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All Is Bright
AN ORIGINAL SHORT STORY FROM THE ACCLAIMED AUTHOR OF THE NOVELS THE OPPOSITE OF ME AND THE UPCOMING SKIPPING A BEAT . . . Thirty-year-old Elise Andrews couldn’t bring herself to marry Griffin, her childhood friend turned sweetheart, so she let him walk away. Eight months after their breakup, she arrives in her hometown of Chicago on Christmas Eve and hears a voice from the past calling her name in the grocery store. It’s Griffin’s mother, Janice, who invites Elise over for a neighborhood gathering of eggnog and carols. Walking into Janice’s house sends Elise tumbling headlong into memories of her relationship with Griffin—and with Janice, who exudes the kind of warmth Elise ached for after her own mom passed away when she was six. But Griffin has moved on, and suddenly Elise doubts her decision to give him up and lose her chance at being folded into his wonderful family. Confused and reeling, she goes in search of an answer to a universal How do we say good-bye to people we’ve loved without losing everything they’ve meant to us? Heartwarming and witty, All Is Bright is a charming story about coming home for the holidays—and finding gifts in the most unexpected of places.
32 pages, Kindle Edition
First published December 21, 2010
123 people are currently reading
2019 people want to read
About the author
Sarah Pekkanen
29 books7,361 followersI'm a #1 New York Times bestselling author of 15 solo and coauthored books, including HOUSE OF GLASS, which is a Goodreads Choice award nominee and Amazon best book of the year.
My upcoming thriller, THE LOCKED WARD, is being hailed by Lee Child as "psychological suspense at its very best."
I'm also the coauthor of four bestselling thrillers: THE GOLDEN COUPLE, THE WIFE BETWEEN US, AN ANONYMOUS GIRL, and YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
I've also written eight novels that are contemporary fiction, not thrillers: THE EVER AFTER, THE PERFECT NEIGHBORS, THINGS YOU WON'T SAY, CATCHING AIR, THE BEST OF US, THE OPPOSITE OF ME, SKIPPING A BEAT, and THESE GIRLS. My linked free short estories, published by Simon&Schuster exclusively for ereaders, are titled "All is Bright," and "Love, Accidentally."
When I'm not writing or spending time with my three kids, I'm a passionate advocate for rescue animals. I serve as Ambassador of RRSA India, a shelter and sanctuary for abused and injured street dogs and other animals in Anand, India. And I'm the founder of the nonprofit charity IndiaStreetPaws.com.
I also serve on the board of the International Thriller Writers. Readers and writers - come join us at Thrillerfest in NYC every spring!
Please find me on Insta and Facebook for more!
My website is www.sarahpekkanen.com
(Here on Goodreads, my policy is to only review books I really like. If I don't enjoy the book, I won't write about it - it's just my personal policy.)
My upcoming thriller, THE LOCKED WARD, is being hailed by Lee Child as "psychological suspense at its very best."
I'm also the coauthor of four bestselling thrillers: THE GOLDEN COUPLE, THE WIFE BETWEEN US, AN ANONYMOUS GIRL, and YOU ARE NOT ALONE.
I've also written eight novels that are contemporary fiction, not thrillers: THE EVER AFTER, THE PERFECT NEIGHBORS, THINGS YOU WON'T SAY, CATCHING AIR, THE BEST OF US, THE OPPOSITE OF ME, SKIPPING A BEAT, and THESE GIRLS. My linked free short estories, published by Simon&Schuster exclusively for ereaders, are titled "All is Bright," and "Love, Accidentally."
When I'm not writing or spending time with my three kids, I'm a passionate advocate for rescue animals. I serve as Ambassador of RRSA India, a shelter and sanctuary for abused and injured street dogs and other animals in Anand, India. And I'm the founder of the nonprofit charity IndiaStreetPaws.com.
I also serve on the board of the International Thriller Writers. Readers and writers - come join us at Thrillerfest in NYC every spring!
Please find me on Insta and Facebook for more!
My website is www.sarahpekkanen.com
(Here on Goodreads, my policy is to only review books I really like. If I don't enjoy the book, I won't write about it - it's just my personal policy.)
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 159 reviews
July 27, 2018
A short story that was really well written and I really enjoyed.
