The Best Is Yet to Come - by Debbie Macomber (Hardcover)

The Best is Yet to Come by Debbie Macomber is a story about second chances and new beginnings. I was immediately drawn into this story. I like Debbie Macomber’s writing style. It has such an ease to it. I started reading and did not want to stop. The story moved along at a quick pace. I enjoyed getting to know Hope, Cade, Spencer, and Callie. There are three storylines that play out from three points-of-view (Hope, Cade, and Spencer). I like that the characters were realistic and relatable. The characters also had real life problems. Hope lost her twin brother who died a hero in the Afghan desert. She misses him terribly and is looking for a new start. She wanted a small town and Oceanside was the right choice. Cade was wounded in Afghanistan plus he lost his two best friends. He is estranged from his parents since he did not follow in his father’s footsteps to become a lawyer. Spencer is a high school student who is also an uber geek. He who cares for Callie, a popular girl who is dating the star of the football team. Spencer wants to take Callie to homecoming. When Callie needs help, a deal is struck. Cade and Hope meet at an animal shelter. Hope works to help a dog, Shadow who was severely traumatized (it is heart wrenching). We see that there are different types of trauma. Kindness, patience, love, and hope go a long way towards healing it along with therapy. There are good life lessons in this story. I like how everything came together into one heartwarming story. The Best is Yet to Come shows the importance of hope, healing, friendship, and faith. The Best is Yet to Come is an uplifting tale with an irate soldier, a compassionate teacher, a computer geek with a crush, a football player with a temper, a suffering Shadow, an understanding judge, a selfish old friend, and a thoughtful therapist.

Hope is a teacher and counselor at a local high school. She is a counselor the students trust, so helps navigates them through difficult situations. Hope’s life hadn’t been easy, as she was raised by her grandparents and has recently lost her twin brother while serving in Afghanistan. This has taken a tole on her, so she decides to move from California to Washington for a much needed change. Is this the change she is looking for? Cade is an injured veteran who injured himself physically and mentally in Afghanistan, and has gotten himself in legal trouble. The judge understands what Cade needs in order to get his life together, so he has to complete PT, community service, and counseling instead of serving time in jail. Will his court order help him turn his life around? Hope and Cade both volunteer at the local animal shelter and becomes friends. Will they be able to help each other navigate life? What will become of their friendship? Will this give them a second chance at having a loving and healthy life? I love how Debbie Macomber includes difficult topics in her books, but weaves them into a heartfelt and uplifting story that has a happy ending! It shows that even after hardships and loss, there is hope. A wonderful book to include on your Summer Reading list!