Reader Radar #7

Title: The Wedding Dress

Author:          Ellie Keaton

Medium:        Kindle

Goodreads Synopsis:  

Meg knew exactly what she wanted: to be the Investment Director of Solomon Bank by the time she turned 30. And nothing would stop her. Not the fact that she’d be the youngest one in the history of the company. Or the fact that she’d be the first female Director. And especially not a man.

Then she met Tyler, and everything changed. It was like they were destined to be together. The attraction was immediate, and the follow-through was more passionate and amazing than she could have ever hoped for.
But Tyler was gone now. She could barely bring herself to think about their brief time together. As she stared at her wedding dress, she reflected on the fact that almost everything would be in place: a perfect gown, a perfect venue, a perfect ceremony. But not her perfect groom. 

There are moments in your life that are simply branded forever into your memory.  Memories that you take with you always, and that you revisit with others with the sentence, “I remember exactly what I was doing when…”  My most recent memory like that is of Tuesday, September 11, 2001.  The sky was a perfect blue and there was a teeny tiny hint of autumn in the Arkansas wind that was gently blowing that morning.  Mark Haines and Joe Kernen were sampling purple ketchup on CNBC’s Squawk Box, and my husband was watching while standing in the middle of the living room dressed in a suit getting ready to leave town for the day, when the segment was interrupted with Haines saying that there were reports of a single engine plane hitting the World Trade Center in NYC.

I had to leave for work and I couldn’t wait to find out what was wrong.  Mark promised to call me and keep me updated.  At the time I was working as a family practice nurse, and my days were always busy from the time I walked in the door.  This day I would prove to myself how strong I could be for others.  The television in our area was in the repair shop.  I relied on telephone updates from my husband while simultaneously taking care of patients and their families.  I held hands with some, I cried with others, all the while, not being fully able to grasp what was truly happening to my country.

When we had time in between patients we would scramble to another area to catch a glimpse of what was happening.  We’d hug each other, while making eye contact that said “remain strong”.  We put our patients first.  I remember one particular phone call from the spouse of a patient who was being seen.  I was asked to give instructions to the spouse to go by the bank on the way home and take out all of the money.  Then another patient was hysterical with grief because she lost loved ones in the Oklahoma City bombing and she was fearful that the whole country was in peril.

I also had a college world history course that night.  I called my professor to see if she was going to cancel class and her answer was something like, “No the terrorists would want the whole country to stop, we’ll be having class and showing them.”  I never really liked her or her class much, but I went.  She let us talk for a little while then got right into her lecture about ancient China or something.

By the time I made it home, I was emotionally and physically exhausted.  My husband postponed his trip, but was still in his shirt and tie when I got home.  I don’t remember eating dinner; I only remember watching the news.

Tuesday, September 11, 2001 is a day that I will never forget, so when I received an email from Ellie Keaton asking me to review The Wedding Dress, the first book in her Survivors Club Series, I was honored to do so.

The Wedding Dress is a novella that touches the heart and the mind.  It made me think and made me wonder.  I wondered how a family member can go on after a tragedy of such magnitude.  I wondered how one can get out of bed every day knowing what kind of death their loved one had.  I wondered why these tragedies happen to some people and not others.

The Wedding Dress also reminded me that it’s okay to grieve and be sad, but it’s also okay to move forward, never forgetting. I was reminded also the true meaning of friendship.  Ms. Keaton writes few words, but those few words hold so much meaning.  The story may not be a true account, but I bet that there is a shred of reality in there. It was beautifully written and very touching.

Ms. Keaton is definitely on my Reader Radar!  You should check her out.  She is also generously donating 15% of her proceeds to Tuesday's Children I think you should check them out too!