November 24, 2016
Delightful! All Is Bright captures a young woman’s memories of the past and hopes for the future as she returns to her hometown at Christmas to visit her grandmother, who resides in an assisted living facility. Thirty-year-old Elise Andrews plans to spend the night alone at her dad’s house, since he is away on a long-anticipated, well-deserved vacation. While shopping for a few necessities, she bumps into the mother of an ex-boyfriend and is invited to her home for dinner.
Soon the memories nearly overcome her. Griffin, her longtime boyfriend, wanted to marry her, but Elise broke up with him. Although she loved him, she didn’t feel that certain spark. However, she still feels a special connection to Janice, his mother.
Sarah Pekkanen does a marvelous job portraying all of the mixed emotions that Elise feels during her rollercoaster trip home. Sadness, nostalgia, doubt, warmth, and love – this short story has all of this and so much more. I especially loved the scenes with her grandmother and her friends, “the Seven Widows of Windham”. What a lively bunch of women!
Christmas is hyped as a joyous time where families are united and everyone is making merry. But, as this story illustrates, there are those who are alone, for whatever reason. It doesn’t mean that they don’t have love in their lives, but love takes many forms. In All is Bright Elise grapples with the question of how to accept changing relationships and say goodbye to special people in her life while still allowing a place for them in her heart. It is a story for all seasons.
5 stars
Soon the memories nearly overcome her. Griffin, her longtime boyfriend, wanted to marry her, but Elise broke up with him. Although she loved him, she didn’t feel that certain spark. However, she still feels a special connection to Janice, his mother.
Sarah Pekkanen does a marvelous job portraying all of the mixed emotions that Elise feels during her rollercoaster trip home. Sadness, nostalgia, doubt, warmth, and love – this short story has all of this and so much more. I especially loved the scenes with her grandmother and her friends, “the Seven Widows of Windham”. What a lively bunch of women!
Christmas is hyped as a joyous time where families are united and everyone is making merry. But, as this story illustrates, there are those who are alone, for whatever reason. It doesn’t mean that they don’t have love in their lives, but love takes many forms. In All is Bright Elise grapples with the question of how to accept changing relationships and say goodbye to special people in her life while still allowing a place for them in her heart. It is a story for all seasons.
5 stars
December 8, 2020
Lovely short story!
January 15, 2011
I obviously knew that it was a short story, but I didn’t anticipate how short it would be. Since “All is Bright” was just a few chapters, I am going to aim my review more at Sarah Pekkanen rather than her story. I am impressed how rich of a history and backdrop she could paint with so few words. Only a few pages in, I was pulled into the life of Elise, the main character. Elise exposes us to a rage of emotions that made me feel immediately sympathetic to her situations. A delightful and funny cast was set around her. My absolute favorite part was reading Nana’s character. I adore snarky grandma types that can fix the world’s problems with their advice. The part I liked the least was the abrupt ending. I was so surprised where it ended that I felt shocked rather than sad that it was over.
Conclusion:
Over all, this is a testament to the incredible author Sarah Pekkanen is. Secretly I am hoping that this is a test story and that she will write a full novel with these characters. I would read it in a heartbeat. “All is Bright” would be a perfect read for a short trip or a quiet evening. It also includes a sneak peak at “Skipping a Beat” as well as the first chapter of “The Opposite of Me”. So there is plenty to keep you hungry for more.
Conclusion:
Over all, this is a testament to the incredible author Sarah Pekkanen is. Secretly I am hoping that this is a test story and that she will write a full novel with these characters. I would read it in a heartbeat. “All is Bright” would be a perfect read for a short trip or a quiet evening. It also includes a sneak peak at “Skipping a Beat” as well as the first chapter of “The Opposite of Me”. So there is plenty to keep you hungry for more.
July 27, 2018
It ain't just a short story
The blurb tells enough about the story itself. The sentimental bits are written beautifully. So Elise (the main character) loves Janice (boyfriend's mom), more than she ever loved Griffin (the boyfriend). It isn't clear why - my guess is her craving for her mother. Janice gifts Elise something very precious to herself, hinting on a strong bond between them.
And the story ends there.
