Wednesday, October 12, 2016

Follow that Arrow


From Goodreads:
After losing her center, her marriage, and her future in one stroke, Gwen Van Velsor set off to find a new path. She traveled across the United States before finding her way to the Camino de Santiago, a journey that would redefine her life. Her story is a reflection on love, faith and the food that got her here from there.

From Me:
A  few months ago, I received a message from the author asking if I would like to read her book for review.  I had never done this before, but something in me had me agreeing this time---not so much to get a free book, but because she had a food blog.
Yes, she had me at Food Blog...Gourmet Gwen.
I'm a sucker for food blogs.
So, I agreed, she sent me her book and I set it on my nightstand and there it sat, thru August, thru September and I finally picked it up a few days ago---October.

Let me just state for the record, that you might be thinking, of course she's going to say it's good--she got a free book.  But here's the thing--if I didn't like it, I just wouldn't have mentioned it at all. Ever.
I was under no obligation, but here is the thing, once I started reading it, I fell in love.
It's a memoir. It's reflective.  Two things I love.
She grew up in the Pacific Northwest.  I did too (this had nothing to do with the story, I just found it interesting)
She's a coffee drinker and a walker on a spiritual quest.
AND a food blogger!

She's what I imagine myself to be.
She actually does these things  (I just think about them), and writes about her experiences.

I thought she wrote well, it flowed well and kept me turning the page.
There you have it!  My armature reviewer opinion.
I liked the story and she wrote well.
(this is why I don't review books very often--I don't write well, or explain myself well)

The thing is--I felt very connected to Gwen's story.
I felt as if I knew her journey on the Camino de Santiago,  because in a strange coincidence, I know at least 5 people  who have walked the Camino, from my small little town .
One is my Friday Night Dinner Friend, and one I saw at book club last night. (now bookclub thinks we should walk the Camino next March).

On the back of her book, the description says that her story is: a reflection on love, faith and the food that got her here from there.

I wish I had written that, because that it in a nutshell.
I enjoyed the story.




1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I love your honest review here. Added it. It sounds good.

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