Very readable but somehow we really never get into the actual issue of Dani having to deal with her loss of eyesight over time because the story only goes so far. A sequel would cover, perhaps, Jackson and Dani dealing with the changes as time goes by....perhaps 30 years into the future? Lots of attempts to deal with grief from really all of the characters in the book...was probably more the main subject of the book rather than a focus on Dani's eyesight. ( )

I loved this story of how different people handle grief from loss in many different ways. I loved Dani and Bella and how this mother and daughter handle the grief from loss. I could not put this book down. I cried many times but especially in the end. I received a copy of this book from the publisher for a fair and honest opinion that I gave of my own free will. ( )

This beautifully written book is about a mother and her daughter at a crucial point in both of their lives. It's a story of coping with grief and learning how to go on with life and how to rely on other people to help you through difficult times in life.

Dani is an artist and has just learned that due to an eye disease, she'll be losing her vision in the future. Her life is in turmoil, her ex-husband (but still good friend) has just died in a car accident and she's working to help her daughter Bella cope with life without her dad in it. Dani decides to move from their home in the Outer Banks of NC to an inland farm near the Virginia border and she's taking Bella away from the only home that she's ever known. Bella feels betrayed - not only does she have to learn to navigate life without her father but she's left behind all of her friends and the comfort of a home she loved. Most of the time, instead of lashing out at her mother, she stuffs her feelings inside and works to present a calm personality. But at 12, she does have bouts of anger and resentment and her mother is her favorite target. She's very resentful that her mother has signed her up for a 2 week grief camp for children who have lost someone close because she doesn't want to share her closely held feelings.

Dani has always kept her true feelings from the world around her - ever since her mother died when she was very young. She is extremely worried about losing her sight but doesn't share it with her daughter or her new boyfriend. She absolutely doesn't want anyone to feel sorry for her and wants to continue her life as a gallery owner.

Grief is difficult to navigate and affects everyone differently but it's absolutely crucial to have people to depend on. Will Bella learn to depend on her mother over the loss of her father and will Dani ever be able to tell Bella about her eye issues that will cause her to lose her sight? Will they both realize that together they can face whatever life brings their way?
This book is beautifully written and well written characters. Dani was a great example of a mother trying cope with changes in her life and Bella was a perfect example of a pre-teen girl who can go from happy to angry very quickly. These are two characters and a splendid story that I won't soon forget. ( )