BOOK REVIEWS

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Who hasn't been affected by the death of a loved one and struggled to find a way to cope with the pain and grief? In this touching story,thirteen-year-old Jessica manages to find inner strength and a positive way of dealing with her terrible loss. Readers are instantly immersed in this very real situation, as the author subtly explores the various stages of grief in this family, while brilliantly drawing us into a true empathy with the characters. Highly recommended.
J.H. Sweet, author

Review of Dear Daddy
By Susan E. Richmond

Dear Daddy is a heart touching novel that plunges into the depths of a grief stricken thirteen year old girl. Susan Richmond beautifully captures the many feelings of despair, fear and even joy in Jessica’s own words as the girl plunges into a river of deep emotions searching for the path to recovery.

The story begins with Jessica sitting in a steel, cold hospital waiting room and dreading the arrival of her mother. The girl runs through her mind the details that she will have to give to her mom about the accident and this is more than she can bare. Sadly, the child soon finds that she will not be able to communicate anything to her mother, as the woman has put up an invisible wall between herself and the rest of the world. Jessica tries to find a way to get through to her mother who has stepped into her own living hell and refuses to be released but all her efforts seem in vain. To make matters worse it appears that Jessica’s presence infuriates the parent that once loved her so much, which adds to the child’s confusion.

The girl remembers her father’s last words and all the things she knows he would expect from her. She valiantly tries to deal with her own loss and with the strange person her mother has become. Though Jessica is locked into a world turned upside down, her communication with her father through her diary is a precious link to hope and promise.
Jessica is wise beyond her years and explores emotions that no child should ever have to feel. The girl pleads to the spirit of the man she loved so much to come to her aid but she soon finds that the path to the peace she must find lies within her own mind. She only hopes she is strong enough to find it and to lead her mother there as well, before the dark cloud of grief and pain overcomes them both.

Susan Richmond is a talented author that has the rare ability to combine the rich texture of smoothly written words creating an unforgettable story. I could feel the genuine pain in each step of the grief that Jessica went through and I smiled at every triumph the girl managed to obtain. The gift of a true storyteller is to be able to capture the mind, body and soul of all who hear their stories. There is not a doubt in my mind that Susan is one of these unique individuals, for Dear Daddy shall be etched in my memory forever.

Thank you, Susan, for an incredible read and an amazing journey. I look forward to seeing much more of your thrilling work in many books to come. Best of luck to you and all your endeavors.

Reviewed by T.A. Von Reiman for Writer’s Nook and Reader’s Corner

While Dear Daddy is being presented in present-tense, diary-like style, Author Susan Richmond’s novel allows the reader to experience a thirteen-year-old girl’s pain due to the loss of her father to a terrible tragedy.

The drama unfolds as if young Jessica is talking to the reader, narrating the twenty-eight days of her loneliness, worries, grief and pain. At the same time, Jessica's mother shuts herself off from reality, and her daughter, in the Thornton household.

What happened to Jessica’s daddy?...Will Jessica ever get over her daddy’s death?...Will her mom, who has isolated herself from Jessica?...Why was it so difficult for Mom to
face Jessica, or to get close to her daughter? With these burning questions, the author held my interest until the very last sentence—which ends with Jessica’s ultimate healing—signs from Dear Daddy.

Jan Farris Ezelle, MS

If you know of any organizations who could use this book as a tool to help someone who is experiencing grief over the loss of a loved one, please tell them about Dear Daddy. If the book helps only one person, it will be successful. Thank you!