The Light in the Wound

The Light in the Wound by Christine Brae

I went into reading this book with no idea what it was about. Based off of the title, I was a bit skeptical of whether this was my kind of book or not. After finishing though, I learned not only should you never judge a book by its cover, but you should never judge a book by its title! Obviously the author knew what she was doing by choosing this title!

Isabel did not have the most loving and supportive family growing up. She rarely saw her father at all later in her life and her mother never seemed to learn how to put her four daughter’s before her husband, from any of her six marriages and her earlier drug addiction. Coming from a family that had ample money but very little idea of what true love was, Isabel was determined find her own identity and change her life for the better.

During a high school party with her sister’s, Isabel bumps into her future; Jesse Cain. Jesse is the starting pitcher for his high school baseball team, student body president, Mr. Popularity and the one guy every girl dreamt of being with. There was an instant spark and Isabel immediately wanted so desperately to be the only girl Jesse will ever want. Isabel wanted to give Jesse everything he wanted. The question remained, is being loved always enough or does a person’s goals and ambitions blind them from seeing what is most important in life?

Alex has been one of Isabel’s best friend’s, he has always supported her dreams and goals, and he has been there to pick her up when she is down. He would do anything for Isabel, including giving her all of his love even when she has very little affection to offer him. The truth is she is also in love with someone else. He has shared her heart for seven years. Can their love conquer all? Can it survive the jealousy and betrayal during what was supposed to be some of the happiest times in their lives?

This book broke me at times, made me smile, and melted my heart. There was so much emotion and passion within each page that I had to take breaks before I could continue. Isabel loses her identity at one point, because she loves Jesse so much. She truly would give up all of her goals and dreams to be with him. She was willing to give up everything in regards to herself, in order to assure the keeper of her heart would be able to become all he aspired to be. Isabel loses her light and although she convinces herself that she is happy, the one’s that love her and know her most know that she is dying inside.

Alex is one of the few people that can break through the façade Isabelle is so tightly hanging onto in order to get a glimpse of the happy, determined, passionate person she once was. Alex seems to always be able to lift her up when she is down; his true love for her absolutely warms my heart. Watching Isabelle being torn between what her heart wants and what her head knows she should do is a position I could never imagine. I found myself feeling deeply for her. She did not want to follow in her mother’s footsteps; she wanted to break away from the poor decisions her family made which so greatly affected her life. She has two great guys that are so different from one another. They both offer her completely different things in life. How does she choose between the love of her life and the best friend that she also loves? You will have to read this book to know for yourself!

I really loved this book. I enjoyed that it was more focused on the character’s true relationships with each other. This book was more focused on the emotional depths a person can feel verses the sexual rawness that is so prominent in many books I have recently read. Christine Brae uses such great detail in this story that I feel I know every character. I feel I am living their pain, happiness and sorrows alongside them. I love how she shows how a person can be dealt a bad hand in our lives, but they can change the outcome and end up being happy, even if it takes time to know what they truly want!

Overall I give this book 4.5 stars! I recommend that everyone reads it. I was hooked from the first page and believe there is something in this story that each one of us can relate too. I am absolutely thrilled to know this book is the very first I have the privilege of reviewing. I hope I did this book justice as it was simply amazing!

Happy Reading,

Christina Racich