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Josie and Vic
When Josie Serafini’s brother Vic loses his family in a tragic accident, Josie leaves her home and beloved horses in Upstate New York to join him in Los Angeles. While helping Vic pick up the pieces of his shattered life, Josie confronts broken relationships with her estranged father, who abandoned their family long ago, and rebellious, singer-songwriter daughter, who abruptly left home the previous summer.
Josie and Vic each struggle to find where they belong in their changing worlds. Josie finds comfort in nature and in a budding, long-distance relationship with the empathetic equine veterinarian caring for her horses back home. Vic battles depression as he seeks purpose in his life.
Josie’s three horses and a Siberian husky help open hearts to tenderness and healing—but it’s an unexpected journey to the US-Mexico border that offers this fragmented family a chance to reconnect.
A story of love, loss, and forgiveness, Josie and Vic conveys hope—even in the darkest of times.
Josie and Vic each struggle to find where they belong in their changing worlds. Josie finds comfort in nature and in a budding, long-distance relationship with the empathetic equine veterinarian caring for her horses back home. Vic battles depression as he seeks purpose in his life.
Josie’s three horses and a Siberian husky help open hearts to tenderness and healing—but it’s an unexpected journey to the US-Mexico border that offers this fragmented family a chance to reconnect.
A story of love, loss, and forgiveness, Josie and Vic conveys hope—even in the darkest of times.
286 pages, Paperback
Published April 11, 2023
2 people are currently reading
50 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 41 reviews
January 13, 2023
How do we recover from trauma? Can we forgive those who hurt us? Are we fated to imitate parental faults? What can we do to save others, and how to we save ourselves?
Josie and Vic are brother and sister with a legacy of loss. Their father abandoned them before Josie was born. Their mother died too young. The love of Josie’s life has passed, and now Vic has lost his family in a horrendous and tragic accident. Josie leaves her home and beloved horses to move across the country to be there for Vic as he recovers from an overdose, unable to cope with his loss.
Josie has a stormy relationship with her only child, nineteen-year-old Ellie. Ellie has never known her real dad. She is headstrong and willful, while Josie is overbearing and controlling, which pushes her daughter away.
In the midst of all this angst and dysfunction, Vic admits he has been in contact with their father Tony, and wants Josie and Ellie to meet him. Josie can’t forgive their father. Ellie bonds with Tony.
It was refreshing to read a story about siblings and family, a story of forgiveness and healing. They are brought together by the love of a dog, and by setting aside their problems to care for another facing great loss–Vic’s brother-in-law, an illegal immigrant whose wife had died as they crossed the desert. Vic embraces his wife’s family and heritage, the Day of the Dead ceremony offering healing to Vic, Josie and Ellie.
The plight of illegal immigrants is movingly shared. Reacting against a porous border, the construction of the fence at the border forces people to cross a dangerous desert that claims many lives. Volunteers stock caches of water, blankets, and food under a pole with a blue flag.
Josie had constructed her own fences, against the father who abandoned her, and even against her own daughter. Vic locked himself inside a fence of pain and addiction. Ellie had put up a fence against her mother, whose love was overbearingly intrusive. Each character learns to lower their defenses and grow into health.
Some men build fences; others erect blue flags.
from Josie and Vic by Debra Thomas
With flawless writing and plotting and characters that live, this novel is a delight.
Thanks to Blue Cottage Agency for an advanced reading copy.
Josie and Vic are brother and sister with a legacy of loss. Their father abandoned them before Josie was born. Their mother died too young. The love of Josie’s life has passed, and now Vic has lost his family in a horrendous and tragic accident. Josie leaves her home and beloved horses to move across the country to be there for Vic as he recovers from an overdose, unable to cope with his loss.
Josie has a stormy relationship with her only child, nineteen-year-old Ellie. Ellie has never known her real dad. She is headstrong and willful, while Josie is overbearing and controlling, which pushes her daughter away.
In the midst of all this angst and dysfunction, Vic admits he has been in contact with their father Tony, and wants Josie and Ellie to meet him. Josie can’t forgive their father. Ellie bonds with Tony.
It was refreshing to read a story about siblings and family, a story of forgiveness and healing. They are brought together by the love of a dog, and by setting aside their problems to care for another facing great loss–Vic’s brother-in-law, an illegal immigrant whose wife had died as they crossed the desert. Vic embraces his wife’s family and heritage, the Day of the Dead ceremony offering healing to Vic, Josie and Ellie.
The plight of illegal immigrants is movingly shared. Reacting against a porous border, the construction of the fence at the border forces people to cross a dangerous desert that claims many lives. Volunteers stock caches of water, blankets, and food under a pole with a blue flag.
Josie had constructed her own fences, against the father who abandoned her, and even against her own daughter. Vic locked himself inside a fence of pain and addiction. Ellie had put up a fence against her mother, whose love was overbearingly intrusive. Each character learns to lower their defenses and grow into health.
