Select one of the keywords
One Moment, One Morning    by Sarah Rayner Amazon.com order for
One Moment, One Morning
by Sarah Rayner
Order:  USA  Can
Griffin, 2012 (2011)
Hardcover, Softcover, e-Book
* * *   Reviewed by Wanda Plourde

Can you imagine being a commuter on a train going towards London and witnessing a sudden death? That's what happens to Lou one morning on the Brighton to London line. Sitting there, just observing the people milling about, she witnesses a woman stroking her husband's hand lovingly and talking softly. Then suddenly the man vomits and keels over.

The train is stopped and an ambulance is on the way. People all around are mumbling and complaining, not realizing that this man has died of a massive heart attack. But life for some of the people involved will never be the same again. This story intertwines events for three particular women - Karen, the wife of the deceased; her best friend Anna who was in fact on the same train but further ahead; and Lou who saw it all.

This novel depicts what happens in a week following that fateful morning and shows how there can be hope, courage and sadness all rolled into one. As the back cover says, one moment is all it takes to shatter everything. Yet it also reminds us that somehow, despite it all, life can and will go on.

This beautiful novel touched a part of me and actually helped me in a way I can't even put into words. It is slightly shocking at first, but grips you so you will not be able to put it down. It plays with all of the emotions - making you laugh, cry, and even get angry - but also emphasizes our humanity in an endearing way.

Note: Opinions expressed in reviews and articles on this site are those of the author(s) and not necessarily those of BookLoons.

Find more Contemporary books on our Shelves or in our book Reviews