That's not my problem. My problem is, that the story was only 37% of the ebook. The rest of it was a teaser of author's other book 'The Best Of Us'. I felt sort of cheated. I mean sure, 'use a short story to promote your novel' is a well-known strategy; still the proportion of story Vs promotion left me a little...again, cheated.
So long.
The blurb tells enough about the story itself. The sentimental bits are written beautifully. So Elise (the main character) loves Janice (boyfriend's mom), more than she ever loved Griffin (the boyfriend). It isn't clear why - my guess is her craving for her mother. Janice gifts Elise something very precious to herself, hinting on a strong bond between them.
And the story ends there.
That's not my problem. My problem is, that the story was only 37% of the ebook. The rest of it was a teaser of author's other book 'The Best Of Us'. I felt sort of cheated. I mean sure, 'use a short story to promote your novel' is a well-known strategy; still the proportion of story Vs promotion left me a little...again, cheated.
So long.
August 9, 2019
First in a series of three short stories. Look forward to seeing what happens. It’s super short and an easy, quick read.
June 23, 2020
Ebook
December 10, 2021
I almost feel bad getting credit for reading an entire book for rating this…
This was a super short story (about 30ish pages, so a good way to spend a lunch break). It was even shorter than I thought it would be- but apparently there’s a few more in the series? I’m excited to see what happens as I really like the characters introduced here! Wishing Pekkanen had made this one of her full length books.
This was a super short story (about 30ish pages, so a good way to spend a lunch break). It was even shorter than I thought it would be- but apparently there’s a few more in the series? I’m excited to see what happens as I really like the characters introduced here! Wishing Pekkanen had made this one of her full length books.
January 1, 2024
I really like the writing style of this author. It was real easy to read and kept my interest. The way it finished kinda threw me off but was thought provoking. It was actually a little sad. How you've been in a relationship your whole life with someone to realize they're not the one but you lose the family members that you love.
February 18, 2017
I don't know how to rate this. It was good and funny in the right parts, but it was ridiculously short. The preview of The Best of Us was longer. Fortunately, I have the follow up Love, Accidentally ready to go.
June 12, 2011
I really enjoyed the writing style of this author and appreciated the short story format. I used to read short stories all the time in high school and college (English major), but in my adult life, I've gotten out of it. This story was perfectly done and made me want to read more from this author. I love that Kindle offers these little snippets for 99cents.
December 15, 2018
This had a great start, but it was really short. I knew it was a short story, but it ended so abruptly. I was left wanted more. I had to go back and check to make sure I didn’t skip pages. Then it ended with an add to read another short story that was from the other woman’s perspective. I would have liked to read that one and wish it was just included in this download. It would have made more sense.
March 12, 2018
WHY IS THIS JUST A SHORT STORY?? I really enjoyed it. It was only like a 15 minute read and it left me wanting an entire book. It ended sort of abruptly and says there's a continuation of the story from another character's perspective in a separate short story, so I'll try to download that.
February 11, 2018
I didn’t realize this was a short story. It was cute but I thought it ended abruptly.
July 1, 2019
The first short story in a series of three - read this one first, then Love, Accidentally, and finally Beginning Again. The first two are free on Amazon and the third is $.99.
March 8, 2023
Very cute short story.
December 25, 2022
This a short story. Short and sweet. Enjoyable and a quick read. Lesson learned: Not everything has a fairy tale ending but that's ok.
June 5, 2018
I love Sarah Pekkanen! I so wanted this to be longer. Her writing definitely sucks you on right away and keeps you interested.
July 29, 2013
I adore e-short stories! Sarah is a wonderful author (I just discovered with her new book “The Best of Us” (a 5 star), which I read first, so diving into reading her other previous books. (I usually start with new ones which pull me into the author and then start backwards).
Being in the online media world, front covers are a big draw as well as reading works of my favorite authors---especially with e-books, as the crisp colors are so appealing since you do not have the typical print front cover to view. All Is Bright has a feel good, rich front cover just as Love Accidently) especially if you live in South Florida where you never see snow. E-stories are very short-- you can start at midnight, get teased and a “preview” of what is to come, plus they are inexpensive.
The story grabs you from the beginning as Elise who still thinks about her childhood sweetheart Griff, a guy she has dated most of her life and chose not to marry him when he asked as she felt the spark was just not there.
