The Goodbye Quilt-Susan Wiggs

Linda Davis is a woman losing her identity, not stolen, but her daughter is going to colllege and she is feeling the empty nest descend on her.

I remember that feeling, when my daughter and grandchild moved to Florida, I wept for what seemed like weeks. I got so bad, the Man sent me flowers with a note that said "Smile Dammit!" I did...eventually.

Linda decides it would be a good idea to drive to college with her daughter, cross country. As Molly, her daughter drives, Linda works on a quilt, using pieces of Molly's life, the dress her father bought her, the Halloween costume, a snippet of her dress from her first day of school.

As Linda dreads the end of the journey, she knows it will be an ending and a beginning for both of them. Molly is having second thoughts, having left her boyfriend, and she is unsure of what to do.

I cried like a baby at the end of this book, it was that true to life, those feelings of loss when your children flee the nest can be overwhelming, and anyone who has been through it can relate. Lucky (?) for me, all my chicks returned to the nest plus a few more!

It seems like I have been reading a lot of books about older women, coping with aging, and the issues we will all face eventually. I liked this book, and cared enough about the characters and situations to weep.

If you need a soul shower, this is an excellent choice.

I received this book from PTA Reviewer Rewards for review. Thank you!