The Best Is Yet To Come by Debbie Macomber: Book Review

The Best is Yet to Come is an emotional story of a woman who has suffered loss and her ability to take a chance at love. I enjoyed it.

[book-info]

From The Publisher:

A new beginning in charming Oceanside, Washington, is exactly what Hope Godwin needs after the death of her twin brother. There are plenty of distractions, like her cozy cottage with the slightly nosy landlords next door, and a brewing drama among her students at the local high school.

Even having settled quickly into the community, Hope still feels something is still missing. That is, until her landlords convince her to volunteer at their animal shelter. There she meets Shadow, a rescue dog that everyone has given up on. But true to her name, Hope believes he’s worth saving.

Like Shadow, shelter volunteer Cade Lincoln Jr. is suffering with injuries most can’t see. A wounded ex-marine, Cade identifies with Shadow, assuming they are both beyond help. Hope senses that what they each need is someone to believe in them, and she has a lot of love to give. As she gains Shadow’s trust, Hope notices Cade begins to open up as well. Finding the courage to be vulnerable again, Cade and Hope take steps toward a relationship, and Hope finally begins to feel at peace in her new home.

But Hope’s happiness is put to the test when Cade’s past conflicts resurface, and Hope becomes embroiled in the escalating situation at the high school. Love and compassion are supposed to heal all wounds, but are they enough to help Hope and Cade overcome the pain of their past and the obstacles in the way of a better future?

My Thoughts:

Debbie Macomber never fails to disappoint and she certainly hasn’t with The Best Is Yet To Come. Grief is a theme in this book and is one that isn’t always easy to write about. Each of the protagonists is trying to rebuild their lives after loss. Hope lost her twin while he served in the military. Cade has returned from Afghanistan with both physical and mental health challenges.

Hope is new to Oceanside and trying to fit into the community. When it’s recommended to her to volunteer at an animal shelter she decides to take on the challenge. It is there that she is introduced to Cade, as well as to a particularly difficult dog named Shadow. Hope takes on the task of working with this dog who soon learns to trust Hope and she eventually adopts him. As Hope and Cade build a relationship, Cade feels Hope’s support which propels him forward.

Cade has been in trouble with the law and has a judge who has personal reasons why she provides him with options to keep him out of jail. She can see by his profound limp that his leg has been injured and recognizes the sullen disposition of this former soldier. What this judge does for Cade is a key message in this book and shows the importance of strategic planning in helping those with wartime experience and/or PTSD to assimilate back into society.

There is a secondary story that involves Hope in her role as a high school teacher which helps with the development of her character. There is romance in the book, but I would not classify it as a romance novel. For me this fits into the General Fiction or Women’s Fiction genre and I would recommend it to anyone.

I listened to the audiobook version of The Best Is Yet To Come which was narrated by Therese Plummer. I found her voice to be expressive and easy to listen to at my usual 1.5X speed. Those that enjoy audiobooks may wish to choose this format of the book.

What I Liked:

• The key messaging in the book
• The importance of the judge in helping Cade to determine his future
• Hope’s willingness to take on the challenges of both Shadow and Cade.

Acknowledgments:

I used an Audible credit to listen to this book.

A Few of the Other Books I’ve Reviewed from Debbie Macomber: