Within a Whisper

by Caroline Upcher, James La Garenne, Nanci La Garenne

In the autumn of 2000, James LaGarenne and his wife, Nanci, answered a call for the Greatest Love Story Never Told. They both submitted the story of their marriage -- without each other's knowledge -- to a contest William Morrow launched in collaboration with Redbook magazine and Women.com. Their powerful tale profoundly moved the judges, who selected Jimmy I s entry as the winner. And now, brought to life by novelist Caroline Upcher, their story will touch your heart as well. From the moment she saw Jimmy LaGarenne riding his bike down her neighborhood street, eighth-grader Nancl DeSerio was smitten. But it wasn't until three years later, the first time she saw Jimmy cry, that they truly fell in love. Both were growing up in the liberating but confusing sixties as children of Brooklyn cops, and knew by the age of nineteen they'd be together forever. When they realized not long afterward that Nanci was pregnant, they were married. And though the rushed wedding wasn't the fairy tale for which they'd hoped, their wide-eyed young devotion surely was. But fairy tales fade, and real life can be the enemy of romance. Over the years disappointment and distance gradually chipped away at their love. Finally, all appeared lost on a bitter-cold Christmas Day when they realized they were within a whisper of divorce. What happened next, however, is the kind of miracle that makes Nanci and Jimmy's everyday story into an extraordinary one. A moving and inspiring tale of rescued love, it contains a message for each of us ... Jacket Design by Kathleen Lynch
Jacket photograph of necklace by Douglas Whyte
Locket photograph courtesy of James and Nanci LaGarenne

ebook

First published November 6, 2001

About the author

Caroline Upcher was born in London and raised in Africa and Paris. She worked in films and as a book editor and journalist before becoming a novelist.

Reviews

[Jasmine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Stuck between a 2.5 and a 3, but overall, I'm surprised by how much I liked this story. Nanci is one of the strongest and most forgiving women I've read about - it makes me wonder if I'd be able to persevere in a relationship with someone like Jimmy.

[Cindi · Rating 2 out of 5]

I went to high school with Nanci DeSerio LaGarenne. This true story is based on her "greatest love story never told" essay.

[بــلـقــيس · Rating 5 out of 5]

wonderful story and a great love