The Patient One
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- £7.99
Publisher Description
Seven former best friends reunite and struggle to heal after the tragic death of one of their own in this evocative and heartrending novel from the New York Times bestselling author of The Gift and Her Secret.
When word had gotten out that Andy Warner had committed suicide, everyone in Walnut Creek, Ohio, had been shocked. For seven men and women in their twenties, some Amish, some Mennonite, and some English, each of whom had once counted his or herself as one of Andy’s best friends, it had been extremely painful.
And, maybe, a source of guilt.
Years have passed since they’d all been together last. Some of them got into trouble. A couple got into arguments. Eventually they all drifted apart. But even though none of them really saw each other anymore, there was a steadfast certainty that they’d always have each other’s backs—even when no one else did. Their bond was that strong…until Andy did the unthinkable.
Now the seven remaining friends, still reeling from Andy’s death, have vowed to look after each other again. As far as they’re concerned, it doesn’t matter that they’re now in their twenties and have drifted far apart. They need to connect again…for Andy.
With her signature “taut writing” (RT Book Reviews), Shelley Shepard Gray delivers a lyrical and heartfelt tale of friendship and forgiveness.
PUBLISHERS WEEKLY
Gray (His Promise) opens the Walnut Creek Series with this enjoyable story of two lifelong friends, an Amish man and a non-Amish woman, who realize that they want to be more than friends. Eight friends grew up in Walnut Creek, Ohio. Three were English (non-Amish), three were Amish, and two were Mennonite, yet they had overcome their religious differences to remain close, until adulthood sent them in different directions. When Andy, the leader of the group, hangs himself, the remaining friends gather at the funeral and decide they need to stay in closer contact. For Marie Hartman, that means leaving her successful life in Cleveland and buying a home in Walnut Creek. She's determined to get Amish John Byler to notice her. John has had feelings for Marie for a long time but won't pursue her because she isn't of the faith. When an Amish friend challenges John to do something about how he feels, John makes a decision, both regarding Marie and whether to be baptized again into the Amish faith. But when John makes his decision and faces being ostracized by his community, he and Marie discover that overcoming their differences may be harder than they imagined. While readers will finish wanting to know more about the other members of the original friend group, this is a pleasing story about recovering from grief and a solid beginning for a new series.