Some men build fences; others erect blue flags.
from Josie and Vic by Debra Thomas
With flawless writing and plotting and characters that live, this novel is a delight.
Thanks to Blue Cottage Agency for an advanced reading copy.
April 3, 2023
Debra Thomas, the author of “Josie and Vic,” has written a powerful and emotional novel. I love how the author vividly describes the plot, the scenery, and the dramatic characters. I also appreciate that the author demonstrates an affection for animals and their significance as characters and support. The themes throughout the story are loss, forgiveness, second chances, finding a sense of purpose, self-worth, the importance of family and friends, love, and hope. The author also discusses important topics such as post-traumatic stress from Vietnam Vets, the trauma of 9/11, the problems immigrants encounter entering the United States, the importance of sibling relationships, emotional support, and professional mental support for grieving people.
Josie Serafini makes arrangements to go to Los Angeles to help her brother Vic, who has tragically lost his family. Josie rents her house in New York and ensures her beloved horses are cared for. Josie has a frustrating relationship with her daughter and hesitates to deal with her estranged father. Josie and Vic are learning to deal with the past to move on.
The author writes and tells her story compassionately and compellingly. I highly recommend this thought-provoking novel.
Josie Serafini makes arrangements to go to Los Angeles to help her brother Vic, who has tragically lost his family. Josie rents her house in New York and ensures her beloved horses are cared for. Josie has a frustrating relationship with her daughter and hesitates to deal with her estranged father. Josie and Vic are learning to deal with the past to move on.
The author writes and tells her story compassionately and compellingly. I highly recommend this thought-provoking novel.
September 27, 2022
Loved the book, a tragic accident that brings family together, you cry, you laugh, you become part of the family. If you haven’t already add this book to your reading list!
April 17, 2023
Josie and Vic is an emotionally-stirring novel about love and loss, forgiveness and hope. Josie leaves her home in New York to be with her brother Vic, who is reeling from a tragic loss. They are complex characters struggling to deal with broken relationships and grief, trying to piece together their lives and find their true home.
October 25, 2022
"The way she saw it, you sought comfort in the loved ones left and in those loved ones you hadn't yet met."
Trigger Warnings: death of a spouse, death of a child, death of a parent, mental health, grief/loss, overdose, abortion, cancer, caretaker role, adoption, search for biological parent, and 9/11. *This book is deep and covers a lot so here are some of the major ones*
When Josie's brother Vic loses his wife and children in a tragic accident, no stranger to grief herself, she immediately leaves her home and horses to join him in LA. Helping Vic pick up the broken pieces of his life also causes Josie to confront her broken relationship with her daughter, Ellie, and her estranged father, Tony. Josie and Vic are both confronted with changing worlds and struggling to find exactly where they fit. It isn't long before Josie finds comfort in both nature and a budding relationship with the veterinarian back home who is taking care of her horses. Vic finds himself battling an overwhelming depression and seeking his purpose in life, without his wife and children. An unexpected journey to the US-Mexico border offers this family the chance to reconnect with each other and work through their grief.
So as I'm sure you can imagine this is a DEEP story it isn't a book to go into lightly. It's truly a story of love, loss, forgiveness and hope. At the center of the novel is both family and what I'm calling defining moments. The book shifts in the timeline often to highlight a moment that everything changed for Josie or Vic. Told from both their perspectives it is a beautifully written story of both grief and healing. Josie and Vic are relatable characters and one underlying theme is the love that the two siblings have for each other. They are each other's rock and work to keep the other centered and grounded in moments of extreme duress.
I was moved by the events of this novel over and over again, I really felt the emotional ups and downs. I'm not ashamed to say that a few times I cried. Thomas does a marvelous job of painting these events and characters so that you feel like you are in the moment with them. The fact that the defining moments of their lives are things we can all relate to and understand on some level makes it even more intense I think. It becomes clear that change and adaptation are important parts of the story, and each character makes monumental growth in embracing this change. It is an emotional ride from which I am going to need some time to recover, but it is really something that needs to be read and experienced I think.
"One thing I've learned, life has a way of turning things upside down and inside out. When your head stops spinning, you just get your bearings and see where you fit, where you belong."
Trigger Warnings: death of a spouse, death of a child, death of a parent, mental health, grief/loss, overdose, abortion, cancer, caretaker role, adoption, search for biological parent, and 9/11. *This book is deep and covers a lot so here are some of the major ones*
When Josie's brother Vic loses his wife and children in a tragic accident, no stranger to grief herself, she immediately leaves her home and horses to join him in LA. Helping Vic pick up the broken pieces of his life also causes Josie to confront her broken relationship with her daughter, Ellie, and her estranged father, Tony. Josie and Vic are both confronted with changing worlds and struggling to find exactly where they fit. It isn't long before Josie finds comfort in both nature and a budding relationship with the veterinarian back home who is taking care of her horses. Vic finds himself battling an overwhelming depression and seeking his purpose in life, without his wife and children. An unexpected journey to the US-Mexico border offers this family the chance to reconnect with each other and work through their grief.
