Review: One Perfect Day by Lauraine Snelling

I received One Perfect Day by Lauraine Snelling from Miriam Parker at Hachette Book Group USA. A BIG thanks to Miriam and Hachette for sending me this book! I love getting books!!

One Perfect Day tells the story of two mothers - one mother who loses a family member in an accident, donating the organs; and one mother who has a family member that receives one of the donated organs. The back of the book: Nora Peterson is determined to make this Christmas perfect. Next year her twin teenagers will be off at college, and their lives will never be quite the same. With her husband delayed on a business trip abroad, Nora's nerves are already frazzled when she gets the news of a car accident that will not only change the Petersons' lives forever, but also those of another family whom they've never met.

As a nurse, Jenna Montgomery has always struggled with balancing her personal and professional life. Her daughter, Heather, has suffered from a heart defect for most of her life. Now that Heather is twenty years old and still on the organ transplant waiting list, Jenna must find a way to accept that this is likely their last Christmas together. Then the miracle that Jenna has desperately prayed for becomes a reality in an instant, and Heather's health is restored.

While Nora struggles with depression and grief, Jenna discovers that miracles aren't always easy to receive.

This is an interesting topic to explore in a novel. Even though I have not lost a close family member recently and as tragically, I found Nora's response in her grief to be very real. She is questioning herself, is angry with God, can't get out of bed. She is desperate and can't see past her grief. I can see myself responding in similar fashion. And with Jenna, her worries, actions and fears also felt very right on. I cannot fathom going through what either of these women go through in this book, but it all felt like this is exactly how it would happen and how they would react.

But...I didn't really connect with either of these women. I don't know if it's due to the fact that I've not experienced their tragedies or how the book was written. I am not great at dissecting the why's (that's why I am an engineer and despised english and literature in school) but just know that I didn't feel connected or bonded with either of these ladies. And that disappointed me because I wanted to connect with them.

Author Lauraine Snelling has written over fifty other books, both fiction and non-fiction. I think I will try another one of hers because the potential was definitely there and I don't want to judge all her books on this one being just okay.

Rating: 3/5 stars