Time for a new book review of Her Hike by Jessica Chenard, and this one is close to home. Her Hike is her debut memoir, and I’m privileged to remark on a friend’s work.

Jessica’s brother, Richard, is mostly remembered for how he died- an overdose of prescription medication. This is the unfortunate reality for many who lose their battle with addiction.

Until now. Her Hike is Jessica taking back the story of her brother’s life, back to who he really was before the pills. The brother she knew. And woven into all of this is how she healed from such a terrible reality.

You either run from it or deal with it. And it’s terrifying and treacherous either way.

She is real about the space left by someone whose mortal life has ended. And just because time makes it fade from other people’s purview does not mean you stop feeling it, stop seeing it in everything. There are several passages that grip my attention, but the ones that really stick out to me are those where she candidly confronts pain.

The mountains provide a shared space for her, her grief, and her brother’s memory to coexist. And even find joy. This book takes you on the trails of actual mountains and those toward finding peace.

She understands the strange tension of joy and grief, and how they live and feed into each other. That’s a hard balance to strike. And for that, this is a work I’ll be recommending to those who are new to coming out of deep pain.

Her love of the outdoors is contagious in the book and in reality. I am a member of her women’s hiking group, Her Hike Collective, and can recall times where we shared what these hikes did for us.

I know that for myself, hiking with Jessica helped me reconnect with nature. And it isn’t too far off to say it inspired me to rekindle my love of the outdoors. Eventually, that lead me back to horses as well; something that has brought me tremendous joy.

If you’re seeking a book that can help you begin the journey of grief towards healing, this is a great start. To those who don’t know deep sorrow, this is a good glimpse into that experience. To those who intimately know grief, you’ll see yourselves.

It’s a quick and easy read, too. Woman to woman, you’ll feel like you’re walking with her.

To start that journey with her, grab a copy of Her Hike from your favorite bookseller today. And try to support local bookshops, too, okay?

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