So as I'm sure you can imagine this is a DEEP story it isn't a book to go into lightly. It's truly a story of love, loss, forgiveness and hope. At the center of the novel is both family and what I'm calling defining moments. The book shifts in the timeline often to highlight a moment that everything changed for Josie or Vic. Told from both their perspectives it is a beautifully written story of both grief and healing. Josie and Vic are relatable characters and one underlying theme is the love that the two siblings have for each other. They are each other's rock and work to keep the other centered and grounded in moments of extreme duress.
I was moved by the events of this novel over and over again, I really felt the emotional ups and downs. I'm not ashamed to say that a few times I cried. Thomas does a marvelous job of painting these events and characters so that you feel like you are in the moment with them. The fact that the defining moments of their lives are things we can all relate to and understand on some level makes it even more intense I think. It becomes clear that change and adaptation are important parts of the story, and each character makes monumental growth in embracing this change. It is an emotional ride from which I am going to need some time to recover, but it is really something that needs to be read and experienced I think.
"One thing I've learned, life has a way of turning things upside down and inside out. When your head stops spinning, you just get your bearings and see where you fit, where you belong."
April 11, 2023
“Josie and Vic” is a many-layered novel of grief, loss, compassion, forgiveness, hopefulness, and love by Debra Thomas.
Josie and Vic's story takes place over a year's time in 2001. I thought the author's choice to frame the story in this time period coinciding with the events of 9/11 was an intriguing choice. The similarities of the characters from the story facing devastating sudden losses and the longing to reconnect with their loved ones were much like those who were impacted by the events of 9/11.
One of Thomas's strength's as a writer is her ability to develop the emotional appeal of her characters through language to create relatable characters. She writes with such empathy and compassion. I was moved to tears several times during my reading. As Jose, Vic, Ellie, and Tony navigated a path of healing and reconciliation, I felt a sense of hope for them all. Each would survive though charted on different courses they wouldn't have envisioned for themselves.
The ending of the story is circular to the beginning of the story as readers are first introduced to the term Pangaea (an early geologic time when one supercontinent incorporated almost all the landmasses on Earth). Readers find out in Josie's young world her description of how continents once all fit together like a puzzle, then it all broke apart over millions of years, continuing to move and change. Perhaps Josie's reference to Pangaea at the end of the story shows her insight to what was once pulling apart and is now moving toward each other coming together in a new form. Ellie's character offers a musical component to the storyline. At the end of the book she and her mother compose an original music arrangement of a piece titled The Promise of Pangaea.
Debra Thomas gives us a tenderly written story with the characters in “Josie and Vic” who are to be admired for their strength, resilience, and love.
Josie and Vic's story takes place over a year's time in 2001. I thought the author's choice to frame the story in this time period coinciding with the events of 9/11 was an intriguing choice. The similarities of the characters from the story facing devastating sudden losses and the longing to reconnect with their loved ones were much like those who were impacted by the events of 9/11.
One of Thomas's strength's as a writer is her ability to develop the emotional appeal of her characters through language to create relatable characters. She writes with such empathy and compassion. I was moved to tears several times during my reading. As Jose, Vic, Ellie, and Tony navigated a path of healing and reconciliation, I felt a sense of hope for them all. Each would survive though charted on different courses they wouldn't have envisioned for themselves.
The ending of the story is circular to the beginning of the story as readers are first introduced to the term Pangaea (an early geologic time when one supercontinent incorporated almost all the landmasses on Earth). Readers find out in Josie's young world her description of how continents once all fit together like a puzzle, then it all broke apart over millions of years, continuing to move and change. Perhaps Josie's reference to Pangaea at the end of the story shows her insight to what was once pulling apart and is now moving toward each other coming together in a new form. Ellie's character offers a musical component to the storyline. At the end of the book she and her mother compose an original music arrangement of a piece titled The Promise of Pangaea.
Debra Thomas gives us a tenderly written story with the characters in “Josie and Vic” who are to be admired for their strength, resilience, and love.
October 30, 2022
This book had many themes … immigration, grief and loss, blended family dynamics and chemical dependency. Vic having lost his wife and two children struggles with so many things but still remains hopeful and sees the many positive things in his life. His hope is then poured out to immigrant families and their losses. Through helping others he is able to work through his grief and its many stages.
October 13, 2022
Wow. It was the first word to come to mind when I started reading this book, and it was a consistent thought throughout as I followed along with Josie and Vic’s story. Wow. Just wow.
As a writer and reader, I am fascinated by the way humans respond to tragedy. Perhaps it’s the psychology minor in me, but I can't help but be enamored by how disaster can affect people. The reactions, the suffering, and the healing all vary for each individual person. It can draw us apart and bring us together, it can tear us down and build us up. It’s truly a remarkable thing.
