Finding Tranquility: A love story

by Laura Heffernan

Jess Cooper lost her husband on 9/11. Just not in the way she thought.



On September 11, 2001, Brett Cooper checks into a flight to go on an interview for a job he doesn’t want, in a city where he doesn’t want to live. All to make his wife happy. He loves her, but he’s not happy in his marriage. Or in his body, really. As boarding begins, Brett panics and gives his ticket away. When his plane strikes the World Trade Center, he realizes that he's been given a second chance to live the life he always wanted.

Brett disappears into the chaos, hoping to figure out who he’s meant to be. With help from some new friends, Brett begins to transition into Christa. A tragedy sends Christa further north to Canada, where she builds a new life. For eighteen years, Christa’s life is peaceful and easy until she runs into Jess. 

Jess used her husband's life insurance to go to medical school. When she discovers that she's actually not a widow, it throws her entire future into question. Making matters more complicated is the discovery that all of the love Jess held for her spouse is alive and well. Christa and Jess must figure out what the future holds for them—if Christa has a future at all, with the reemergence of the missing Canadian woman whose identity Christa “borrowed”.

Can love conquer all, or is it sometimes better to let go?

Genres: Romance, LGBT, Queer

452 pages, Kindle Edition

Published January 20, 2020

About the author

Laura Heffernan once broke up with her now-husband during a board game after realizing that he was ahead 96-3. She hasn't played that particular game since. Her best friend still talks about the Great Uno Card Throwing Incident of 2003. Yet, somehow, Laura insists that she is incredibly gracious whether winning or losing. She lives in the northeast with her husband, new baby, and two furry little beasts.

Laura loves connecting with readers. Find her on her website, www.lauraheffernan.com, Facebook, www.facebook.com/lauraheffernanbooks, or on Twitter at www.twitter.com/LH_writes, where she spends far too much time tweeting about reality TV and Canadian chocolate.

Reviews

[Jude Silberfeld-Grimaud · Rating 4 out of 5]

First of all, let me state that I’m a cisgender lesbian, so it’s completely possible that some aspects of this book I found respectful or interesting are in fact offensive. If that’s the case, I apologise and would be very grateful for any comment pointing them out.

I’ll be honest, Finding Tranquility made me uneasy for most of the time I was reading it. I’m wary of cisgender (as far as I know) straight (as far as I know) people writing our stories. That may sound unfair but experience has taught me to be suspicious. As I wrote in my review for Town Without Mercy, best intentions, the road to hell and all that… Also, I’m a huge proponent of own voices, and would rather use my time, energy and space to boost my community’s voices on their stories than that of outsiders.

That said, I’m also curious, and when I was given the chance to take a look at this novel, I took it. And I’ve been pleasantly surprised.

On September 11th 2001, twenty-two-year-old Brett Cooper was supposed to fly for a job interview from Boston to Los Angeles, where their wife and best friend Jess was hoping they would relocate after she’d been accepted to med school at UCLA. A panic attack prevented Brett from boarding, effectively saving their life. When the plane crashed into the World Trade Center, Brett Cooper officially died, and Jess became a 9/11 widow. Leaving Jess was both the hardest decision Brett had ever had to make and the only choice, or so it seemed at the time. An unexpected chance to really live life as it was meant to be. Brett’s death allowed Christa to rise and become. Eighteen years later, Jess and Christa meet again, by accident. The connection is still as strong, compelling. Both women’s lives are turned upside down once again. Jess thought she was a widow; she is not. Will she have to pay back the insurance money she has used to fund her studies? Could she be part of a couple again, with the person who’s held her heart since they were both fourteen? For Christa, it’s a chance to finally live the life she was meant to live, as herself, with the love of her life. And to meet the son she never knew she had.

