Through elegant prose, this powerful book reminds us that in grief and loss we stand united in the love, resilience, and connection that define our humanity. 'A Quiet Life shines with the courage and heart of its characters. Charmaine Wilkerson, author of Black Cake Read this one slowly you’ll want to savor the details.'

Ethan Joella’s latest novel reminds us that life is made of journeys, not only destinations. 'A Quiet Life is filled with people I’d like to meet. Empathetic without becoming saccharine, A Quiet Life highlights the power of closure and the importance of a connected, compassionate community.” Tender, emotionally powerful, and infused with hope, A Quiet Life explores how grief shapes our choices and shows that no matter how dark the most difficult moments in life can be, our humanity and capacity for forgiveness shine through. The lives of these three individuals intersect in unforeseen ways, as each character bravely presses onward, trying to recover something they have lost. But her complicated feelings for two of her colleagues are a distraction from her pain. Once on track to become a veterinarian, Kirsten now feels lost and unmoored. Kirsten Bonato works at an animal rescue shelter and thinks daily about her father who was killed in a convenience store robbery. She adjusts to life in a new apartment and answers every call on her phone, thinking her daughter will reach out one day. Cat died in the spring, and though he cannot bear another moment of being alone in their home, the thought of making the familiar journey without her-not stopping at their favorite lunch spot or listening to her beloved Broadway tunes on the way, not sitting on the beach or playing cards once there-is unimaginable.Įlla Burke delivers newspapers and works at a bridal shop to pass the time while she waits for news-any piece of information-about her missing daughter. Chuck Ayers can’t decide if he should make the trip to Hilton Head this winter without his wife, Cat.

A quiet life ethan joella summary