Thomas’ story is centered around Josie going to her brother’s aid when Vic losses his wife and two young children in a horrific accident, but I would argue that the story is so much more. This book focuses on the tragedy of life. Vic’s sudden loss is certainly a central part of the story, but Thomas also includes the tragedies that came before the accident and the tragedies that follow, because that’s how life works. It doesn’t pause just because you can’t bear it. Life keeps moving and tragedies keep happening despite our best efforts, and Thomas captured this perfectly, not only in her main characters but in every character she introduced.
I was blown away by how real it all felt, by the emotions it jarred in me, and believe me was I emotional. I had to pause several times just to catch my breath. And the way Thomas unfolded each character’s story was flawless. She wove past and present together to create a seamless, emotional story that gives a violent tug on your heartstrings throughout the entire book.
Debra Thomas has created something so wonderfully, truthfully, wholly tragic, yet inspiring. It was so heart-wrenching to read the pain and suffering of her characters, and yet so wonderful to read along and rally beside them, to watch their resilience and growth.
This book is truly a wonder, and I’m anxiously waiting to see what Thomas will write next.
As a writer and reader, I am fascinated by the way humans respond to tragedy. Perhaps it’s the psychology minor in me, but I can't help but be enamored by how disaster can affect people. The reactions, the suffering, and the healing all vary for each individual person. It can draw us apart and bring us together, it can tear us down and build us up. It’s truly a remarkable thing.
Thomas’ story is centered around Josie going to her brother’s aid when Vic losses his wife and two young children in a horrific accident, but I would argue that the story is so much more. This book focuses on the tragedy of life. Vic’s sudden loss is certainly a central part of the story, but Thomas also includes the tragedies that came before the accident and the tragedies that follow, because that’s how life works. It doesn’t pause just because you can’t bear it. Life keeps moving and tragedies keep happening despite our best efforts, and Thomas captured this perfectly, not only in her main characters but in every character she introduced.
I was blown away by how real it all felt, by the emotions it jarred in me, and believe me was I emotional. I had to pause several times just to catch my breath. And the way Thomas unfolded each character’s story was flawless. She wove past and present together to create a seamless, emotional story that gives a violent tug on your heartstrings throughout the entire book.
Debra Thomas has created something so wonderfully, truthfully, wholly tragic, yet inspiring. It was so heart-wrenching to read the pain and suffering of her characters, and yet so wonderful to read along and rally beside them, to watch their resilience and growth.
This book is truly a wonder, and I’m anxiously waiting to see what Thomas will write next.
September 29, 2022
JOSIE AND VIC
Written by Debra Thomas
Published by She Writes Press
270 pages
ISBN: 978-1-64742-393-3
Book Review by Charles Johnson
My literary agent friend Krista asked me to read JOSIE AND VIC. After reading the blurb on the back, I figured that I’d be reading a book that would be a future chick flick, soap opera, or a Hallmark TV Movie. I was wrong.
In JOSIE AND VIC by Debra Thomas, the reader will find a truthful human story where the people are real. They feel. They get angry. They revel in the right moments. They fear when they should fear. Best of all, with all their faults and attitudes, they find ways to manage their own burdens and assist the others with theirs.
The author allows the readers to see and feel their own lives by summoning upon a common list of emotions with the characters in this novel. This allows the readers to experience the sense of the pursuit of life and of healing of JOSIE AND VIC that arise from a blend of forgiveness, humility, and an ability to listen at new levels.
The storylines are braided together in such a way as to appear nearly seamless; the strands of the braid include the sibling relationship between Josie and Vic: the edgy relationship between Josie and her daughter; the polar differences between Josie, Vic and their estranged father – and in a seemingly unrelated but yet a large part of the story, Josie’s relationship with a veterinarian and her horses. Let’s not forget the social issues of immigration and beleaguered military veterans that are dappled throughout the braid. There are very few flaws in the strands of the braid that make up JOSIE AND VIC.
It can be said that JOSIE AND VIC belongs on your shelf along with all the other books you’ve read that exceeded your expectations.
Written by Debra Thomas
Published by She Writes Press
270 pages
ISBN: 978-1-64742-393-3
Book Review by Charles Johnson
My literary agent friend Krista asked me to read JOSIE AND VIC. After reading the blurb on the back, I figured that I’d be reading a book that would be a future chick flick, soap opera, or a Hallmark TV Movie. I was wrong.
In JOSIE AND VIC by Debra Thomas, the reader will find a truthful human story where the people are real. They feel. They get angry. They revel in the right moments. They fear when they should fear. Best of all, with all their faults and attitudes, they find ways to manage their own burdens and assist the others with theirs.
