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Shelter Me
- Author
- Juliette Fay
- Narrator
- Marguerite Gavin
- Publisher
- Blackstone Publishing
- Publish Date
- 22 June 2011
- Run Time
- 13 hours 16 minutes
- Format
- Audiobook
What to expect
In the tradition of Marisa de los Santos and Anne Tyler comes a moving debut about a young mother's year of heartbreak, loss, and forgiveness—and help that arrives from unexpected sources.
Four months after her husband's death, Janie LaMarche remains undone by grief and anger. Her mourning is disrupted, however, by the unexpected arrival of a builder with a contract to add a porch onto her house. Stunned, Janie realizes the porch was meant to be a surprise from her husband—now his last gift to her.
As she reluctantly allows construction to begin, Janie clings to the familiar outposts of her sorrow—mothering her two small children with fierce protectiveness, avoiding friends and family, and stewing in a rage she can't release. Yet Janie's self-imposed isolation is breached by a cast of unlikely interventionists: her chattering, ipecac-toting aunt; her bossy, overmanicured neighbor; her muffin-bearing cousin; and even Tug, the contractor with a private grief all his own.
As the porch takes shape, Janie discovers that the unknowable terrain of the future is best navigated with the help of others—even those we least expect to call on, much less learn to love.
Critics Review
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“A gorgeous paradox of a book: a deep, thoughtful exploration of a young mother’s first year of widowhood that is as much a page-turner as any thriller.”
Marisa de los Santos, New York Times bestselling author
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“A tender tale…Juliette Fay can hit the high notes of emotion with unexpected moments of redemption and wry humor.”
Jacqueline Sheehan, New York Times bestselling author
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“A richly told story…Fay writes with vivid dialog and conjures up characters that feel real enough to be sitting in your kitchen.”
Lee Woodruff, New York Times bestselling author
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“Fay keeps the reader engaged with a vivid descriptive palette evoking the little details of life in a small town. She also does a beautiful job capturing the ebb and flow of single motherhood, from small miracles and little annoyances to the big ordeals…Janie’s journal entries give uncensored voice to her thoughts, which are tinged with searing insight and often hilarious wry humor. ”
Boston Globe
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“Fay’s mingling of Janie’s pithy journal excerpts with crisp traditional plotting adds a nice depth to Janie’s journey to emotional healing. The concerns of single motherhood after sudden tragedy come vividly to life, and as Janie learns to appreciate everyday miracles, readers will be charmed.”
Publishers Weekly
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Details
- Author
- Juliette Fay
- Narrator
- Marguerite Gavin
- Duration
- 13 hours 16 minutes
- Release Date
- 22 June 2011
- ISBN
- 9781483059914
- Format
- Audiobook
- Publisher
- Blackstone Publishing
- Genre
- Fiction: general and literary
Synopsis
In the tradition of Marisa de los Santos and Anne Tyler comes a moving debut about a young mother's year of heartbreak, loss, and forgiveness—and help that arrives from unexpected sources. Four months after her husband's death, Janie LaMarche remains undone by grief and anger. Her mourning is disrupted, however, by the unexpected arrival of a builder with a contract to add a porch onto her house. Stunned, Janie realizes the porch was meant to be a surprise from her husband—now his last gift to her. As she reluctantly allows construction to begin, Janie clings to the familiar outposts of her sorrow—mothering her two small children with fierce protectiveness, avoiding friends and family, and stewing in a rage she can't release. Yet Janie's self-imposed isolation is breached by a cast of unlikely interventionists: her chattering, ipecac-toting aunt; her bossy, overmanicured neighbor; her muffin-bearing cousin; and even Tug, the contractor with a private grief all his own. As the porch takes shape, Janie discovers that the unknowable terrain of the future is best navigated with the help of others—even those we least expect to call on, much less learn to love.
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