One of the things I liked best was that Jess’s anger, her doubts, her distrust towards Christa have nothing to do with her gender identity. Sure, she’s surprised, and embarrassed to realise she never really knew the person she’s loved all her life. However, once she starts recovering from the shock, she understands almost immediately why Christa felt trapped in her life, why she felt there was no way out at the time. While it takes time for her to come to terms with all this, her hurt stems from Christa’s disappearing act, the fact that Jess had to live eighteen years believing the love of her life was dead.

The story alternates between Christa’s and Jess’s point of view. The writing is good, the pace is consistent. There are a few secondary characters (not too many, just enough), and they are quite well-shaped too. The ending is a tad rushed, but it works.

All in all, it was an interesting read. As I wrote above, this book was unexpectedly respectful. Certainly not perfect but not offensive either, at least not that I can tell from my own cisgender point of view.

I received an ARC from the author and I am voluntarily leaving this review.

[Lindsay · Rating 3 out of 5]

The story begins when Christa, a hotel manager in Canada, has a chance meeting with Jess Cooper. The woman Christa was married to when she was a man, before September 11 gave her an opportunity to fake her own death and transition. We then cut back to then, with Brett Cooper's process and path to happiness and then back to the present, where their relationship appears to be far from over.

Too many coincidences. Good for what it is, showing the decisions that Christa had to make and the pressure her upbringing had brought to bear to make all this necessary. Also great to see Jess's processing of her spouse's reappearance and the emotional work that needed to be done there. However, I felt that this was largely undermined by having two really unlikely coincidences on top of the original fairly unlikely situation.

[Sophia · Rating 4 out of 5]

What if a person who has never felt comfortable in his body and is living in private misery with the love of his life gets the opportunity for a reset? On 9/11 the unthinkable happened, but it is only the catalyst for the rest of Brett and Jess Cooper's story. This certainly had a unique set up and I was eager because one of the main characters is a trans woman which there just aren't as many stories about.

Finding Tranquility opens with a present day situation for a hotel manager, Christa, who stumbles right into the past she left behind when she looks into the face of Jess Cooper and they recognize each other.

Dropping back into the past, Brett Cooper is being driven to the airport by his wife to go to an interview for a job he doesn't even want in a place he doesn't want to live all to please his wife who has the opportunity to go to medical school out in LA. Terrified of flying and going through a panic attack, he decides at the last minute to give up his ticket and skip the interview. While sitting in a coffee shop trying to figure out what he'll say to Jess, the news shows his plane flying into one of the twin towers. After the shock and guilt of not being on that plane wears off, he takes this weird gift for a chance to figure his life out and start over. Everyone, including his wife thinks he's dead. And, after a journey of the heart that took him to the Tranquility B&B in Vermont, Brett Cooper is dead and Christa is born. Is there regret and loss? Absolutely, Jess will always be the love of her life but she has never felt so settled and right.

Jess mourned her husband and childhood sweetheart. She barely got herself together and went on with her dream of med school and her practice. Everyone wants her to find a new man, but they all fall short. She's still in love with Brett. Then, when she is on holiday, there is Brett- Christa. What is she supposed to do with this? So many emotions. And, to say it's complicated is the understatement of a life time.

This was a story that I just knew was going to get all kinds of emotional and touch on some hard subject matter. And, it did, but it was also written with hope and light so that I could mourn and grieve and be confused with both, but also feel the love and friendship that tied two people from childhood. Love doesn't care about gender, but it was a tough road to reaching such an understanding. My heart grieved for both Brett who was caught in expectations that were slowly killing him. He knew that every day was a lie and only a drastic change would end that. It was also heartbreaking that Jess had to suffer through the death of the man she loved and find a way to forgive that and understand.

The emotions were the drive of the story, but it explores more than that. The cultural danger of being trans, the social difficulties, health choices, and of course, legal matters. Brett/Christa also ran into further complications in a surprise twist of the story. There is another surprise complication that both Christa and Jess had to figure out and I'll say no more about.

This is a romance, but not the typical romance formula. Love was already there, but then it had to break and reinvent itself on a long journey to love of who they truly were on the inside (if that makes sense). They have to get through so much and get things sorted out which takes up the entire book so if your just looking for a sexy story, this isn't it.