The author allows the readers to see and feel their own lives by summoning upon a common list of emotions with the characters in this novel. This allows the readers to experience the sense of the pursuit of life and of healing of JOSIE AND VIC that arise from a blend of forgiveness, humility, and an ability to listen at new levels.
The storylines are braided together in such a way as to appear nearly seamless; the strands of the braid include the sibling relationship between Josie and Vic: the edgy relationship between Josie and her daughter; the polar differences between Josie, Vic and their estranged father – and in a seemingly unrelated but yet a large part of the story, Josie’s relationship with a veterinarian and her horses. Let’s not forget the social issues of immigration and beleaguered military veterans that are dappled throughout the braid. There are very few flaws in the strands of the braid that make up JOSIE AND VIC.
It can be said that JOSIE AND VIC belongs on your shelf along with all the other books you’ve read that exceeded your expectations.
September 29, 2022
If you are looking for a story about hope - this might be the book for you. Josie and Vic are siblings who have both endured some pretty massive hardships and disappointments in life. Their story is one that will inspire and move you and give you hope that there is good in the world.
This story encompasses many subjects and includes a love of horses, family estrangement, new romantic relationships as well as border patrol immigration issues. Vic, the brother, deals with a lot of depression and difficulty following the deaths of his wife and children. His sister, Josie, is dealing with the death of her husband and the challenges of raising a daughter on her own. Together they manage to support one another and come to grips with the areas of their lives that need the most nurturing and as readers finish the book they will come away with a sense of happiness and hope.
I learned some new things about the Water Stations Project and how there are those who are actively helping those immigrants who are crossing the borders. That in itself gives me hope.
This would be a good book club discussion book because there are so many different facets to discuss. I was happy to receive an Advance Reader Copy for my honest review and am grateful to the author, publisher and publicist for sharing this soon to be released book with me.
This story encompasses many subjects and includes a love of horses, family estrangement, new romantic relationships as well as border patrol immigration issues. Vic, the brother, deals with a lot of depression and difficulty following the deaths of his wife and children. His sister, Josie, is dealing with the death of her husband and the challenges of raising a daughter on her own. Together they manage to support one another and come to grips with the areas of their lives that need the most nurturing and as readers finish the book they will come away with a sense of happiness and hope.
I learned some new things about the Water Stations Project and how there are those who are actively helping those immigrants who are crossing the borders. That in itself gives me hope.
This would be a good book club discussion book because there are so many different facets to discuss. I was happy to receive an Advance Reader Copy for my honest review and am grateful to the author, publisher and publicist for sharing this soon to be released book with me.
April 12, 2023
Mesmerizing and deeply affecting, Josie and Vic, an emotionally charged novel by Sarton Award-Winning author Debra Thomas (Luz), explores the bond formed between a brother and sister who grew up in a single parent household where the absence of their father hangs over everything. Like the late great Pulitzer Prize-winning novelist, Carol Shields, who was drawn to explore family dynamics in her stories, Debra Thomas picks up the torch and carries on the tradition in her second novel, Josie and Vic.
Long after the siblings forge their own paths in life––Vic works with immigrants and refugees; Josie is a nurse––they reconnect after Vic suffers a traumatic and life altering loss. Debra Thomas is a master at creating complex and believable characters who deal with abandonment issues, tragedy, starting over when all seems lost, and the soul connection between animals and humans. Resounding themes throughout the narrative are resilience and reconciliation and how fractured relationships can heal, even after people drift apart.
The novel is for anyone who has ever asked the question, “Why did you leave us?”
Long after the siblings forge their own paths in life––Vic works with immigrants and refugees; Josie is a nurse––they reconnect after Vic suffers a traumatic and life altering loss. Debra Thomas is a master at creating complex and believable characters who deal with abandonment issues, tragedy, starting over when all seems lost, and the soul connection between animals and humans. Resounding themes throughout the narrative are resilience and reconciliation and how fractured relationships can heal, even after people drift apart.
The novel is for anyone who has ever asked the question, “Why did you leave us?”
April 23, 2023
𝐓𝐈𝐓𝐋𝐄: 𝐉𝐎𝐒𝐈𝐄 𝐀𝐍𝐃 𝐕𝐈𝐂
𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑: 𝐃𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐬
𝐏𝐔𝐁 𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄: 𝟎𝟒.𝟏𝟏.𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑 𝐍𝐨𝐰 𝐀𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞
I just love reading about characters that not only shares my profession but also the setting of beautiful Southern California.
Josie and Vic is an extraordinary story of the love and sacrifice between siblings. When the unthinkable happens to Vic, who tragically loses his entire family - his wife and two children, Josie doesn’t bat an eyelid and heads straight to SoCal leaving her horses and life as a nurse behind in upstate New York.
In an emotionally packed novel that is told paralleling the metaphor of Pangaea (the supercontinent when the world’s land mass was one) to this family was brilliant as it follows those themes throughout. What once was whole, becomes broken apart, but now is coming together again.