Now eight months later she arrives in her hometown Chicago on Christmas Eve and hears a voice from the past (Griff’s mother) while at the grocery store. (she loved this family and has presents for them). She is so nervous and worse she invites her to their home and gets the news, Griff is engaged to someone else (Isle from Love Accidently, e-short story).
She is in town to see her Nana (love this woman), as laughed so hard---she is in a senior home and there are all sorts of humorous women friends. Elise has a heart to heart with her Nana about how disturbed she is about Griff marrying someone else. (You read about Isle in Love Accidently).
Stepping into Griff’s parents’ home brought back all her memories of her past love. A charming story about coming home for the holidays and discovering all sorts of gifts. Look forward to reading more from this author!!!
Being in the online media world, front covers are a big draw as well as reading works of my favorite authors---especially with e-books, as the crisp colors are so appealing since you do not have the typical print front cover to view. All Is Bright has a feel good, rich front cover just as Love Accidently) especially if you live in South Florida where you never see snow. E-stories are very short-- you can start at midnight, get teased and a “preview” of what is to come, plus they are inexpensive.
The story grabs you from the beginning as Elise who still thinks about her childhood sweetheart Griff, a guy she has dated most of her life and chose not to marry him when he asked as she felt the spark was just not there.
Now eight months later she arrives in her hometown Chicago on Christmas Eve and hears a voice from the past (Griff’s mother) while at the grocery store. (she loved this family and has presents for them). She is so nervous and worse she invites her to their home and gets the news, Griff is engaged to someone else (Isle from Love Accidently, e-short story).
She is in town to see her Nana (love this woman), as laughed so hard---she is in a senior home and there are all sorts of humorous women friends. Elise has a heart to heart with her Nana about how disturbed she is about Griff marrying someone else. (You read about Isle in Love Accidently).
Stepping into Griff’s parents’ home brought back all her memories of her past love. A charming story about coming home for the holidays and discovering all sorts of gifts. Look forward to reading more from this author!!!
December 24, 2011
I am usually not a huge fan of short stories but when I recently got a Kindle Fire and saw how many great authors have short stories to inexpensively download I thought I should give a few a try. When Sarah Pekkanen announced on Facebook that she would be giving away her new short story, Love, Accidentally, to her fans as a Thank You I was really excited. Since All Is Bright is a prequel of sorts to Love, Accidentally I thought I would go ahead and buy it and read it first. I am SO glad I did!
This short story is so touching. It is a twist on a typical love story, with our heroine, Elise, still in love after her long term relationship comes to an end. She isn't still in love with her ex boyfriend, Griffin. No, she is in love with his mother, Janice, who has always been a comforting influence and a surrogate mother to her since Elise's mother died when she was young. Now that Griffin and her or no longer together, and now that he is moving on without her, how will she still fit into Janice's life? How can she stand to see another woman someday become the "daughter" to Janice?
I am amazed at how much heart can be put in such a short amount of pages. We get the heartache of Elise, relatively alone and trying to find her new place in the shifting world around her. We get Elise's Nana and the other "Seven Widows of Windham" which give a wonderful humor to the goings on in Elisa's life. And we get a touching conclusion that lets us know that Janice will always be in Elise's life, no matter what.
I am excited to find out that Love, Accidentally continues the story from a new perspective. I will be reading that in the next few days since I am dying to read what happens next!
This short story is so touching. It is a twist on a typical love story, with our heroine, Elise, still in love after her long term relationship comes to an end. She isn't still in love with her ex boyfriend, Griffin. No, she is in love with his mother, Janice, who has always been a comforting influence and a surrogate mother to her since Elise's mother died when she was young. Now that Griffin and her or no longer together, and now that he is moving on without her, how will she still fit into Janice's life? How can she stand to see another woman someday become the "daughter" to Janice?
I am amazed at how much heart can be put in such a short amount of pages. We get the heartache of Elise, relatively alone and trying to find her new place in the shifting world around her. We get Elise's Nana and the other "Seven Widows of Windham" which give a wonderful humor to the goings on in Elisa's life. And we get a touching conclusion that lets us know that Janice will always be in Elise's life, no matter what.
