Friday, September 26, 2014

Beginning ~ with a fatal accident

Change of Heart ~ by Jodi Picoult, 2008, fiction
In the beginning, I believed in second chances.  How else could I account for the fact that years ago, right after the accident — when the smoke cleared and the car had stopped tumbling end over end to rest upside down in a ditch — I was still alive; I could hear Elizabeth, my little girl, crying?  The police officer who had pulled me out of the car rode with me to the hospital to have my broken leg set, with Elizabeth — completely unhurt, a miracle — sitting on his lap the whole time.  He'd held my hand when I was taken to identify my husband Jack's body.  He came to the funeral.  He showed up at my door to personally inform me when the drunk driver who ran us off the road was arrested.
Those are the first lines, and here's the publisher's description of the book:
One moment June Nealon was happily looking forward to years full of laughter and adventure with her family, and the next, she was staring into a future that was as empty as her heart.  Now her life is a waiting game.  Waiting for time to heal her wounds, waiting for justice.  In short, waiting for a miracle to happen.  For Shay Bourne, life holds no more surprises.  The world has given him nothing, and he has nothing to offer the world.  In a heartbeat, though, something happens that changes everything for him.  Now, he has one last chance for salvation, and it lies with June's eleven-year-old daughter, Claire.  But between Shay and Claire stretches an ocean of bitter regrets, past crimes, and the rage of a mother who has lost her child.


Gilion at Rose City Reader hosts Book Beginnings on Fridays.  Click here for today's Mister Linky.

6 comments:

Lisa Ks Book Reviews said...

I'm interested to know if this buds into a relationship of some sort.

Katherine P said...

I have read one Picoult book which I loved up until the end which drove me crazy. This one sounds really interesting though! Hope you enjoy it!

sherry fundin said...

Every day is a new day. We never know what is waiting for us, we just have to get up and do.
sherry @ My Friday Memes

Sandra Nachlinger said...

Jodi Picoult is one of my favorite authors. In fact, I just finished reading House Rules, and I read Change of Heart a while back. Good stories.
Here's the link to my Friday post: Coulda Been a Cowboy.

Unknown said...

Wow, such a gripping introduction to the story. I would keep reading! What a relief to know that little Elizabeth came out unharmed; sad, about the husband though.

Here's mine:
Sparrow’s BB & Friday 56

Helen's Book Blog said...

This sounds so good! I have only read Plain Truth by Picoult, but keep meaning to read more of them