I thought this was a beautiful way of seeing this complex family dynamic, and its broken relationships, while finding its way back to healing, as forgiveness and hope repairs the fractures. The exploration of trauma in different forms through loss, abandonment, and grief was beautifully captured in a very hopeful voice by author Debra Thomas. I really enjoyed this one!
𝐀𝐔𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐑: 𝐃𝐞𝐛𝐫𝐚 𝐓𝐡𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐬
𝐏𝐔𝐁 𝐃𝐀𝐓𝐄: 𝟎𝟒.𝟏𝟏.𝟐𝟎𝟐𝟑 𝐍𝐨𝐰 𝐀𝐯𝐚𝐢𝐥𝐚𝐛𝐥𝐞
I just love reading about characters that not only shares my profession but also the setting of beautiful Southern California.
Josie and Vic is an extraordinary story of the love and sacrifice between siblings. When the unthinkable happens to Vic, who tragically loses his entire family - his wife and two children, Josie doesn’t bat an eyelid and heads straight to SoCal leaving her horses and life as a nurse behind in upstate New York.
In an emotionally packed novel that is told paralleling the metaphor of Pangaea (the supercontinent when the world’s land mass was one) to this family was brilliant as it follows those themes throughout. What once was whole, becomes broken apart, but now is coming together again.
I thought this was a beautiful way of seeing this complex family dynamic, and its broken relationships, while finding its way back to healing, as forgiveness and hope repairs the fractures. The exploration of trauma in different forms through loss, abandonment, and grief was beautifully captured in a very hopeful voice by author Debra Thomas. I really enjoyed this one!
January 10, 2023
Josie and Vic is a story grounded in love, hope and the search for home. With tenderness and empathy Debra Thomas weaves decades of family secrets, betrayals, and tragedy as her characters struggle with the question, how do you find your way back home after unimaginable loss? But when home is a person, you feel secure and safe, no matter where in the world you are. Siblings Josie and Vic are that sanctuary for each other. They find peace by helping others find safety, security and that home is where the heart is – sometimes with the joy found in music or the solace in the unconditional love of an animal. Josie and Vic are complex characters you will admire as they reveal the impact each had on the other during their young and adult lives. Highly recommended for all readers. Also, author and social justice advocate Debra Thomas, once again provides insight on the dangers of migrant crossings at the Mexican border and the impact of two social justice programs: the Sanctuary movement and the Water Stations Project.
Eileen Harrison Sanchez, Freedom Lessons – A Novel
Eileen Harrison Sanchez, Freedom Lessons – A Novel
December 11, 2022
If home is where the heart is, but you've lost what's in your heart, how do you find home again? Josie and Vic take us on a journey to show us how--from the East to West U.S. Coasts and across borders.
In that place between love and loss, there is hope. That's the place Josie and Vic portrays so well. This novel delves into so many different kinds of loss, looking death straight in the eye. Yet it also shows that the amount of grief we feel--sometimes so much it feels our heart is breaking and dying itself--is commensurate with how much we've loved. Sarton winner Debra Thomas dives deep into all aspects of love--the love of siblings, romantic love, art and music, parental love, and of course, our love of our animal companions.
Each kind of love and loss is presented in equal measure, threaded expertly through plot, ending with a huge gift of love from this author's heart to us--the love of humanity.
You'll fall in love Thomas' genuine voice and deep perspective.
In that place between love and loss, there is hope. That's the place Josie and Vic portrays so well. This novel delves into so many different kinds of loss, looking death straight in the eye. Yet it also shows that the amount of grief we feel--sometimes so much it feels our heart is breaking and dying itself--is commensurate with how much we've loved. Sarton winner Debra Thomas dives deep into all aspects of love--the love of siblings, romantic love, art and music, parental love, and of course, our love of our animal companions.
Each kind of love and loss is presented in equal measure, threaded expertly through plot, ending with a huge gift of love from this author's heart to us--the love of humanity.
You'll fall in love Thomas' genuine voice and deep perspective.
April 20, 2023
Josie and Vic are siblings who have known their fair share of loss and heartache… and more!
When we first meet them, Vic has just lost his wife and children due to a tragic accident. Josie, having lost her husband years ago and with her daughter off trying to become a musician, moves in with Vic to help him navigate his grief.
At first, I was afraid that the grief and pain would be overwhelming, and it was heavy and raw. But Debra Thomas brings in several interesting elements that allow for forgiveness and healing.
It’s incredible the journey these two siblings take together, not just emotionally through the grief, but how they help others because of their experiences. I especially loved how animals (Josie’s horses and a dog) are used as means of connection, healing, and bonding.
A uniquely layered and multifaceted look at healing, forgiveness, and familial love.
Thank you @suzyapprovedbooktours and @debrathomasauthor for a spot on tour and a gift ebook.
When we first meet them, Vic has just lost his wife and children due to a tragic accident. Josie, having lost her husband years ago and with her daughter off trying to become a musician, moves in with Vic to help him navigate his grief.
