From the bestselling author of Wish Me Home comes a heart-racing tale of resilience and hope.
When Sadie Harlan visits her daughter, Lauren, at her summer internship in Yosemite National Park, it seems like the perfect way to forget about her empty nest and failing marriage back home. But when the two women get lost on what’s meant to be a short hike, they suddenly find themselves fighting for … themselves fighting for their lives.
As they search for food, water, and civilization, they battle injury, exhaustion, and natural predators. Sadie, however, is assaulted by more than just the unforgiving elements. She lost her first child years earlier in a tragic accident, and in her sorrow, she’s pushed everyone away—including her husband. Now, Sadie must face her past through a journey of love, loss, and learning to forgive herself if she and Lauren are to stand a chance at getting out of Yosemite alive. Will a mother’s courage be enough to save them both?
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This was a great read! It was one of those books that I did not want to put down. I thought the author did a great job with the two main characters – Sadie (mom) and Lauren (daughter) – I really got a very clear picture of their relationship. Sadie wants Lauren to have the perfect life, so much so that she has basically scripted it for her – from which hobbies she had as a kid to what she is going to study in college. Lauren is the typical teenage daughter with her own interests, trying to find her own way. Getting lost in Yosemite gives them an opportunity to really talk and be honest with one another. I really loved how the story developed both with their struggles in Yosemite as well as how the reader slowly learns more about the loss of Sadie’s first child and how it’s impacted Sadie and her family.
One of the things that I appreciate most about Kay Bratt’s books is the depth to which she goes when developing her characters. I feel like I know them; that I understand them; that I feel their emotions. This newest book is no exception. Which of us has not at some point allowed our pain to powerfully direct our perspective? Sometimes it takes something significant happening to force us to face the memories and the pain, and, if we’re lucky, gain a new perspective and start a new chapter and happier future.
What an emotional roller coaster of a book! Sadie has closed herself off from her husband and her daughter after the death of her son. When she comes to the conclusion her husband is having an affair, she goes to see her daughter at college. Sadie and Lauren decide to go hiking and get lost in Yosemite National Park. They end up lost and have to fight for their survival. It is such a traumatic experience and they must work together to survive. I cried many times while reading this book. The characters are real and flawed. This is a book I read in one day as I couldn’t put it down. I received an advanced readers copy from NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing. All opinions are my own.
Dancing with the Sun by Kay Bratt is a very emotional book. Right from page one I was drawn in and I could not put this book down. I laughed I cried and I felt all the emotions of this book. Kay writes a beautiful story about a mother and daughter relationship, midlife crisis, grief, empty nest syndrome, lack of communication. This book is a journey of self-discovery, learning to learn to live with grief and moving forward being thankful for what you have in your life. Kay has such a way to write from her heart and touch your heart. You will not be disappointed in this book. Thank you NetGalley and Lake Union for the advanced copy of this book.
What an incredible life journey! As I read I laughed, I cried, I cheered and I prayered for the beautiful characters of mother, broken but loving and daughter, confused but loving. As the mother of child lost too soon I identified with the broken spirit of Sadie and the ability to build a wall to protect one’s heart. Yet the ability to love the children that came after is so strong it does help to soften those walls. Lauren’s curiosity about the brother she never knew and her questions about her past were brought to life in such a way that the emotions were felt by the reader!
Kay Bratt’s ability to bring those details and emotions right off the page and into your live is truly a gift. Thank you for sharing that gift with readers like myself!
An emotional and uplifting story!
While ostensibly a story of a mother and daughter lost in the Yosemite wilderness, it’s more about deeper issues: grief, adoption, dealing with past mistakes and empty nest syndrome. The mother has to deal with these issues, while simultaneously struggling to keep herself and her daughter alive. Along the way, and with her daughter’s help, she also travels a journey of self-discovery, learning some uncomfortable truths about herself, yet also learning how to move forward. And learning to be grateful for what she’s been given, instead of simply grieving about what she’s lost. I have loved everything I’ve read by this author and this book is no exception!
Thanks to NetGalley and Lake Union for the advanced copy of this book!
This was the first book I’ve read by Kay Bratt bit it won’t be the last! This book sucks you in to the forests of Yosemite and the life of a grieving mother as she learns to let go of guilt that has held her back for so many years. You won’t be disappointed by this book!
I absolutely loved this book!! It is written with such a profound understanding of a mothers all consuming grief over the loss of her child. This book is about so much more than grief though. It is a story of survival in the wilderness. It is about the unbreakable bond between a mother and her children. It is heartfelt and at times, heartbreaking. It brought me to tears on several occasions. It is such a descriptive novel and I was there in the wild of Yosemite with Sadie and her adopted daughter, Lauren. I could taste their fear at times. The characters are richly developed and I felt like I knew them. This is a beautiful book and it should be a reminder to us all to live life to the fullest and keep dancing in the Sun. I highly recommend this book! Thank you to NetGalley and Lake Union publishers for a copy of this book for review consideration.