All in all, this was a beautiful, touching, and complicated story that I was heartily glad I was able to read. If you like slow-build, thought-provoking, tough romance situations in an LGBT romance, pick this one up.

[Lola · Rating 4 out of 5]

When I first stumbled upon this book I knew I had to read it. The concept jumped out at me and I was curious about the story. I bought it as soon as I could and started reading it shortly after. Finding Tranquility is a beautiful love story, about changes, love, making mistakes and finding yourself. It deals with some tough topics, but the tone wasn't overly emotional, it's more the subject matter itself that was emotional. I really enjoyed reading it and following the characters along.

After a short chapter set in 2019, Finding Tranquility starts in 2001 on the day 9/11. Brett is supposed to fly to Los Angeles for a job interview, but due to a panic attack never boards the plane. When he finds out his plane is one of the planes that crashed into the world trade center he sees this as a sign to start a new life and figure out who he is, or actually who she is as he ends up transitioning into a women. Jess thinks her husband died in the crash and is now a widow. Until years later when in 2019 the two bump into one another.

This book deals with some tough topics, but overall I thought it mostly was a story of hope and finding yourself. And while the subject matter itself can be tough to read about, the way it's written isn't as overly emotional as I had expected. Although there were definitely some emotional moments and some scenes that were hard to read.

The book contains 4 parts of the story, the first part is Brett/ Christa's point of view, then part 2 is Jess' point of view, both set in 2001. Then part 3 and 4 take place in 2019 and switches between the 2 point of views. I thought this method worked well and I liked how part 2 wasn't too long as it was so sad to read about her mourning her husband, while as the reader you already know he isn't dead. And while I understood why Christa made the decision to leave, I also thought it was really unfair to Jess. The dual point of view worked well, but in the later parts I sometimes had to remind myself or double check whose point of view I had at the moment.

I liked seeing these two figure out what to do now after they meet each other again. Jess has to deal with seeing her husband again and realizing he's been alive all this time and is now a she. She has some emotions to work through as well as some fears that Christa will leave her again. I thought this was realistically written and I liked how it didn't get dramatized. I also liked how Jess did her best to use the correct pronouns when referring to Christa even while she was still confused at times. It felt realistically and also very respectful.

The book also has some surprises and reveals along the way and directions I hadn't expected. While the first two parts were more emotional due to the events involved, the later two parts has quite a different tone. It had a more gentle tone with the characters figuring out how to make this new reality work and ofcourse they hit some bumps along the way. It worked really well and I liked how the author told the story.

I liked reading about Jess and Christa, from what we learn of their past it's clear they were best friends before that turned into more and I liked we got to learn about some of the scenes from their past. It gave me a better feel for their past romance and how that shaped their current romance now. I liked them together and could feel their love for one another even though they still had things to figure out. There were a few time skips and a few parts of their romance that almost seemed missing. There are scenes we have and then in later parts it's later and it felt like I missed part of their romance progression. I would've liked a bit more about seeing Jess deal with how her husband was now her wife and how to deal with that and the emotions that go along with it. That part is there, but I would've liked to see it explored a bit more.

I thought the author handled the whole transgender topic well too. She showed part of the transition, while also showing the difficulties Christa dealt with and also how people sometimes don't understand this and react with aggression, which was sad to read about. Seeing people who she had known when she was still Brett react to the change also was interesting and I liked how we get a range of different reactions. I would've liked to see a bit more of how Ethan reacted though as that seemed a bit limited, like we only saw what he thought when he had time to deal with it already.

One thing that didn't work for me was the ending, it felt very abrupt and as there was no epilogue, we also didn't get that satisfying ending where we see them together and get a glimpse of the life they're building. There were some nice twists at the end and I just wanted a bit more time to have those events sink in and have a nice epilogue to wrap up their story.