At first, I was afraid that the grief and pain would be overwhelming, and it was heavy and raw. But Debra Thomas brings in several interesting elements that allow for forgiveness and healing.
It’s incredible the journey these two siblings take together, not just emotionally through the grief, but how they help others because of their experiences. I especially loved how animals (Josie’s horses and a dog) are used as means of connection, healing, and bonding.
A uniquely layered and multifaceted look at healing, forgiveness, and familial love.
Thank you @suzyapprovedbooktours and @debrathomasauthor for a spot on tour and a gift ebook.
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May 10, 2023I had the pleasure of reading an early copy of this novel and interviewing Debra Thomas for The Best of Women’s Fiction podcast.
Josie and Vic is a heart-breaking tale of surviving tragedy, the importance of sibling bonds, and how our humanity and ability to reach out to others transcends geographic and family boundaries.
Josie Serafini is trying to help her brother through an unbearable loss, after he loses his wife and children. I appreciated the sweetness of their close relationship, that has lasted through the hard knocks of life.
But will sibling support be enough, when Vic is ready to give up? And will the two of them be able to maintain their tight bond as long kept secrets are revealed?
Written with poetic language and full of metaphors for life and love, Josie and Vic will appeal to those who love family drama full of love, hope and forgiveness.
Josie and Vic is a heart-breaking tale of surviving tragedy, the importance of sibling bonds, and how our humanity and ability to reach out to others transcends geographic and family boundaries.
Josie Serafini is trying to help her brother through an unbearable loss, after he loses his wife and children. I appreciated the sweetness of their close relationship, that has lasted through the hard knocks of life.
But will sibling support be enough, when Vic is ready to give up? And will the two of them be able to maintain their tight bond as long kept secrets are revealed?
Written with poetic language and full of metaphors for life and love, Josie and Vic will appeal to those who love family drama full of love, hope and forgiveness.
December 26, 2022
Josie and Vic by Debra Thomas
ARC - Expected release: April 11,2023
Ms. Thomas has crafted a story that exceeds the typical family drama.
This story shines a light all on its own in a way that gives new meaning to resilience.
Josie and Vic shattered my heart throughout its layers of loss and grief, but ultimately stitched the broken pieces together in a most unique way with its elements of love, and renewal. A heart-filling novel that I know will be with me for a very long time!
With its breathtaking portrayal of a family pulled apart by tragedy, to its beauty of the celebration of life, Josie and Vic is a tender, touching, richly detailed story, and one I highly recommend.
5 Stars
#JosieAndVic
#DebraThomas
#SheWritesPress
Wild Sage Book Blog
ARC - Expected release: April 11,2023
Ms. Thomas has crafted a story that exceeds the typical family drama.
This story shines a light all on its own in a way that gives new meaning to resilience.
Josie and Vic shattered my heart throughout its layers of loss and grief, but ultimately stitched the broken pieces together in a most unique way with its elements of love, and renewal. A heart-filling novel that I know will be with me for a very long time!
With its breathtaking portrayal of a family pulled apart by tragedy, to its beauty of the celebration of life, Josie and Vic is a tender, touching, richly detailed story, and one I highly recommend.
5 Stars
#JosieAndVic
#DebraThomas
#SheWritesPress
Wild Sage Book Blog
April 1, 2023
Josie and Vic by Debra Thomas is an excellent, emotional moving story.
This novel is one of those ones that is sad but also gives me hope.
As we learn, Josie and Vic are siblings. I love reading books about siblings. I have such a very strong bond with my sister, I really can relate to sibling fiction stories.
Josie and Vic is a story of hope during a time of extreme grief and healing.
I love when I can learn something when reading a novel. The author talks about immigration and "Border Angels" that helps immigrants passing the border. The idea of the project is that people actually go and leave water out in the desert to save their lives from dehydration.
I felt so many things while reading this book. I absolutely loved it and felt so many emotions while reading it.
This novel is one of those ones that is sad but also gives me hope.
As we learn, Josie and Vic are siblings. I love reading books about siblings. I have such a very strong bond with my sister, I really can relate to sibling fiction stories.
Josie and Vic is a story of hope during a time of extreme grief and healing.
I love when I can learn something when reading a novel. The author talks about immigration and "Border Angels" that helps immigrants passing the border. The idea of the project is that people actually go and leave water out in the desert to save their lives from dehydration.
I felt so many things while reading this book. I absolutely loved it and felt so many emotions while reading it.
April 21, 2023
Sibling and family relationships play center roll in this character driven story set mainly in the early 2000s. The topics of migration and immigration are also part of this story. All of these elements along with some beloved animals make this a stunning read.
Josie has left her home and horses in New York to stay in California to help her brother, Vic, as he grieves the loss of his wife and two young children in a horrible accident.