I am excited to find out that Love, Accidentally continues the story from a new perspective. I will be reading that in the next few days since I am dying to read what happens next!
February 23, 2016
I really enjoyed All Is Bright. It was truly a lovely little story to read. My only problem was that it was so short - it only took me around 20 minutes to read. I wanted to know more about Elise and her past with Griffin.
The premise of the story is very real. A woman returning to her home town to spend Christmas with her grandmother. Something everyone will probably experience at some point in their lives. Elise is just unfortunate enough to run into her ex boyfriends mum.
I absolutely loved Elise's grandmother and her grandmother's friends. They just seemed really cheeky in a way and up for a laugh whilst also giving brilliant advice. She just reminded me of my own granny who is always getting up to all sorts with her friends.
I also loved the ending, even if I did want more from the story. It was so lovely, and sweet, and shows that Griffin’s mother will always be there for Elise no matter what has happened in the past. Janice just wants to make Elise feel welcome and obviously remembers the little girl that Elise was. She is like a second mother for Elise in a way.
I really enjoyed All Is Bright and would recommend it to any woman (or girl) looking for a nice quick read. I look forward to eventually reading more of Sarah Pekkanen's work.
The premise of the story is very real. A woman returning to her home town to spend Christmas with her grandmother. Something everyone will probably experience at some point in their lives. Elise is just unfortunate enough to run into her ex boyfriends mum.
I absolutely loved Elise's grandmother and her grandmother's friends. They just seemed really cheeky in a way and up for a laugh whilst also giving brilliant advice. She just reminded me of my own granny who is always getting up to all sorts with her friends.
I also loved the ending, even if I did want more from the story. It was so lovely, and sweet, and shows that Griffin’s mother will always be there for Elise no matter what has happened in the past. Janice just wants to make Elise feel welcome and obviously remembers the little girl that Elise was. She is like a second mother for Elise in a way.
I really enjoyed All Is Bright and would recommend it to any woman (or girl) looking for a nice quick read. I look forward to eventually reading more of Sarah Pekkanen's work.
December 18, 2011
Elise and Griffin were a couple for fifteen years, but Elise just couldn't bring herself to marry Griffin. Eight months after the childhood sweethearts broke up, Elise visits her hometown of Chicago for Christmas. She runs into a familiar person in the grocery store: Griffin's mom, Janice. After being invited for an evening of eggnog, carols and food, Elise begins a walk down memory lane. It is filled with warm memories of Griffin, but mostly of Janice's motherly ways. Elise begins to wonder if letting Griffin go was worth losing Janice.
Women can connect with Elise's point of view on love, loss, family and relationships of the past. Sarah Pekkanen has a knack for writing that draws you into the character's lives. I would love for the author to either continue this short story series or write a full novel with these characters.
The story does however continue with the new short story LOVE, ACCIDENTALLY from Isla's point of view. As a bonus, both eBooks include excerpts from Sarah Pekkanen's other novels. Download for a quick, heartwarming read for the holidays. It will only cost you $.99 each!
Literary Marie
Women can connect with Elise's point of view on love, loss, family and relationships of the past. Sarah Pekkanen has a knack for writing that draws you into the character's lives. I would love for the author to either continue this short story series or write a full novel with these characters.
The story does however continue with the new short story LOVE, ACCIDENTALLY from Isla's point of view. As a bonus, both eBooks include excerpts from Sarah Pekkanen's other novels. Download for a quick, heartwarming read for the holidays. It will only cost you $.99 each!
Literary Marie
December 18, 2013
All is Bright was an impulse download. It was free and Christmasy so I thought why not?. This was such a great little story! There where parts I read aloud to anyone who would listen because I liked them so much. Even though this is a short story, only a few chapters, I loved the characters! I felt for Elise and her situation, I can totally relate! I got a kick out of Nana and her friends and I may heart went out the sweet Janice. I can’t say too much about the story because it’s only a few chapters and I don’t want to give anything away.
Basically if Sarah Pekkanen can do this with a short story, I can’t wait to read one of her full length books, which I have already purchased. Review of These Girls coming soon!
Read more reviews at Will Read for Coffee
Basically if Sarah Pekkanen can do this with a short story, I can’t wait to read one of her full length books, which I have already purchased. Review of These Girls coming soon!