Years ago, Sadie Harlan’s son, Jacob, died in a tragic accident while on a fishing trip with his Dad, Tom. Despite trying to live a happy life for her husband and their adopted daughter, Lauren, Sadie has lived a half-life because of her grief. She and Tom still share a life, but much of it is separate, and Lauren has left the nest for college, and Sadie’s isolation has become claustrophobic.
One particular day, Sadie discovers that several articles of Tom’s clothes are missing, including his favorite bedroom slippers. With Tom on yet another camping trip, she is unable to confront him with her suspicions. Is Tom having an affair?
Having convinced herself that Tom has moved on, Sadie hops the first plane to California to tell Lauren that their lives are about to change and that she is leaving Tom. Lauren picks Sadie up from the airport excited to share news of her own, but only after they take a short hike in the Yosemite.
Despite her hesitation, Sadie agrees, wanting to make happy memories on this day before she ends her marriage. However, one wrong turn off the path leaves the ladies lost in the Yosemite with little on their persons in the means of survival.
This novel is fraught is filled with emotions as Sadie and Lauren attempt to find their way back to civilization, tired, exhausted, and injured. But, throughout their journey, this beautiful emotional journey, Lauren finds a way to help Sadie rediscover the life that she lost…and for her to realize that not all was lost on that tragic day.
And, just when all hope seemed lost, love finds a way.
I highly recommend this book and I look forward to reading other titles by this author
Kay Bratt has such a wonderful gift to bring the reader emotionally into her stories. Dancing With the Sun took me into the harrowing journey with Sadie and her daughter Lauren. This was more than just a story of Sadie getting lost in the wilderness with her daughter…it was the story of Sadie finding her way out of the wilderness that her life had been for many years after the tragic loss of her son. Kay Bratt had me lost in the wilderness with these characters….the fear, the hopelessness, the intense anxiety of whether they would find their way out. Sadie had lost her way many years before and had kept her feelings hidden…or she thought she had. Her motherly instincts kicked in at protecting her daughter, no matter the cost, and had me rooting for them to find their way. Their “adventure” revealed many things that otherwise might have continued to be hidden.
I truly felt I was fighting to survive with Sadie and Lauren. This story is written from the heart and I felt it was very sensitive to the issues Kay Bratt included in this story. I enjoyed the story so very much and when I go out into the mountains and forests and see the light shining through the trees, I will be reminded to always be Dancing With the Sun
This passage in the book touched me:
“…I like to think that we don’t really know why the sunflower moves the way it does. That some things in the universe are meant to remain a mystery. But the lesson I learned as I watched them and cataloged their progress is that through everything, good and bad, we should stand tall and follow the light. For our own growth.”
I want to thank Kay Bratt, Lake Union Publishing, and Netgalley for the honor of reading this wonderful book. I gladly and happily recommend it. I have given it 5…YES READ IT and DANCE…stars.
There are different kinds of isolation and it can either make or break a person. This is a beautifully written book about a mother’s isolation from her family and the isolation that she and her daughter feel when they get lost at Yosemite. Will it make them stronger or break their spirits?
Sadie is ready to give up on her life. She has never recovered from the death of her son years earlier and has shut herself off emotionally from her husband and adopted daughter. She has given up her painting and basically her entire life. When she decides to make a surprise visit to her daughter, she has no idea that hiking in Yosemite National Park will be part of their plans. They are not prepared and when a short hike becomes a life threatening crisis, they have to be strong and rely on each other to survive. As they search for food and water and safety from predators, they both have to dig deep into themselves for their inner strength if they have a chance of survival. As their chances of survival dwindle, will they find it in themselves to really love and forgive?
This is a beautiful and well written novel with fantastic characters – flaws and all – that will have readers hoping for their survival and unable to put the book down. I loved it and I highly recommend it.
Thanks to the publisher for a copy of this book to read and review. All opinions are my own.
In Dancing With the Sun, vivid descriptions abound, transporting the reader to the mesmerizing Yosemite National Park. Author Kay Bratt spins a great tale! I could feel the characters’ emotions, such as tragic loss, disappointment in failed relationships, and palpable fear at being lost in the wilderness. This is a great story with a heartwarming happily ever after!
A first time read by this author, and I enjoyed everything about this story of survival, unresolved grief, and a mother’s love for her children.
Sadie Harlan is dealing with the loss of her son Jacob years ago and her daughter Lauren’s absence, as a college student, currently doing an internship in Yosemite. She suspects that her husband Tom’s frequent weekends away, are an indication of an affair, as their marriage continues to crumble. In a moment of acute loneliness she books a trip to visit Lauren in
Yosemite.
