A Quiet Life by Ethan Joella

 

A Quiet Life by Ethan Joella.

Published 23rd February 2023 by Muswell Press.

From the cover of the book:

Chuck Ayers used to look forward to nothing so much as his annual trip to Hilton Head with his wife, Cat. Now, just months after Cat’s death, Chuck finds that he can’t let go of her things, as he struggles to pack for a trip he can’t imagine taking without her.

Ella Burke delivers morning newspapers and works at a bridal shop to fill her days while she anxiously awaits news—any piece of information—about her missing daughter. Ella adjusts to life in a new apartment and answers every call on her phone, hoping her daughter will reach out one day.

After the sudden death of her father, Kirsten Bonato set aside her veterinary school aspirations, finding comfort in the steady routine of working at an animal shelter. But as time passes, old dreams and new romantic interests begin to surface—and Kirsten finds herself at another crossroads. 

In this beautifully crafted and profoundly moving novel, three parallel narratives converge in poignant and unexpected ways, as each character bravely presses onward, trying to recover something they have lost. Emotionally riveting and infused with hope, A Quiet Life celebrates humanity in the midst of uncertainty.

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In wintery Pennsylvania, three people are struggling to come to terms with their grief: Chuck Ayers is spending his first snowy season alone after the death of his wife, and trying to decide if he can face their annual trip to South Carolina without her; Ella Burke is waiting for news about her missing daughter; and Kirsten Bonato feels lost without the father who she thought would always be there.

Each of them is held in the grip of their loss, reflecting on the past, and unable to move on - but all is not lost. As their lives touch, they begin to see that they can each make a difference to help the others work through their pain, and in doing so find a way to deal with their own.

I adored Ethan Joella's powerfully moving debut, A Little Hope, so his follow up, A Quiet Life, was right at the top of my list of most anticipated reads! 

As in A Little Hope, this is a quiet book with fathomless depth that follows the lives of characters who are struggling to hold things together under the enormous weight of sorrows that they feel unable to share with those around them. However, unlike in his previous book, which beautifully portrays the intricate workings of a community, Joella narrow the focus down to three characters, who we get to know in intimate detail. 

Interestingly, only Chuck is dealing with a situation that is most familiar, as he is reeling from the death of his wife after a long illness. The myriad feelings that come with this kind of loss are the most relatable, as he reflects on their time together, and feels guilty about the issues that can never be resolved now she has gone. There is such poignancy in the way he finds himself unable to clear the house of objects that hold so many memories, and his inability to contemplate travelling to a place where he will be reminded of the happy times they spent together. However, in Ella and Kirsten's stories, the grief that overpowers them comes primarily from events that are ones no one wants to have to confront. In Ella's case, her father was gunned down while at a gas station, and in Kirsten's her child has been abducted by her former husband. 

While common themes echo through the three stories, plucking deftly on the heartstrings in the way that Joella proved he can do so effectively in his previous work, this novel also offers a glimpse of a different side to his writing: one which weaves in an element of tension to what is essentially a tale steeped in the drama of human emotion, with an anxious search for a child in Ella's case, and some enchanting romantic suspense for Kirsten - and he does it very well.

For me, the most wonderful thing about this story is the way the three characters become involved in each other's lives. Their interactions are tentative at first, in scenes that break up their own reveries to give each of them a reason to think of the troubles of others at times when their own grief is all consuming. As you get to know each of them, in parallel you also see their relationships growing in a way that lifts your heart. Somehow, just by being more open to the suffering of others, by giving something of themselves, they come to terms with their ghosts and initiate a healing process.

I have to be honest and say that I was not sure that this book could affect me as much as A Little Hope did, but I should not have worried. I came to love these characters even more, and was completely invested in their journeys towards the quiet lives they craved. This story thrums with love, compassion, and hope, with a lovely thread of romance to boot. I adored it, and had a good old cry at the end. I long for more from the pen of the very talented Ethan Joella.

A Quiet Life is available to buy now in multiple formats.

Thank you to Muswell Press for sending me a proof of this book in return for an honest review, and for inviting me to be part of this blog tour.

About the author:

Ethan Joella was consistently compared to Elizabeth Strout in the UK reviews for his first book, A Little Hope. 

He teaches English and Psychology at the University of Delaware and specialises in community writing workshops. He lives in Delaware with his wife and tow daughters, but is of Irish heritage.