The New York Times bestselling author Catherine Ryan Hyde is heartfelt and perceptive in this bittersweet story about slowing down and discovering what can be gained when leaving everything behind.Roseanna Chaldecott spent her life as a high-powered lawyer in Manhattan. But when her best friend and law partner dies suddenly, something snaps. Unsure of her future, Roseanna heads upstate on one … heads upstate on one tank of gas and with no plans to return.
In the foothills of the Adirondacks, Roseanna discovers the perfect hideout in a ramshackle farm. Its seventy-six acres are rich with possibilities and full of surprises, including a mother and daughter squatting on the property. Although company is the last thing Roseanna wants, she reluctantly lets them stay.
Roseanna and the young girl begin sculpting junk found around the farm into zoo animals, drawing more newcomers—including her estranged son, Lance. He pleads with Roseanna to return to the city, but she’s finally discovered where she belongs. It may not provide the solitude she originally sought, but her heart has found room for much more.
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I love the writings of this author. She has a unique voice and her characters are original, never stereotypical. They differ in their struggles but all share the same trait: a good heart which leads them to the right place in the end.
Rosanna has a high-powered job and everything that money can buy but when her best friend passes away suddenly, Rosanna has second thoughts about the life she is living. On a drive outside of the city, she comes upon a run-down farm that calls her name. A place to be alone and rethink her life. But after buying it, she finds she is not alone. Other people are drawn to her little piece of heaven too. And when her son shows up on her doorstep, wondering what has gotten into her, she isn’t sure how to answer. Can she return to her empty city life, or is the little farm her destiny?
Beautifully written, heartfelt, sometimes humorous, honest. These words describe this latest story by Catherine Ryan Hyde. She touches a nerve here, giving the reader something to think about. Are you living your life to its fullest? Rosanna isn’t sure she is, and we follow her as she struggles with the changes going on around her. Changes occurring by her recent loss, by the people who are now surrounding her, by her trying to reconnect with her grown son. But the author does this in a way that entertains, makes you smile, and maybe even cry. This is Catherine Ryan Hyde at her best. Highly recommended.
Heaven Adjacent by author Catherine Ryan Hyde is a thought-provoking book which will keep your interest and have the reader anxious to read all the way to the end. Roseanna Chaldecott, a successful lawyer runs away from her life! At first, as I read about Roseanna Chaldecott and her actions after the shocking unexpected death of Alice, her closest friend, and work colleague, I wanted to say, “No, don’t do this. Take a vacation or take some time off, you are making a mistake!”
I won’t post spoilers, but there is so much more to this book than an entertaining story. When I started the book, the main character did not seem to be an easy character to love. Roseanna is very rigid in her rules for life it seems. The author carefully wove the interactions of people in Roseanna’s life to tell a story of life lessons, not only for Roseanna but also to help heal the childhood hurt and misunderstandings of her son Lance.
When Roseanna runs away from her beautiful and orderly life she has no idea the peace she seeks will not follow the path she has chosen but will manifest in a totally different journey!
Thank you to NetGalley and the Publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.
A beautiful story of a woman learning to accept herself and others in her life.
I just absolutely love Catherine’s stories and the wisdom that she shares. Her stories are always filled with normal, down-to-earth people who struggle through life but come out better in the end. She always fills her stories with life lessons—lessons we could all learn from.
Heaven Adjacent is a thought provoking look at a woman who decides she is done with her current life and sets out to find her little piece of heaven on earth. As her new life evolves, is this really what her idea of heaven is? She was looking for peace and quiet. Can her life be filled with people and still be what she’s looking for?
As I was reading this wonderful story, I couldn’t help thinking that maybe the wisdom imparted here should spread like Catherine’s ‘pay it forward’ did. We should all look for what makes us happy and strive for that little peace of heaven on earth, like Roseanna did.
One more you must read amazing book
A good read but not my favorite by this wonderful author.
It’s rare that someone leaves everything behind without a plan and has life turn out well. But you never know unless you try. This book is the tale of living without regrets – or, at least about moving on and leaving the regrets behind.
This is a very unusual story and one I enjoyed. It was somewhat confusing because some of the reasons for the people doing what they did was not fully explained. However, I enjoyed the book and would definitely recommend
This author’s books usually deal with a real life issue. This one is no different. There are a couple parts that were outside of my comfort zone, but overall it is a good story.
The characters in this book quickly grow into your heart as real people you could bump into at the grocery store.
Didn’t find the main character especially likeable in the beginning, but enjoyed the book.
I enjoyed this book as I have all of Hyde’s books.
Hard to get into it but I ended up liking it.
I liked this book a lot! The writing was good, the story kept me interested (well into the night more than once). It’s about family, family relationships, leaving paid work for an isolated aged farmstead. The middle-aged mother, Roseanna sought a quiet, secluded life after years an attorney in the big city. She discovered that the farmstead she bought had numerous, unwanted squatters. She struggled with their daily presence, what they meant to her as a helping person and the dream of seclusion she maintained. She and her adult son, Lance had a strained relationship that they were both willing to work on. A major character in the story was the farmstead and its meaning to all the other characters.
I liked the characters and the message but sometimes it felt a bit contrived. Good read!
Ms. Ryan Hyde is a favorite author. I have read and enjoyed many of her novels. That said, this does not even read like something she would have written. I almost stopped reading it a few times. Her main character was totally unappealing. The story read like a slow moving mid life crisis, with a getting-to-know-the-grown-son-I mostly-ignored thrown in.
This book was actually life changing for me. I realized that as long as I have a roof over my head, a place to take a shower and fix my hair, a bed to sleep in, and a comfortable chair in which to sit while I read my books…I would be in heaven. Roseanna’s life changes suddenly and I felt her pain but also understood her decision to make a major life change.
The people who cross Roseanna’s path were each well developed and affected her in ways she could have never imagined. New relationships developed and old relationships healed. This was a wonderful story about what really matters.
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Excellent!
December 20, 2018
Format: Kindle Edition
These characters all have such depth and emotion you could easily find them Irving next door. Their journeys are inspiring.
What happens when your priorities change? Life has finally thrown its last loop for Roseanna. This tough-talking, big-city lawyer just starts driving one day until she finds her little piece of heaven.
This is a good story. I’m left a little confused about some details of the story, but it ultimately doesn’t affect the message.