Joy Candallaro was loving her life. It was Christmas time for the high school librarian and she wanted nothing more than spend it with the two people she loved, her sister Stacey and her husband Thom. It was a great Christmas and a good feeling.
It was a a few months later that Joy’s life was turn upside down when she found her husband and sister in bed together. Life was agonizing. She got a divorce and her attitude was sullen and in despair. Joy was constantly reminded by her co-workers to snap out of it but he couldn’t. She quit seeing her sister and best friend Life was terrible. The next Christmas rolled around and she hadn’t done a thing in preparation. When school let out for Christmas vacation, she had no idea what to do.
Joy did decide to buy a tree on the way home and it was late in the year and very brown looking but she bought it and drove home. When she got got to her driveway, her sister was waiting for her. Joy figured that Stacey and Thom broke up. Nope. Stacey was there to hand deliver a weeding invitation instead. Joy was flipping out. Stacey told her that she was pregnant with Thom’s child and that drove her over the top. She got back into her car and sped away. Just driving. As she looked up she said an entrance to the airport and she decided to take a vacation and get away.
With no destination in mind, she wandered around a then saw a flight to Hope Canada. She thought she needed Hope and inquired at the ticket counter about it. They told her it was a private flight and the guy in charge was right over there. She approached and asked if any seats were left that she could purchase. He said one was available. She paid him and found out it was a bunch of men on a hunting trip. She sat down and waited while reading a fishing magazine. Joy was a librarian and would read anything. She came across an advertisement for Comfort Fishing Lodge which she found fascinating. She took the ad to re-read.
The flight took off and she took her seat in the very back. After awhile something didn’t seem correct as she felt like the plane was in a downward trajectory. The the pilot told all to buckle up and brace themselves. Joy felt impact and things shifted as she felt things moving . Something hit her in the head and caused pain. Then the plane tipped over in a forest as she could hear the ripping of the plane. When it stopped, Joy unhooked her belt and fell out of her seat upon the top of the plane since it had tipped over only to feel cut and pain on her legs and knees. Smoke was billowing all over the place and she didn’t know which way was out. She listened and took a chance. She worked her way forward, covering her mouth from the smoke and eventually saw light. When she reached the opening the guy that sold her the ticket helped outside. Devastation all over.
Joy heard sirens of police and ambulance and looked ahead at the guy sitting by a clump of trees. Something told her to keep moving and she turn to the loft with a pound headache and moved away from the police and ambulance and decide to start her life over. She forgot that only one person knew she bought a plane ticket and she could go unnoticed until school started. She kept getting further away from the plane as she hobbled down the rods that were virtually quiet.
On and on she went. Until….around the corner she found a building that said Comfort Fishing Lodge. She edged towards it even though it look very worn down and in need of paint and repair.
NOTE: The real adventure starts here. This was a very good book. Be sure to read the rest as Kristen Hannah is a talented author.