it I was happily swept. Lisa Lickel writes characters that are real, and down to earth, reminding us of people in our lives. Who among us does not know someone like Ann, just muddling along her life’s path without really seeking purpose or direction? And who among us would not like to know someone like Mark, handsome, faithful, successful, and doting? Many of the scenes in the story, particularly the family scenes, were so vividly written, I could have sworn I was there, eating Thanksgiving dinner with them.

Technically, I guess this novel is classified as a romance, but it is nothing like what comes to mind when you think of romance novels. There is richness and a depth to the storyline that goes beyond normal romance, to the very heart and soul of life. There is mystery to the storyline, and drama. I personally think this would make an utterly fantastic movie, one I would want to watch again and again. Perhaps that is because Lisa writes the story in such a way that I can see it happening in my mind, in movie like fashion. To me, this is the mark of an excellent book.

I am thrilled to add Lisa to my list of new authors, ones I will continue to seek out for good reads. I would recommend this book to lovers of romance novels, dramatic novels, and even mystery novels, because I think there is something there that would appeal to all of them. The strong themes of family, faith, forgiveness, and morality make this a wonderful book for mature teenage readers as well as adults. This would be an excellent book for a book club discussion, because Lisa writes characters and scenes that we all can relate to.

In short, Meander Scar is a great summer read, and I hope you have an opportunity to check it out. You will not be disappointed.

This book was provided for review by the author.


***Just a few days left to enter my giveaway, which ends June 12:01 am June 1st. See details here***