To summarize: I really enjoyed reading this book. It was a beautiful story about love, change, hope and finding yourself. It deals with some difficult topics and some parts made me almost cry, but the writing style wasn't overly emotional which I liked. There also is very little drama in this book, which worked for me. There are four different parts of which the first two take place in 2001, the first part is Brett/ Christa's point of view only, part 2 is Jess only and the later two parts are dual pov and take place in 2019. I liked the romance and seeing how these characters dealt with encountering each other again after all that time. It was well done and I liked seeing how their relationship developed, although it did feel like we missed a few pieces of their romance development. I thought the author handled the transgender topic well, showing part of the progress and also the struggles transgender people deal with. I thought the book did end rather abruptly, I would've liked a bit more time to have the last events sink in and I would've loved an epilogue to have a glimpse of what their future looks like. All in all I thought this was a great story and I am really happy I read it.

[Candace · Rating 1 out of 5]

I have more than a few problems with this book. First of all, I think that every writer should be wary of having their book’s plot turn on a national tragedy. I’m not saying that one cannot incorporate national tragedies into works of art, but if, for example, one could summarize the plot like this: “Brett is married and miserable. His wife has pressured him to take a plane flight he’s terrified of to an interview for a job he doesn’t want, but luckily for him, the plane he’s supposed to be on crashes into the World Trade Center, freeing him to pursue a new life and identity.” See, it’s the “luckily for him” part — the fact that Heffernan has turned a national tragedy into a cheap plot device that fries my grits. Real people suffered and died on those flights and in the families of the people on those flights, not to mention that police, firemen, and rescue workers who gave up their lives or health in a desperate attempt to help others. Turning 9/11 into a plot device is demeaning.

Second point: Even though most couples vow “in sickness and in health” when they marry, research shows that while 50% of couples divorce, in the case where one partner becomes gravely, especially chronically, ill, the divorce rate goes up to 75%. If a couple marries _after_ one partner has been similarly afflicted with illness, the divorce rate is the more typical 50%. What does this tell us? People like to know what they’re in for in marriage, and there are certain events — for example, death of a child, one partner developing a serious chronic illness, or one partner deciding to transition from one sex to another — that seem to exceed most people’s ability to roll with the punches. In the light of these statistics, the book cover’s tag line, “Love doesn’t care about gender,” seems a bit glib. And if love didn’t really care about gender, why would so many people still be freaking out about someone being gay, or lesbian, or trans, or bi or....?

Third point: Our heroine (Christa, nee Brett) may be trading in her white male privilege, but apparently it has been replaced by an incredible case of formerly-white-male luck. Need a passport with a picture of a woman who looks like you even pre-transition? A backpack she buys in a secondhand clothing store just happens to contain that very item. And the passport is still current! Wow. There’s a lot of that in this story.

Is our heroine living smack dab in the middle of nowhere, Vermont, on a farming cooperative in need of an instant gay male drag queen pal to teach him how to be a woman? Well, of course one just happens to sashay in with a wonderful wardrobe. Etcetera.

Fourth point: How come our heroine needed a gay male drag queen to learn “how to be a woman”? Does the author seriously believe that gay male drag queens are really the ultimate fountain of such information? Couldn’t our heroine have picked up a few pointers during her eight-year-relationship with the female love of her life? How come one has to pluck, tuck, put on pounds of makeup and mascara and high heels and go out to a bar to find out “how to be a woman”? I’ve been a woman for over 66 years without doing any of those things. As Sojourner Truth would say, “And ain’t I a woman?”

I guess a drag queen is the appropriate role model if what one wanted to do was play dress-up, but transexuals are not transvestites.

Also, there’s a point in the book where our heroine goes on a little rant to the effect that no matter how many people she may have hurt, let down, abandoned, etc., it’s okay because finding herself was paramount. If the main character were _not_ a trans woman, would that kind of justification hold water? Is there a narcissistic divine dispensation that is given only to pre-operative transexuals that says that they can be as cold, cruel, indifferent, or selfish as they feel they need to be?

