Suicide

“The Next Best Thing” by Wendi Nunnery

Blurb: Four years ago, Emma Fraser’s first love took his own life. Now, twenty years old and in college, Emma and her best friend, Andy, are still mourning the loss of a friend and brother. Nothing is the same as it once was…and things are about to change even more.

Too heartbroken to even consider falling in love again, Emma stays distracted by school and work. Until she meets Landon and, for the first time ever, finds herself believing she might actually have a future with someone. But when Deegan Burke—the man responsible for all of Emma’s heartache—gets out of prison early, Emma is suddenly confronted by her worst fears. And when faced with choices she never thought she’d have to make, Emma discovers that the only person she really wants by her side is the last person she ever expected.

My Review: Having dealt with my own heartache, I was drawn to “The Next Best Thing.” At first, it started out slow, then it quickly picked up, and when it did, it didn’t stop until the last sentence. I loved Emma’s character. Losing a loved one is hard, but she had a wonderful support group around her that helped her move on from a horrible incident. Emma’s strength throughout the book amazed me, especially with how things went down with her best girlfriend–who I thought wasn’t a good friend at all, and I believed Emma saw that, too.

While I liked Emma with Andy and as sweet as he was, there was something about how they seemed better as friends. Without giving away any spoilers, Emma ended up with the right guy, and I was so pleased with how when a certain truth came out that he didn’t abandon her for good, (thank you, Wendi, for this).

If you’re looking for a page-turner that will make you think about life and how precious it is, then I recommend this book.

I give “The Next Best Thing” 5 stars!

**About the author: Wendi Nunnery is the author of The Mayfield Family Story, The Best Kept Secret, and The Next Best Thing. She is also the founding editor of Lady Literary Magazine and her work has appeared in The Huffington Post, The Simply Beloved, and Introvert, Dear. Wendi is a proud Georgia Southern University alum and believes colorful language is good for the soul. She lives, loves, and mothers in Atlanta, Georgia.