Not an outdoorsy type, Sadie is unwillingly pulled into an ill prepared hike by Lauren, anxious to show off her new knowledge and the beauty that is Yosemite. As they’re placed in obvious danger by the treacherous terrain, unstable weather and threatening wildlife, keeping her daughter safe becomes Sadie’s main objective. She learns a lot about Lauren, herself and the reasons for her rocky marriage, as the experience opens up a lot of feelings that she has covered. A very emotional story of losses and the difficulty in overcoming them, without drawing on the love and strength of family and friends.
I received this ARC from Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley, for my honest review. Thank you to Kay Bratt for a beautiful story.
Dancing With the Sun is an amazing journey. There were times I just wanted to shake Sadie and Lauren for making really bad decisions, really bad ones! Who goes on a hike without a jacket? Or a compass? Or food? This story is Sadie’s journey to acceptance. I believe that Lauren, her adopted Chinese daughter, is wise beyond her 19 years, and it is with her tenacity and wisdom that Sadie is able to find herself once again. I enjoyed this journey. The characters were very real to me and I traveled alongside them as they danced with the sun.
Dancing with the Sun is a remarkable story and yet, again, Kay Bratt did not disappoint me. I was pulled into this book immediately.
Sadie is in a rut; her daughter, Lauren, is off starting to live her life on her own, becoming an adult and not needing her as much. Sadie is feeling the empty nest and realizing that she has done things in her life that she wished she could change. Her relationship with her husband, Tom, is strained and has been since they lost their son, Jacob, to a tragic accident years ago. Instead of leaning on Tom during their time of grief, she withdrew. She made a decision to change her life but wants to see her daughter, tell her in person. In a spur of the moment decision, Sadie decides to surprise Lauren for the weekend. She hops on a plane to California. What she thought would be a relaxing (and somewhat emotional) weekend turns into an adventure neither was expecting. Lauren wants to show her mom a view of Yosemite after she picks her up at the airport. Against Sadie’s judgment, they venture onto a trail and eventually get lost, totally unprepared to be out hiking. This adventure tests their strength, perseverance and undying love for each other in ways neither expected, both doing all they can to survive. It opens up wounds and starts healing that neither ever expected.
Thank you NetGalley and Kay Bratt for an advanced copy of this wonderful book.
Kay Bratt’s book, DANCING WITH THE SUN, is a great book! I have read all of Kay’s books and have truly enjoyed them all. Yet again as I have found with each of Kay’s books, when I picked this book up, I truly could not put it down.
This is an emotional book AND one that will keep you on the edge of your seat as Sadie and Lauren go though the terrifying experience of being lost in a National Park. This is a book full of suspense, yet one I could really relate to and that truly touched my heart. Although this book is about so SO much more, the part I could really relate to was a mother seeing her child off on her own in her first years of college and all the emotions that go with that.
Although I will not have an empty nest any time soon, I do have a daughter that will soon be out and on her own. I think about this fact a lot. Reading this book really brought home the emotion that I try to keep at bay, but at the same time gave me comfort knowing that like this mother and daughter, me and my daughter will grow through our experience.
And though it went from emotional which had me in tears at times to biting my nails suspenseful, it was also heartwarming. A book that most anyone could pick up and truly enjoy!
Thank you Kay Bratt for yet another wonderful book!
I would like to thank NetGalley and Kay Bratt for the advanced readers’ copy of DANCING WITH THE SUN.
Thank you Kay Bratt & NetGalley for the Advanced Reader Copy ! What a beautiful book from page one til the very end. I started this book this morning and finished it in one sitting ! I could not tear myself away from it. There is tragedy and loss in this book but there is love and heart and courage as well. You can’t help but love these characters and want nothing more for them to see past their grief and find out what really matters. A truly heartwarming book by an author who is one of the best out there. Enjoy !
Dancing With the Sun is the story of a mother & her daughter who quite by accident go on the adventure of their lives.
Sadie lost her son Jacob many years ago in a dreadful accident. She has never gotten over that loss. This loss has defined Sadie guiding her every thought, decision, action. As a result, Sadie shut herself off from her husband Tom & daughter Lauren.
At the last minute, Sadie decided to visit her daughter Lauren across the country. Lauren takes Sadie on what is supposed to be a short hike but ends up being a 3 day, 2 night adventure. During this time mother & daughter connect on a much deeper level learning things about each othet. as well as Sadie delving into why she has shut down from her family.
Kay’s characters seem like people you may know because she draws on real life. It is this aspect that draws me into each of her books time & time again.
#KayBratt #DancingWithTheSun
An Amazing heart stopping novel that had me holding my breath, crying happy and sad tears and laughing out loud at times. I could relate in so many ways.
When Sadie impulsively and out of character surprises her daughter Lauren with a visit, neither of them realizes that they will be on a journey of survival and healing while lost in the Woods of Yosemite Park.
The message in this beautiful book is clear :”I like to think that we don’t really know why the sunflower moves the way it does.” “But, the lesson I learned as I watched them and cataloged their progress is that through everything good and bad, we should stand tall and follow the light.”
Love this story