As a long-time member of the LGBTQIA community, I bought this book hoping to gain insights into what a trans woman experiences, but I think what I got was a very superficial, fantastical story written by someone who seems to think that mascara makes the woman.

[Renée Dahlia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC of this book in exchange for a review.

TW: 9/11, homophobic bashing

The opening line of this book is one of the best I've read in ages. It's memorable and it hooks you right into the story. And this story is beautiful - it's about discovery of self, broken trust and rebuilding of it, and how a happy ending doesn't have to be how it was originally imagined.

The main heroine is trans, and that informs much of the story. I thought it was dealt with in a lovely fashion, however, I'm not the expert on trans related issues.

The side characters in this story are often as interesting as the main characters, especially the two motel owners.

[Estella Mirai · Rating 5 out of 5]

Finding Tranquility is one of those rare books that manages to be many things at once. It is, as the cover states, a love story. It’s also a sort of coming-of-age story, a finding-yourself story, and although it’s still fairly recent history, a powerful historical novel as well. The story of Christa and Jess finding each other and finding their new places in each other’s worlds should, like most of the author’s works, appeal to fans of both women’s fiction and romance.

This book does deal with some heavy themes, but a realistic and likable cast of characters and vibrant settings also make it a joy. Christa and Jess’s eventual happiness is hard-earned, but rather than dragging down the story, the lows made the highs even higher, and the ending a satisfying payoff.

I should mention that 9/11 is usually a total dealbreaker for me in books, by the way. It’s just not a memory I want to relive, and I’m always afraid of pro-war politics creeping their way in. If I didn’t already know and trust this author, that probably would have stopped me. However, I felt that the absolute surreal horror of that day and the aftermath is painted here in a way that is realistic and painful, but handled so thoughtfully and with a human focus on the individual characters that I didn’t find it too hard to deal with. The focus is very much of Christa’s individual journey, if that helps anyone make a buying decision.

As a cis woman I can’t really speak to the transgender rep. It feels extremely thoughtful and well-researched to me, but I also urge you to check out reviews from trans readers. :)

Overall, I enjoyed this book immensely and would recommend it to anyone looking for a poignant love story.

[Ava · Rating 3 out of 5]

Interesting Story

I thought the book well written with engaging characters. And for me, the plot of Transgender and subsequent surgery to become the opposite sex a d how that affected the lives especially of the characters was enlightening.
I thought strange that the location of the story repeatedly described as liberal had gay bashing from college kids and neighbors moving g away because of a same sex couple in the neighborhood ironic.
Especially as much of the story is set after 2016.
I wonder if the author is in touch with reality. And uses stereotypes. My surprise is she did not make the gay bashers white Southern males which is the trend in modern literature and Hollywood. And she took the easy route to have the Christians be close minded and intolerant. That leads me to think the author has not taken the time to have contact with true Believers.
Not so many weeks ago, my daughter married her partner in a court house in rural Georgia in a touching ceremony. No one here in the South has bashed them or moved out of their neighborhood.
The United Methodist Church is having very public discussion on Human Sexuality; not to through out the baby with the bathwater and to love as Christ loves.
I think the author could have broadened her horizons to make the story more plausible.
Hence why I only gave her three stars.

[Roberta Blablanski · Rating 3 out of 5]

2.5 rounded up

I truly wanted to like this more than I did. The ending left me disappointed and unsatisfied. Yes, there's a HEA, or maybe even a HFN, but I was left with too many questions.

Some of the plot twists were too ridiculous, outrageous, unbelievable to just accept at face value. I found myself rolling my eyes often and closing my Kindle in the middle of sentences to give myself a break.

Discovering your supposedly dead husband is actually alive and is now a woman is a big enough plot devise that most of the drama included could have been left out and this still would have been a decent story.

