About the Book:
With nothing but brains, ambition and sheer nerve, Charlotte Hale built a career as a tough, savvy real-estate developer. Her reputation is rock-solid...but her life is empty.
One terrifying day, facing her own mortality, she realizes that her ambition has almost destroyed her chance at happiness.
So Charlotte vows to make amends, not simply with her considerable wealth, but by offering a hand instead of a handout. Putting in hours and energy instead of putting in an appearance. Opening her home and heart instead of her wallet.
With each wrenching, exhilarating decision, Charlotte finds that climbing a new mountain-one built on friendship, love and forgiveness-will teach her what it truly means to build a legacy.
My Comments:
I LOVED this book. I highly recommend it. Grade: A.
I know, that's usually the way I end reviews, not the way I start them, but I'm that glad I got a chance to read One Mountain Away. Charlotte was born Lottie Lou, and her mother died when she was a child, leaving her in the care of her drunk father and her grandmother. Her grandmother died shortly after she graduated from high school and she fled her small hill town for the big city of Ashville where she eventually became a wealthy property developer. When diagnosed with a fatal illness, she realizes that no one will mourn her passing, and sets out to change that. Her first decision is to take in a waitress from her favorite coffee shop--she finds the waitress sleeping in her (the waitress' ) car.
A major character in the book is Analiese, Charlotte's pastor. Charlotte mentions Analiese talking about non-Christian spiritual traditions at church and Analiese's vestments at one point include a Buddhist symbol, so Analiese is certainly not the stereotypical pastor shown in Christian fiction, even if you get past the fact that she is female. However, she is a good friend and guide to Charlotte. She's the kind of person I'd want walking a path like that with me.
One thing that struck me in this book was age. Charlotte is 54; I'm close to that. Her daughter has a child my daughter's age. Even without the illness, Charlotte seemed so old, so did her daughter's father, yet they are my age. Our society values youth so much, it is hard to start seeing yourself as other than young.
I'd like to thank the publisher for making a review copy available via NetGalley. It appears that it will be the first book in a series about women helping women.
My Reviews of Other Emilie Richards Books:
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