Friday, June 30, 2023

Book Review: "The Language of Love and Loss" by Bart Yates

This was such an excellent, moving book about family—blood and chosen—as well as secrets and second chances. Bart Yates is such a talented storyteller and I was completely hooked from start to finish.

It’s been a while since he’s returned to his sleepy New Hampshire hometown, but Noah has been summoned by his mother, Virginia, who is New Hampshire’s Poet Laureate. They love each other, but their relationship has always been fraught with emotions and anger because they’re so similar, both being temperamental artists.

Virginia has bad news about her health, which throws Noah for a loop, and she has two requests for him: move home to New Hampshire and help her find the daughter she gave up for adoption when she was very young. He can’t imagine doing the first, and although he’s reluctant to help with the second, he realizes how much it would mean to his mother.

As if dealing with the discovery of a whole extended family wasn’t enough, he also has to deal with his unresolved feelings toward his one true love, J.D., with whom he grew up but pushed away. J.D. is now married and his husband doesn’t like Noah much—but given his constant penchant for sarcasm, that’s no surprise.

Other than one scene between Noah and his cousin, which creeped me out a bit and felt totally unnecessary, this book hit all the right notes. Just a beautiful story.

No comments:

Post a Comment