[Momma Says: To Read or Not to Read · Rating 4 out of 5]

The emotions run the gamut in Finding Tranquility, and I felt every single one of them. At any given point, I was as likely to want to hug one of these characters as I was to want to shake the daylights out of them, Brett/Christa in particular. The thing is Brett didn't always make the wisest choices before or after becoming Christa, but the author tells the story in a way that those actions are understandable to some extent. Some more than others, but even when I disagreed, I still found the character likable. I really can't speak about the authenticity of the transgender representation here because I have no direct experience, but I am at an age where I can look back and see just how far we've come in terms of acceptance, and even how far we still need to go, and I will say that it feels like the author did her homework. A lot of this story is about Brett's journey to becoming Christa, but the big story here is, as the title claims, a love story. It's about loving the person regardless of gender and finding your happy in a world that isn't always so accepting. Gender and sexual preference aside, Finding Tranquility is a moving story about love, loss, acceptance, and forgiveness.

[Kelley · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story sent me on a roller coaster ride of emotion--from confusion around Brett's decision to walk away after the tragic events of 9/11; to sorrow reliving Jess' grief in having to bury her husband; to relief in Brett's acceptance that while he was assigned-male-at-birth, he is really a woman; to the "oh shit, what are they going to do" moments when Jess and Christa's paths cross and Jess realizes Brett-who-is-now-Christa isn't dead--and everything in between.

I shook my fist. I cried. I swooned.
This story will pull at your heart and will demonstrate that you can't help who you love.

As another reviewer stated, I, too, cannot speak to Brett/Christa's story line. However, the author did use several sensitivity readers. I would also add a small content warning: readers may find two scenes in this book hard to read due to homophobic themes (note: this is not a criticism of the author--the passages deal with homophobia displayed towards the characters).

[Laura Brown · Rating 5 out of 5]

4 1/2 Stars. Finding Tranquility is a powerful and deeply moving story. It brought me to tears several times and caught my heart strings. I really enjoyed reading about Christa’s journey and reconnection with her family. The story follows Christa’s fear of flying saving her from being on one of the ill-fated 9/11 flights. Faced with a new chance at life, she goes off to find herself, and transition to the woman she really is. Years later her wife discovers her and they begin to reconnect. I can’t speak to the accuracy of a trans experience. As much as I enjoyed this novel, the thing keeping it from a full five stars for me was the ending. It felt rushed and I found myself feeling like there should be more. All in all, I would recommend this novel.

[Sharon · Rating 2 out of 5]

Can’t remember when I’ve been more disappointed in the ending of a book. It turned a three star rating into a two star rating. “Finding Tranquility” is the story of Brett and Jess, childhood friends who become high school sweethearts and marry after college. Brett’s love for Jess never changes, but he’s miserable otherwise.He’s supposed to take a flight on 9/11, but has a panic attack and gives his boarding pass to someone else. He doesn’t tell Jess he’s still alive and later transitions to being a woman. There’s a lot more to the story, which I don’t want to reveal here. Both Brett and Jess make decisions in the latter part of the book that don’t make sense because they are both intelligent people. The ending is inconclusive and a huge waste of a decently written story.

[L H · Rating 5 out of 5]

I liked the main characters so much. Megan is an artist in need of time and the opportunity to pursue her passion. And money so that she can take that coveted trip to Italy. She also needed courage to let her best friend's brother Brian know that she had feelings for him. There was so much to like about this story where friends come to realize that they love one another and a good woman gets her shot. At being an artist. Again, with some help from her friends.

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Beatrice · Rating 4 out of 5]

What really stayed with me about this book is that the characters were true to themselves, and they faced the consequences of their actions and not taking the easy route.

Something I've always wondered is how many people took the opportunity of 9/11 to disappear? To become someone else? And the possibility of this is explored thoroughly in Finding Tranquility, with an incredible row of circumstances that lead to a chance for a completely new life.

Would recommend to people who like a (LGBTQ+) love story that doesn't quite run smooth.

[Haley Harrigan · Rating 5 out of 5]

A riveting, heartbreaking portrayal of a couple torn apart by secrets and brought back together by chance and love.

