Sara Richards was the mother of a grown daughter, Paula. Sara’s mother, Mary Ellen Noland, hated Paula’s name so badly that she called her by her initials, PB. Even living with her mother’s attitude all those years, Sara was still dumbfounded when she received an envelope forwarded from the Department of the Navy. Her father had been Navy but he’d been dead over ten years.

Inside the envelope were three letters written to Sara. They were from her life’s love, Paul Steinert. Paul had numbered the letters 28, 29 and 30. Sara could not believe that Paul was telling her he loved her and kept asking her why she didn’t write to him. She had written to him consistently until she never heard from him. Finally she gave up and faced her parents with the news that she was pregnant. Later, she found out from her father than Paul’s ship had been bombed and there were no survivors.

This author has created fabulous main characters as well as the supporting cast members. This poignant story has a unique plot which is unequaled. When Sara found out how her parents had fabricated a lie to keep her from Paul, she faced, seemingly insurmountable difficulties dealing with her mother. The myriad of emotions and baggage faced by these two—and later Paul also—showed depth and dimensions rarely explored in characters.

As I continued to read, I shed some tears, laughed some, and definitely did not want the story to end. It is a magnificent study in the resilience of the human spirit and the power of love. I cannot possibly recommend this book highly enough. It’s extraordinary.

Overall rating:
Sensuality rating: Mildly sensual

Reviewer: Brenda Talley
July 17, 2008