She is also looking forward to connecting with her 19 year old daughter who lives in Seattle.
Josie and Vic along with their estranged father and Josie’s daughter will find a new lens on family as the next chapter opens up for them.
Josie has left her home and horses in New York to stay in California to help her brother, Vic, as he grieves the loss of his wife and two young children in a horrible accident.
She is also looking forward to connecting with her 19 year old daughter who lives in Seattle.
Josie and Vic along with their estranged father and Josie’s daughter will find a new lens on family as the next chapter opens up for them.
June 12, 2023
Personally I don't care to label books as women's fiction because I'm concerned that men won't read them and will suffer a loss by not doing so. We can all learn a lot by stepping into the shoes of characters in novels; I certainly did from all the books I read while growing up. Still do.
Yes, women can do a great job of writing male characters and vice versa.
There was more to this story that I had expected when begun, therefore, I was pleasantly surprised. Beautifully written, marvelous character development, and that oft repeated standby: "ripped from today's headlines." Or perhaps yesterday's now, but regrettably still happening.
I recommend this one.
Yes, women can do a great job of writing male characters and vice versa.
There was more to this story that I had expected when begun, therefore, I was pleasantly surprised. Beautifully written, marvelous character development, and that oft repeated standby: "ripped from today's headlines." Or perhaps yesterday's now, but regrettably still happening.
I recommend this one.
April 14, 2023
Family dynamics are always interesting to explore because life circumstances are so unique. There is a lot of tragedy and trauma in this story, but also hope and healing. Despite their tragic individual experiences siblings Josie and Vic work together to move forward and put their broken pieces together to create a new version of their life story. There are a lot of sad events mingled with recovery and the courage to survive and overcome the past. A truly inspiring novel.
I received a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.
I received a gifted copy in exchange for an honest review.
April 21, 2023
Debra Thomas' latest novel, Josie and Vic, explores family relationships in a moving and relatable way. Siblings Josie and Vic, always close, have become even closer following Vic's devastating and heartbreaking loss. As they lean on one another, they also must deal with resentment toward the father that abandoned them years ago, and Josie's estrangement from her headstrong daughter. Set against the backdrop of the 9/11 tragedy, the novel reinforces the importance of family bonds, as tragedy and loss lead to healing and reconciliation.
May 10, 2023
Josie and Vic reminds us of human frailties. Families are messy. None of us escape unscathed. Sorrow is inevitable. Healing is possible. There can be joy. The background of time and place give substance and reason but don’t overwhelm the story with their significance in history and current events. The author doesn’t tell, she shows with scenes that weave one through another, guiding the reader to the certain conclusion that the best thing we can do for ourselves, as well as others, is to grant and receive forgiveness. There is where healing begins and joy can flourish.
April 27, 2023
As an only child, I’ve always wanted siblings. The deep bond between Josie & Vic was a reminder of why. Their bond was super special and really tugged at my heartstrings. Both experienced tremendous love and loss and their stories were both extremely compelling. I also loved Josie’s bond with her horses and the pups in her life. There’s nothing better for this book lover than a page that gives me all the feels. This book did that plus more!
May 19, 2023
Debra Thomas has given us all a beautiful gift. This tender story depicts many kinds of love, all with compelling authenticity, from romantic love to sibling love, a mother’s and father’s love, and love for the friends we choose to embrace as family, as well as humans’ capacity to deeply connect with the animals in our lives. Her characters cross borders and generations in service to that most powerful of all forces: love. This is an absorbing and utterly rewarding read.
January 24, 2023
With an authentic sense of place and time, JOSIE AND VIC pulls the reader into the emotional depths of familial relationships and the pain of generational secrets. Author Debra Thomas has created characters who illuminate the essentials of the human heart in this story of love, loss, and renewal.
–Johnnie Bernhard, author of HANNAH AND ARIELA
–Johnnie Bernhard, author of HANNAH AND ARIELA
March 27, 2023
The protagonists are shattered by unspeakable loss at the same time Thomas’s exquisite prose helps them find their way to redemption and grace. This is a story of forgiveness and reconciliation across great divides. And with them, we are carried on a treat of a tale that made me reconsider those I still need to forgive and how to heal. A fabulous follow-up to Thomas’s crystalline Luz.
December 25, 2022
Great book! So many deep topics and interesting perspectives. Filled with real-life challenges. Love that there are discussion questions at the end. Really great book club book with a lot to talk about! Five stars!
March 16, 2023
Josie and Vic is a rare gift to thoughtful readers. In our cynical times, Debra Thomas lingers with everyday people—people who struggle as they confront tragedy and loss, yet rise above it by connecting with each other. This is a novel of connection—something I deeply needed.
May 21, 2023
The brother and sister bond told in this touching novel “Josie and Vic” by Debra Thomas is written with compassion, forgiveness, hope, healing, heartache, and touching moments. It is definitely a wonderful novel I high recommend!
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