Bridge to Destiny is April Marie Libs’ debut novel inspired on real life events. It is the story of Avery, a young woman who is living the dream. She is happily married to Mitchel, a wonderful man who adores her and their sweet four-year-old daughter, Hannah. But as in real life, tragedy struck her when she least expected. Her husband Mitchel dies in a tragic a car accident, an event that truly devastates Avery.

...the only she could register feeling was hallowed, empty, completely numb, as if her entire existence had depleted into an abyss of paralyzing nothingness.

Even though Avery felt alone and despaired, time heals all wounds. With the help of her wonderful parents, the support from her friends/neighbors and the magical personality of her little daughter, she recovers from her tragic loss only to be hit again by tragedy. Hannah becomes seriously injured in a household accident leaving Avery in a struggle to fight for her daughter’s life. During Hannah’s illness, Avery meets Nathan, a charming, single neurologist, who is instantly taken by Avery and so begins her journey to allow herself to fall in love with him.

I know what you’re thinking, what’s so great about this if it’s so predictable? Yes, it’s predictable but unlike many women fiction stories, this love story is not a conventional one. It is not an instant love story in which she falls for him, he falls for her, they have sex, a conflict happens and they live happily ever after. This love story like good wines, took time to develop. It was written in a way that even though you know they’ll end up together, you actually enjoy the wait. After all, good things come to those who wait, right? Also, it is not only about Avery falling in love again. It is about Avery being a mom, doing whatever it takes to get her daughter’s health back, while finding herself, bonding with and giving back to others.

Bridge to Destiny is written in third person narration, which was a great move from the author in my humble opinion, because it allows the reader to bond with each and every one of the characters in this story. More about this and the characters on the full review on my blog

Bridge to Destiny is a compelling story, filled with happy and sad events that feel right out of real life and to which many can relate to. My favorite scene of all was when Hannah sang for her daddy, impossible not to feel anything or get teary eyed with that one.

The title and the cover make total sense once you finish reading this story. I would change the title font, but then again, that’s just me being picky.

There’s a song by Alanis Morissette that says:

Well life has a funny way of sneaking up on you
when you think everything’s okay and everything’s going right
And life has a funny way of helping you out when
you think everything’s gone wrong and everything blows up
in your face

Avery’s life felt like that part of the song.

Bridge to Destiny is a story of love, friendship, family, and survival. A story that teaches you that there is life after grief and that it is OK to ask for help and reach out to others in your times of need. A story of hope. Read this book if you’re in the mood for a fast paced emotional roller coaster ride. You’ll fall in love, you’ll laugh, you’ll cry, you will feel everything in between, and in the end you will feel good. A good addition for your spring or summer reading lists.

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DISCLOSURE STATEMENT

I received an Electronic copy of this book but was not financially compensated in any way nor obliged to review. The opinions expressed are my own and are based on my personal experience while reading it. This post contains affiliate links

What a book.... This story will touch you from the inside and leave you feeling emotional in all sorts of ways. I must admit, when I first started the book, I had to put it down. Not because it was bad, but when I'm faced to think about death, it sends me into a panic attack. For me, I struggle not knowing what comes next. Just the idea that one day I won't be alive frightens me. I set this story aside for a little and read a few other books, but I knew I would come back to the story--don't get me wrong. Once I was ready to continue the story, I didn't turn back.

The heroine Avery goes through so much in her life. More heartache than one woman should go through. And when love did come knocking on her door again, I couldn't blame her for rejecting it. To lose a husband and go through almost losing her daughter months later, I'm not sure I could ever let someone in again myself. When Avery does let Nick in and finds she is attracted to him, then she has to deal with guilt--as though she is cheating on her deceased husband.

If you're looking for a sappy, light romance, you're not gonna get that here. Instead you're going to read a story that's going to get you thinking. How would you handle the cards that were given to Avery? This story will make you think. This story will probably even make you cry. But this story is one worth reading and having as a keeper on your bookshelf to share with friends.

The writing was good. The story flowed well. At times, I felt a few scenes dragged, but it might have just been my comfort zone. We spend a lot of time with her daughter Hannah as she's in the hospital. The auther makes this real, and as the reader I felt like I was going through it all with Hannah and Avery--which may be why I wanted to see Hannah go home so bad. I wanted out of the hospital myself. lol