It took me about 6 hours to finish this book after work yesterday. I literally could not put it down to shower, eat, or go to bed at a reasonable time. Jennifer Laurens writes a beautiful story about a teenage girl struggling to be strong in a family overshadowed by her little sister, Abria's, autism. The disease takes a noticeable toll on each family member in a different way-Zoe turning to meaningless sex and alcohol to help cope and her brother, Luke finding solace in drugs. But then Zoe meets Abria's guardian angel and they fall deeply in all-consuming, pure, love.
What makes this story so breathtaking is how real the characters come across to the reader. Each mortally flawed. Jennifer Laurens manages to create plausible dilemmas and her characters deal with these life-altering situations much as we have seen friends and family, or even ourselves, have. Even with the fantasy aspect of a guardian angel love interest-the story lacks any sort of cheesiness that forces the reader to suspend belief to accept the tale. Instead, it is written in a way where acceptance of the impossible slips in, unnoticed, and just is.
The story is an enticing enigma of opposites. While the big picture is easily discernible, the minor twists and turns keep it interesting. A guardian angel guides the Dodd family, but nothing wraps up neatly at the end-the family still struggles with the same anger, addictions, and frustrations they began with. With all it's complexities, Heavenly leaves the reader feeling comforted by the simplicity of pure love and forgiveness. Tragedy abounds but it doesn't feel over dramatic. Jennifer Laurens writes a fine balance presenting a moral story-without crossing into preachy. A difficult feat considering a main player in the novel can list heavenly being on his resume.
After finishing the novel, I felt overwhelmed by the love story between Zoe and Matthias. There was nothing raunchy, but it hardly felt chaste. It simply felt real and right. Zoe makes a great heroine as she realistically learns from her mistakes only to stumble across new ones. While the book has its share of miracles, there is no miraculous change in its characters-just subtle differences that let you know they are on the right path. I finished the novel feeling grateful for what I have, thankful that my problems are not as bad as they could be, and hopeful that I can overcome my own obstacles.
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