The 9/11 ticket-swap plot line was deeply compelling and grabbed me from the beginning, and the details and pain of that memorable day were realistically rendered. Christa's journey was multilayered (geographical, physical, and emotional) and I found it to be thoughtfully and sensitively written. Would recommend this book to anyone looking for a story of identity and complicated love.

[Tanya · Rating 5 out of 5]

He is going for an interview for a job, in the city but he wants nothing to do with any of it. He is about to board when he gives his ticket away. The plane so one that crashes the world trade centre. According to everyone he is dead so he becomes the woman he has always wanted to be. What will happen if he bumps into his wife? Follow him to see what is going to happen

I received a free copy of this book via Booksprout and am voluntarily leaving a review.

[Carolyn G. Manuel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Extraordinary Story

Brett Cooper died on September 11, 2001 and started his new life because he gave his ticket to a father to travel with his family. As a woman born in a man’s body he now had a chance to start over. Eighteen years later his wife Jess show up in Canada and discovers he’s alive and living as a trans woman. Now it’s time to face their future. A sensitive and emotional story of two women searching for tranquility and the love that binds them. Great story.

[Lisa H · Rating 4 out of 5]

A most unique premise.

I can honestly say that this was a most unusual premise. Jess is married to Brett. Who escapes his wife and life to become Christa. Years later, they meet again and have to reconcile feelings and revelations.

voluntarily reviewed

[S · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good Read

I loved the characters in this book and how they all evolved. It also makes you wonder what you'd do at the crossroads of life when faced with the dilemma that everyone thinks you're dead.

[Deedra · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved it!This was an excellent story of a man who gave away his plane ticket on 9/11.When the plane hits the pentagon,he decides to stay dead,until he is found out. Tori Barron was a terrific narrator.I was given this free review copy audiobook at my request and have voluntarily left this review.

[Alexa · Rating 3 out of 5]

With this premise it would be hard to hit the right tone, since the humor of the premise is also so very heavy, and I feel like having “Ironic” playing at the pivotal moment helped with tone. I felt deeply and laughed a lot too, but I feel there was more to flesh out with these characters.

[Sara · Rating 5 out of 5]

Reviewed for Chick Lit Central (www.chicklitcentral.com)

Finding Tranquility was yet another unique read by Laura Heffernan. Her characters are often complicated and not one dimensional, as with the primary characters here. At first, I found it hard to relate with Brett and the decision he made in walking away from his wife. But as the story progresses and I learned more about him, I realized that there is a lot of inner struggle going on, and in walking away and starting over, it was a way to live the life he wanted, much like the synopsis suggests.

The path he takes is one riddled with not only self-discovery, but hardship. My heart hurt for him. I felt that Heffernan delved into the journey beautifully, gradually allowing us to see the type of growth and transition Brett goes through in becoming who he has always felt he should be, Christa. While it might have felt a bit easy to put her wife, Jess, back in Christa’s wife coincidentally, stranger things really have happened. And at some point, it stood to reason that Christa would have to come to terms with the decisions she’s made and would have to account for it with the one person she had loved most in her life.

There are a lot of dramatic moments, one being the missing woman whom Christa borrowed her identity from. I loved the stacking of the cards here, that first, Christa runs into her wife and has to figure out where to go from there, and then, the dealings with a woman who sets out to try to elicit some sort of payback for the fact that Christa has lived the life the missing woman never got to live. It’s another unique obstacle that really added to the suspense and drama.

The reactions all of the characters have to one another, the choices made, the secrets that have been kept hidden for years, and surprising revelations made Finding Tranquility an eye-opening read, and one that I feel deserves five stars!

[Molly · Rating 4 out of 5]

A series of calamities and new beginnings

Brett and Jess had been friends since they were kids. They went to school together, went to college together and 9/11 happened.

Their worlds changed in unexpected ways.

Could they find their way back together after all that passed in the interim? At what costs?

Making things work in their new normal- not so simple after all

Intense finding themselves story.