“The Words We Lost” is the latest gem from Nicole Deese.  It’s a powerful and unique reading experience for many reasons.

1:  It is written largely in present tense!  I wasn’t expecting this, and I had not read a book written this way before.  It took some getting used to it, but after a while it felt natural and I didn’t notice it too much.  

2:  One of the main characters is actually deceased.  As we are reading about Ingrid and Joel in the present tense, we follow along with them as they read their late friend’s memoir.  It’s a unique (and rather sad) experience to read these chapters from the perspective of a key character who, in the present day portion, has died.

3:  Although it was not void of humour, I found this to be a rather somber book.  But that’s not a bad thing.  It handles some difficult topics, such as grief, regrets, blame, and trauma.  Diving into these topics in the form of a fictional novel rather than a self-help book is an interesting approach, and I would recommend this book to those who may need a helping hand in these, and other, areas.  Come to think of it, all the books I’ve read from this author generally have themes that could be discussed in a non-fiction format.  I love how she incorporates them into a beautiful story, with realistic characters.  

While browsing the author’s facebook page, I found a summary of the next book in the “Fog Harbor Romance” series.  While I was sort of assuming that book number two might be about secondary characters we met in this book, that does not seem to be the case.  Instead, it appears we will be introduced to a new cast of characters and another intriguing plot.  Although, I suppose there is always the possibility we will be treated to a cameo appearance or two.  In any case, I will be eagerly awaiting the release of “The Roads We Follow” in the upcoming spring season.

“Book has been provided courtesy of Baker Publishing Group and Graf-Martin Communications, Inc.”