In the Mirror

WOMEN'S FICTION:  Jennifer Benson should have had all the time in the world:  with a successful business, perfect family, and plenty of friends, death should not have been something to worry about. Despite the energy inside, Jennifer’s body is betraying her, even as she fights the deadly illness that has claimed so many others. Now, Jennifer is using her remaining time to remind herself why she wants to live, reviewing relationships from her past and present, rediscovering romance and fighting for just one more day.

An inspirational contemporary tale, “In the Mirror” takes a sensitive topic and really explores it with a balance of fight and forfeit. Through Jennifer and the rest of the cast, friends, family, and nurses, the reader sees both the struggles and the triumphs. Jennifer is a sympathetic character in that she has a lot of good things in her life, and yet she herself is far from perfect. Her relationship with her husband and an old flame who arrives during her weakest moments help to explore both her history, but also how the past can affect us in times of trouble. The humor is light but eases some of the hardest moments, leaving the reader with both tears and smiles. The main downside is the lack of a solid ending, which leaves the reader hoping for the best but fearing the worst.  A true tearjerker.

Sarah E. Bradley