“Choices are made all the time. One choice doesn’t have to define a life.”
Emily is a psychologist at NYU, helping students navigate the things that are troubling them. Although the job weighs on her from time to time, she once was rescued by a psychologist and feels this is her way of paying it forward.
Emily and her husband, Ezra, a pediatric oncologist, have a good, loving marriage. Each draws strength from the other. They’ve finally decided they’re ready to start a family, and neither can wait to be parents.
When tragedy strikes, it reminds Emily of an earlier time in her life, when she was a musician, in love and performing with Rob. But when faced with tragedy and pain, Emily makes the difficult choice to put that side of her life away, and ultimately, that choice leads her down the path her life has taken, to being a psychologist and marrying Ezra.
When Emily hears a familiar voice on the radio, singing about the one that got away, her life is once again upended, and the secrets she’s kept for so long suddenly are revealed. Did she make the right choices years ago? Is she on the right path now? Will she have to abandon some dreams to pursue others?
What I love so much about Santopolo's writing is how she captures emotions of all kinds—love, grief, excitement, pain—and the trajectory of relationships. That talent is on full display here, and I was really moved by Everything After, even when I didn’t necessarily agree with a character’s behavior. (I also loved her first book, The Light We Lost, and enjoyed her second, More Than Words.)
This may be a difficult story for those dealing with or who have dealt with fertility issues, but it’s really a powerful and emotional read.
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