Becky Hunter

Scarlett and Evie have been friends forever. They have been thru so much together. Evie is diagnosed with a progressive disease. Scarlett is suddenly killed. One single moment changes everything. How does life go on without your best friend? How do we move on? How do we forgive? Would you change that One Moment if you could?

I was first drawn to this book by the beautiful, vibrant colors on the cover. The write up was intriguing. Oh, the feels this book gave me! I smiled, I cried, it made me think. So many layers…friendship, grief, disappointment, acceptance, and always love. The author took me on a journey thru Scarlett’s eyes overseeing her loved ones, while looking at her past and taking accountability for actions taken. Watching Evie grow, coming to terms with her loss and finding her strength and worth was fulfilling. She was so much more than her illness. While sad, this book is also hopeful. The magical realism is a driving force in this book, which I loved. Sometimes in a book of this nature we find the final pages predictable, but this ending was so satisfying and insightful. Ms. Hunter is a new author for me and I look forward to her next book.

Thanks to Forever (Grand Central Publishing) and NetGalley for this ARC. This is my honest opinion.… (más)

One Moment by Becky Hunter is a domestic drama about friendship, grief, love, and living with MS. It is highly recommended.

Scarlett and Evie became best friends after they first met at ten years old and have been there for each other ever since. The day Scarlett died changed everything. Now her spirit is still around, watching Evie grieve and reliving memories of her life. Evie is struggling with trying to live without Scarlett and dealing with her MS. Nate, the man who Scarlett was helping when she died, keeps turning up, trying to support Evie and help her live with her grief, while Scarlett watches everything.

Chapters alternate between the point-of-view of Evie and Scarlett and the two women are well-developed characters. While deeply missing Scarlett, Evie is dealing with her grief, flaring MS symptoms, and Nate constantly turning up. Scarlett observes this but also tells the reader stories from her past that she now views with a changed perspective. The depiction of Evie's love of music, grappling with grief, and her MS is well done. Nate is an essential character to the plot, as is Astrid, a teenage neighbor of Evie.

Admittedly, for me, the plot lagged a bit until later in the narrative. I'm also not a huge fan of the spirit of a deceased character looking on, following the actions of the living. It wasn't until much later in the story that I appreciated what Hunter was doing in this choice and it provides a poignant moment. The last part of the narrative actually raised the rating for me. Thanks to Forever for providing me with an advance reader's copy via NetGalley. My review is voluntary and expresses my honest opinion.
http://www.shetreadssoftly.com/2024/03/one-moment.html… (más)