Read more reviews at Will Read for Coffee
December 15, 2013
All is Bright by Sarah Pekkanen
What first attracted me to this book is the cover with snow and a woman just sitting enjoying the quiet of the snow falling.
Have read and enjoyed Sarah's other works.
This one is about Elsie and she's home to tend to her grandmother because her father and his new wife are traveling and it's Christmas and she doesn't want her to be alone.
Griffin and her had dated many times over the years and when they broke up she was more sorry to end it with his mother than him.
She does pay his parents a visit and is there when he calls to inform them of his engagement to Ilse. It breaks her heart even more as she arrives at her grandmother's assisted living facility and
the others in her group help her get over the loss. Best of Us is also featured with a sample at the end.
Loved the story and wanted it to last a lot longer...
4 star rating
What first attracted me to this book is the cover with snow and a woman just sitting enjoying the quiet of the snow falling.
Have read and enjoyed Sarah's other works.
This one is about Elsie and she's home to tend to her grandmother because her father and his new wife are traveling and it's Christmas and she doesn't want her to be alone.
Griffin and her had dated many times over the years and when they broke up she was more sorry to end it with his mother than him.
She does pay his parents a visit and is there when he calls to inform them of his engagement to Ilse. It breaks her heart even more as she arrives at her grandmother's assisted living facility and
the others in her group help her get over the loss. Best of Us is also featured with a sample at the end.
Loved the story and wanted it to last a lot longer...
4 star rating
May 11, 2014
I enjoyed this SHORT story, it gave me plenty of insight to realize I enjoy Sarah Pekkanen's writing.
This is a short story. I read Love, Accidentally before I read this short story. This short story is from Elise's point of view. The two short stories can be read together. I liked reading this from Elise's point of view.
Important to me, after reading this short story, I know I enjoy Ms. Pekkanen's writing style and will happily read other books of hers.
This is a short story. I read Love, Accidentally before I read this short story. This short story is from Elise's point of view. The two short stories can be read together. I liked reading this from Elise's point of view.
Important to me, after reading this short story, I know I enjoy Ms. Pekkanen's writing style and will happily read other books of hers.
March 29, 2015
Bittersweet!
It ended way too soon for me. That is the bitter part. The rest was super sweet.
I like the characters, and have a feeling we are set up for the next book to be spectacular reading. You just know everything has to come together, though nothing but questions were raised in this one.
I feel like I can't wait for more, I just have to know if she stays or goes. Does she come back and get the guy or let him go?
Yup, I'm hooked.
It ended way too soon for me. That is the bitter part. The rest was super sweet.
I like the characters, and have a feeling we are set up for the next book to be spectacular reading. You just know everything has to come together, though nothing but questions were raised in this one.
I feel like I can't wait for more, I just have to know if she stays or goes. Does she come back and get the guy or let him go?
Yup, I'm hooked.
September 6, 2016
This was such a sweet, short read. Those grannies were funny.
God, I feel the love; family, friends.
And most importantly..I think I read this at the right time. I'm having a rough time as well and I am trying to figure everything out, just like the main character is. Although, who isn't right? But in this case it is the fase we have to go through when we reach that age.
Truly loved it.
God, I feel the love; family, friends.
And most importantly..I think I read this at the right time. I'm having a rough time as well and I am trying to figure everything out, just like the main character is. Although, who isn't right? But in this case it is the fase we have to go through when we reach that age.
Truly loved it.
February 8, 2011
This was a very, very short story - more of lure to get you to read two samples of her forthcoming book. Nonetheless, it was a nice little story, and I'm sold on reading her next book. So, mission accomplished, Ms. Pekkanen.
December 19, 2022
I'm giving it three stars, not because I didn't like it, but because it barely felt like a story, even a short story which is what it's billed as. It definitely wetted my appetite to read more by this author, but reading this really felt like I had just read the Kindle sample freebie.
August 12, 2014
This was an extremely short story, but I enjoyed it for what it was. I was feeling a little down and thought a quick read would help me feel better and this was perfect, even though this isn't the normal kind of thing I read. This short story made me smile and it was definitely a cute read.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 159 reviews