Violette Between

I began Violette Between with a healthy dose of skepticism. I'd never read any books by the author, Alison Strobel (though I do read her blog). The cover screamed "women's fiction" and I'd been bored by that genre before. The last book I'd read with a coma/dream sequence had been a self-published monstrosity. And characters named Violette, Alexine, and Xavier - I love odd names, but it seemed a little much.

I got through the first chapters - introspective beginning . . . okay, anticlimactic fall, seemingly rushed diagnosis. And then the love stories began, and I was caught up in their telling.

Christian, who gave up on God six years ago when he lost his wife, can't bear to imagine what losing Violette would do to him. Though their relationship had a difficult start and still is rocky, he loves her. His scenes mix his current pain with memories of getting to know Violette.

Violette, trapped in a coma, finds herself reliving her past with Saul, the man she loved and married. As the scenes continue, she knows she doesn't want to lose him again. But can she stay in this in-between place forever?

I ended up falling in love with this novel, and I'm sure you will too. Recommended.