Official Review: From I-80 to Galway Bay by James Christie

[Shrabastee Chakraborty]

[Following is an official OnlineBookClub.org review of "From I-80 to Galway Bay" by James Christie.]

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4 out of 4 stars

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For Addie Harris, life lost all meaning when a horrific car accident near I-80 killed her husband. Adam, who was driving another car nearby, arrived at the wreck just in time to resuscitate her. Newly widowed and numb with grief, Addie now feels a burning desire to meet her savior and thank him. Unbeknownst to her, however, this act of kindness had incurred too great a cost for Adam. Broken beyond repair, he now seeks ways to end his life. Touched by death and scarred for life, will the duo ever find solace? From I-80 to Galway Bay, by James Christie, narrates Addie and Adam’s interconnected stories.

Despite being listed as a romance, this book was much more than a mere love story. An unbreakable bond had formed between Addie and Adam from the moment the latter breathed life into the former. The book chronicled their journey from grief and depression to acceptance and self-realization. I loved how Christie unraveled this slow and gradual transition within the span of a single book. There were no sudden moments of epiphany; however, each day brought with it an imperceptible change. Often it was a close dance between life and death, the characters precariously balancing on a thin thread. Yet, life triumphed over death each time.

Christie portrayed each character with immense love and care. Sketched in elaborate details, they were flawed yet realistic. Addie’s mother personified a heartless and self-centered woman, someone who immediately generated intense dislike. In contrast, Jeannie, an octogenarian in the clutches of dementia whom Adam met during his journey, was sweet and charming. You would want to cherish her friendship forever. There were characters like Lucy, Adam’s sister-in-law, who had an enormous impact on his life yet drifted away gradually. Christie also demonstrated how each person they met affected their lives in small ways and imparted valuable life lessons. Their kindness and generosity left a lasting impact, while their cruelty could give a lifelong scar.

Beautiful descriptions of the scenic beauty complemented the storyline. The snow-covered I-80 represented the grief following the loss of a loved one, while the rocky Scottish shores perfectly mirrored the turmoil inside Adam’s soul. Throughout the book, cryptic chapter headings kept me anticipating future events.

I have nothing negative to say about this gratifying, wholesome novel. From a technical standpoint also, it contained only a few errors. Consequently, I rate this a well-deserved 4 out of 4 stars. I would recommend this book to any reader who appreciates character-driven, heart-warming reads. However, topics like suicide attempts and the loss of family members require a mature audience.

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From I-80 to Galway Bay
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[Francis Aderogbin]

This book will contain a great lesson about accepting what we can't change. Thanks for this concise review.

[Petruschka1]

Sometimes something positive can origin from a tragic event. This seems to be the case here. Rural Scotland is indeed a beautiful setting for a novel. I have enjoyed reading your review.

[Jeon_Alyssa]

From this alone, I can see that the lesson from this book will be one to remember and to cherish.
Good job so far!